Product Development and Project Management
Strand Chair
Working with Australian Designer Adam Cornish, the technically challenging Strand Chair was an intensive research and development project.
The philosophy behind Strand is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; each component works with the other to create pieces that rely solely on their unison. Inspired by the vintage steel furniture from the 1950s, the collection is made from simple, tactile materials, chosen for their honesty and ability to age with dignity. Taking cues from braided steel cables, three aluminium ‘strands’ work in unison to create the outline of the design. Quaint, intricate and tactile, Strand is humble enough for homes and cafes, yet strong and ergonomically suited to commercial applications.
Photo credit: Adam Cornish
Photo credit: Adam Cornish
The Process
Sourced appropriate production partners
Price control of components, including 3D bent plywood shell and CNC bent wire frame
Project managed the creation of samples, identified ongoing QC challenges and developed shared expectations with production partner
Negotiated price for all components, tooling costs, cost controlled project within target prices to fit design brief
Worked with sales managers to develop achievable commercial pricing targets and additional product info and support
Developed typical use case, tested and determined weight rating
Photo credit: Adam Cornish
Achievements
An ambitious construction of 9 strands of wire fused together, with an ash AA sided plywood shell, I was tasked with making an ambitious, difficult to copy design into a production piece for mass production
The first 3 prototypes we created were not suitable for repetitive, commercial production. We instead decided to modify the design in order to maintain a reliable production quality
The result is a competitively priced stack-able chair, that withstands the counterfeit furniture industry - that is, it is extremely difficult to replicate.
This is a fantastic result for both NAU and Adam Cornish, and the Australian design industry as a whole
Behind the scenes
Process photos from first prototypes
