Manufacturers
Within the brief and specifications it states 'Ideally we would like to see designers specify UK manufacture as well as sustainably and locally sourced material.' I have decided for this reason to conduct some research into some examples of manufacturers that mass product furniture. Although, as of yet I will not be entering the competition officially it is something I need to consider if this was in a real world context.
In addition, I have tried to pinpoint on businesses that specialise in creating furniture for churches specifically. Perhaps, by looking at these specialist examples it can aid and inspire some of my designs and ideas.
Luke Hughes
"Today’s cathedral must provide space for
private prayer and reflection, corporate worship, meetings, concerts and drama,
educational assemblies and guided or unguided tours. The right furniture can
make this flexibility a reality."
They seem to have recognised that flexibility is already a need and key factor for any church. But is this factor apparent in their designs?
This image here is an example of some seating that the manufacturers have fabricated. They state on their website:
"Choir seating in European oak at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, designed to fit between stone pilasters and with mouldings sympathetic to the Tudor stonework."
Critically speaking if I were to analysis this product I would say that it looks quite bulky. It also appears as if it would be heavy to move about which in turn is not very practical for the churches needs. Do the benches stack as well? I think benches are more likely to be harder to stack then chairs but it is something I can consider in my designs. What is to say that a bench cannot be foldable and meet the needs of the brief. I like the colour of the wood though, I think it would be suitable for most churches in terms of the historical and symbolic religious interior objects.
They seem to have recognised that flexibility is already a need and key factor for any church. But is this factor apparent in their designs?
This image here is an example of some seating that the manufacturers have fabricated. They state on their website:
"Choir seating in European oak at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, designed to fit between stone pilasters and with mouldings sympathetic to the Tudor stonework."
Critically speaking if I were to analysis this product I would say that it looks quite bulky. It also appears as if it would be heavy to move about which in turn is not very practical for the churches needs. Do the benches stack as well? I think benches are more likely to be harder to stack then chairs but it is something I can consider in my designs. What is to say that a bench cannot be foldable and meet the needs of the brief. I like the colour of the wood though, I think it would be suitable for most churches in terms of the historical and symbolic religious interior objects.
Alpha Furniture
This is another example of a furniture company that provides chairs and other products for churches. I have looked at most of their chairs and I feel the designs are more aimed to support comfort rather than being sympathetic within the churches surroundings. Furthermore show any links to religion and I think I would like to incorporate some kind of design feature to encompass this.
You can see in the slideshow below the different examples of chairs that they provide and how they may not be suitable for this brief. However, it has been a useful source for my research because some chairs are stackable and it interesting to see how they are designed with that purpose in mind. With any church space is always an issue so this being able to stack or fold is crucial.
You can see in the slideshow below the different examples of chairs that they provide and how they may not be suitable for this brief. However, it has been a useful source for my research because some chairs are stackable and it interesting to see how they are designed with that purpose in mind. With any church space is always an issue so this being able to stack or fold is crucial.
Manufacturing process for a standard wooden chair.
Not only is it useful to research the various manufactures that cater to churches it is also helpful to research into the manufacturing process of a chair. Although, I will only produce one chair for this project the intentions is that they will be mass-produced.
This is a article I have found from the internet.
Unless a chair is carved from a single piece of wood, any chair is manufactured in much the same way. Although the sizes of the components may change, the basics remain the same. This holds true whether a woodworker is making a single chair or if a shop is manufacturing thousands of matching wooden chairs.
Designing a Chair
- Before a chair can be made, the woodworker has to design it in such a way that it will be safe to sit in. The home woodworker will typically hand draw a design and then create a prototype from scrap lumber to make sure the chair is safe and stable. Large furniture makers hire engineers to design and draw the chair in a computer assisted drawing program and then manufacture and test the finished chair. Each flaw is tweaked in the CAD program until the chair is considered safe.
- All chairs have three things in common: a seat, a chair back and a way to raise these off the floor. While chair styles may look different, they each include these three parts. Chairs without a back are considered a stool. Other components include armrests, footrests and stabilizer bars. Once the individual parts are designed, the next issue is the building methods used.
- Depending on the style of chair, each component is manufactured individually. The seat is formed, and then the legs and back are attached. Any additional parts, such as armrests, are then added to the chair. For other chairs, each of these parts is milled separately and then put together into a standard chair. Upholstered and cushioned chairs have a process of including stuffing or springs before the outer covering to the seat is attached.
- Once the finished chair is assembled, the manufacturer applies a finish to the wood. This finish can include wood stains, paints or simply oils to bring out the beauty of the wood. Some chair finishes include polyurethane to protect the wood from spills and scratches. Any fabric on the chair is treated with chemicals for the same protection.