We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Tobias Kappeler about their original and creative Lounge Chair design work. Tobias Kappeler is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original lounge chair works.
Tobias Kappeler ("TK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Haragana Lounge Chair. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
TK : I developed the design under the theme of "observation". I observed that people do not stay seated for extended periods of time to just observe their surroundings. This was the starting point of the design. I explored how observation could come into play when not being seated, which informed the form and structure of the chair. What you observe, is an outline of an armchair, which we associate with longer periods of sitting, yet it's not an armchair, as there are no upholstery or armrests. The seating point was purposely placed low, to enhance the lounge feeling and allow the user to view their environment from a height which is not that common.
TK : I'm planning to create a series of furniture with the same style, such as a bar chair, couch, outdoor seating and a swivel chair. I'm also open to collaborations and have ideas for different materials other than cork to make it more playful.
TK : The design was made within four weeks, from the idea to the final product.
TK : I'm open to different forms of collaboration, as well as selling or leasing the production rights.
TK : Pen and paper for sketching, rapid prototyping materials, steel rods and a spot welding machine, TIG welding machine, hand tube bending machine, spirit level, sanding paper and scotch. I also created a CAD model in Fusion 360 and Blender.
TK : Technology took a backseat in the project, as I couldn't figure out how to use the CAD Software to achieve what I wanted in the given frame, and the tube bending was all done with a hand-powered tool, as well as most of the sanding and spray painting. The symmetry was achieved by eye and measuring. This was a great learning experience for me that less technology can be very inspiring.
