Have a Seat

Catalog description

The Chair is the most iconic piece in the history of furniture. Chairs have been in every aspect of our lives for thousands of years, we touch chairs with our entire bodies yet we've become so used to them that we hardly notice their presence. Chairs represent an effort to balance utility and beauty, comfort and status. Chairs offer us a link to the past and a glimpse into the future. This course will explore how the design and making of chairs have been affected by and reflect changes in technology, materials, manufacturing processes, aesthetics, ergonomics, and economic and social conditions over time. Why are some chairs considered iconic? What do different modes of sitting reveal about a society and its people? Are some forms of sitting superior to others? What do chairs tell us about human behavior and attitudes toward posture? This course will critically examine the principles of "good design" by studying chairs and their makers throughout history and envision the future of design practice. Students will practice the design process and learn analog and digital prototyping tools and apply those skills in hands-on and tangible design projects.