Weekly Response 4 (Ellie King)

After small scale experiments with thin, non-corrugated, cardboard, I began to design a stool based on a cylindrical structure. At the small scale, this provided the most stable basis for my stool. It was at this point that I decided on the slotting mechanism that remains part of the final stool. This is a very simple joint that none the less creates a solid shape without removing much structural integrity, as some of the other joints I experimented with did. I considered a toothed joint for some time, but this was not as firm as the simple slot joint, was very time-consuming to produce precisely by hand. In addition, the jagged edge detracted visually from the generally clean, geometric lines of my stool. 

However, once I started experimenting with the thicker cardboard, it became clear that a smooth circular shape was difficult to achieve and made internal support structures less effective. Therefore, as I did not want to revert to a square or rectangular shape for both aesthetic and practical reason, I settled on a hexagonal shape. This adds visual interest, and additionally provides load-bearing corners that help to keep the internal lattice in place. 

Inside the stool is a crossed pair of boards that both help to bear the weight of the sitter, and help the hexagon maintain its shape and rigidity. I began experimenting with a section that did not extend all the way to the base of the stool, as my primary problem was keeping the hexagon shape in place, not with load bearing. This iteration, though able to hold my weight, did not feel particularly stable, so I added a second crosspiece and extended both to the ground. 

In addition to the main slot joint, I also used tabs and ties (made from thin strips of cardboard). The tabs attach the internal lattice to the shell of the stool, thus enabling them to make the hexagon shape rigid. The ties attach to hexagonal seat of the stool to the main body, through holes cut into the internal shaping boards. I wanted to hide the joining mechanism as much as possible, for the sake of both aesthetics and comfort. Therefore, the two strips are understated on the seat, and do not disrupt the symmetry of the hexagonal shape, while the more technical aspect is hidden inside the body of the stool.

While designing and building my stool, I kept Sullivan’s declaration that ‘form ever follows function’ (Sullivan 1896) in mind. Every design decision I made was primarily to further the function of the stool, rather than for aesthetic reasons. Following this, I wanted the form to be as simple as possible, to use no unnecessary parts or ornament. Of course, the choice of shape was an aesthetic decision as well as a functional one, but the need to support weight as safely and as efficiently as possible was foremost in my mind. 

References

Sullivan, L. 1896. The tall office building artistically considered. Lippincott's Magazine. 57(3), 406.

Weekly Response 4- Mark Strader

My stool was designed as a relaxing seat for any and all interested in getting low and having a peaceful evening with friends. It was created in a natural, spiraling shell shape that is meant to get the sitter on a lower level, making them feel in touch with their surroundings and in an ideal situation on the same level as everyone they are with. I started creating the stool by cutting long, 6" tall slabs and then gradually making them smaller and smaller by cutting 2 inches off each in descending order. This allowed for the form to take the shape of a spiral. I then traced a top out of the remaining cardboard and cut it out to place on top. Then I cut out 7 loops that I would eventually knot those together to attach the top to the frame. The tabs were made from a simple notch and hole frame where I cut a hole in one end and made a fat tab on the other. I then bent the tabs on the end and circled them through the holes in the frame and the top, then finally through the hole in the back of the strip and unfolded the tabs. I placed the loops strategically so that one tab would be connected to each large strip and then two loops on the frame strip on the bottom, for added support. In the middle of the frame strips I cut out small sections so that I could fit them across each other. The “Lowest One” was the one with the section below all the others so that it supported all of them. Once I did that the stool was sturdy and because all of the frame pieces were on end the structure was plenty strong enough to hold me. 

Weekly Response #4

When first tasked with the stool assignment, I didn't know how to go about the construction. I first thought the stool was supposed to function as a stepping stool, thus needing to resist two concentrated point loads. After I learned that we could sit on the stool I knew the project would be a little easier but not completely easy. As a structural engineer I had worked with concrete and steel but never cardboard. I next needed and inspiration for the design of my stool. Surprisingly, my original design for the stool came from the lecture about ornamentation. The structure lesson was secondary in my plan. I thought of the ornamentation because I realized that, when it came to this project, I thought that excess ornamentation that did nothing for structural support was frivolous.

I ultimately went through three iterations for this project: two of which were meant to hold weight and the third was meant to conjure up ideas. I made my first stool with he idea of a "solid" triangle. I took the cardboard and fixed it together with joints so that it was a seamless structure on the sides and woven on the top and the bottom. On the inside, this stool had cross braces to keep the walls from caving in and also carry the load from the seat to the ground. The structure worked but I wanted to do more. I built a second structure as a prototype. I folded more triangles made triangular cutouts to put triangular supports that spanned the width of the inside of the stool. With this idea in mind, I remade the first stool and put triangular holes in the side instead of the bracing. When I tested this out the structure collapsed along with my self-esteem. With this failure I realized that my original intent of no ornamentation was the best and I went back to that but I cut out triangles in the cardboard to make the structure lighter. From our lecture about "light" and "heavy" structures, I thought that a lighter structure that was able to hold my weight was more impressive.

My take-aways from this project is that experimentation is great but if it isn't broken then don't fix it. Through the different iterations I was able to realize was was unnecessary in my original design. I enjoyed doing the project because in structural engineering we don't get to model our structures as often as I want to.

Weekly Response #4

The cardboard stool project is an assignment that I will never forget. This project was the most challenging, yet rewarding exercises I have ever had to complete so far at Michigan. I would not consider myself a skillful craftsman, or even someone who has much experience with their hands, but I was able to create a stable stool after many iterations. At the start of the project, I really had no idea the direction I should take because I had never worked with cardboard before. In class, we were introduced to the quintessential definition of architecture as that of Vitruvius, who focused on three main areas of importance: utility, firmness, and delight. I built my stool with this definition in mind.  Its utility was that it achieved the project’s goal through a solid base that was able to support two people. The triangular base reflected the firmness of the stool, which created the strong foundation for the stool.  And since we are all Wolverines, I quickly knew that I wanted to make my project: the tailgate stool. The blue paintjob with a maize cup-holder adds not only school spirit, but also a delightful gaming experience.

The design of my stool came after four iterations. I started with creating a zigzag like jointing mechanism, where the stool would be fastened by many interlocking pieces. My second model looked more for like a normal stool you would see at a kitchen table, but I found that my weight was too heavy and the legs would bend outward. My third and fourth models represent my first and final draft of the project. I focused my attention on creating the most stable firmness. I chose to make my stool triangular because it was the most secure of all the iterations I tried. I found that the triangle provides enough space for two people, and I used a cross-fold in the back to make the tension support itself. There are sort of two triangles within the stool. There is an inner lying of cardboard that are opposite each other, and then two flaps fold over each other to create the triangle.

The construction of the cup-holder was very difficult. I used a tab-and slot mechanism of creating the circular base. One thin sheet wraps into a circle and is jointed together with tabs. The circular cardboard base is separate and is jointed through vertical tabs. Then the “cup” is fastened by another strip of cardboard around it and attached through slits in a front panel of the stool.

Rasmussen in “Experiencing Architecture” explained that architecture “means shapes formed around man, formed to be lived in, not merely to be seen from the outside”. This quote really resonated with me and my construction of the stool because I wanted to make a piece that I would actually use and could aesthetically fit in my room. I really learned a lot through this project!

           

Weekly Response #4

My stool project started out with many ambitious ideas about geometry and tectonics. I initially wanted to create a stool that had an "unstable" design as discussed in the very first lecture, and I explored the many different ways of creating joints to create that design. However, I soon discovered that cardboard did not have the material complexity needed to make a convincing tectonic argument so I created an "unstable" design in another way.

I got my inspiration for the final design from the common cardboard shipping box. From everyday experiences with ordinary cardboard boxes, I learned that it is possible to create a sturdy design that won't collapse on itself by simply overlapping each panel of cardboard over the other. This method eliminates tabbing and creates a completely different type of joint that is presents a simple and clean aesthetic. This method of combining the panels also allows for an interesting design, particularly one that is symmetric along the center vertical axis.

The geometry of my stool was intended to so I could repeat my overlapping method many times for emphasis and to ornament my stool. As discussed in the ornamentation lecture, my ornamentation follows the example of modern ornamentation. That is, the ornamentation of my stool is repeated throughout the design and contributes an essential detail to my design. Although as with all ornamentation, the complex geometry serves no role in the tectonics of the design and is completely useless in supporting any weight. The entirety of the weight is supported by the "walls" of the stool.

Although there are a lot of overlapping and empty spaces in my stool, the entire stool is made from a single piece of cardboard. This not only strengthens the stool, but also makes an interesting continuity argument. For example, at every edge of the stool it is evident that each face of the stool is connected to the rest, but the overlapping panels at the top of the stool make each segment of the stool seem disconnected from the other.

Overall, this project was very enjoyable albeit quite time consuming. Creating an original design based off an interesting geometry was rewarding, although I wish that I had challenged the tectonics my design a bit more.

Weekly Response 4 -Aaron Ginns

            When this project was originally assigned to me I had a hard time coming up with a design for my stool. While I had many different ideas on how to design my stool I thought back to our debate on form vs. function. I realized that if I were to focus on having a really well functioning stool, I would also end up designing a stool with excellent form. This stool was designed with the idea of being strong, materially efficient, and maintaining a sleek and aesthetically appealing look. To address the first of my criteria, I chose to make my stool in the shape of a triangle, as that is the strongest shape. With that it mind it also fits as a good shape for a stool as it is easy to sit on. While I was somewhat skeptical on how strong the cardboard was actually going to be, I was very pleased to see how much weight the material could hold when it was assembled in a triangular formation.  In my first few models though, I continued to see a similar problem. The sides began to warp when too much force was exerted on the stool. Originally, the three sides were connected by interlocking joints that extended down almost the entirety of the edges. In my final stool, the size of the joints was decreased in size by about half. This as expected, solved the problem of the warped sides as the less cardboard that was cut out resulted in a studier side. I was also very surprised at how little cardboard it took to be able to support a person. I can see this stool being used in a more intimate setting, possibly being placed around a low table or a fireplace.

Weekly Response 4 - Sarah Carter

When this project was initially assigned was very nervous. Creating a stool out of cardboard that could support my own weight was something that I had absolutely no experience with. It was even more nerve wracking when later it was determined that the stool actually had to hold 175 pounds. This was very hard to test for me because I did not know where to come up with 60 extra pounds to test the strength of my stool with. In the end everything turned out alright despite never being able to test for 175 pounds.

The design for my stool came to me in several different stages throughout the project. I first experimented with the different types of joints that I could use in my stool. Though this experimentation I learned that I did not want to use tabs in my final design, I wanted to use slotting to build my stool. So building upon that I then stumbled upon the next aspect of my design. I wanted to have the shell of my stool be aesthetically appealing by slitting the sides and having the sides of my stool have multiple layers to them. I then built a small model out of note cards that helped me to decide what the outer shell of my stool would look like. This model helped me determine that I wanted my stool to have three sides instead of four because three sides made the stool more stable. On the inside of my stool I decided that the structure would all be held together with the joints and it would be connected to the outer shell through the joinery also. I originally just had three pieces of cardboard holding the shell together and forming the structure but I later determined that I had to add a few extra pieces to the center to help support the weight of the person sitting on the stool. The structure of the stool and the shell of the stool were essentially independent of each other. so realistically the shell was just ornamentation because it could be removed and the stool would still be able to support weight.

The largest thing that I struggled with during this project was figuring out how I wanted to attach the top of the stool. I spent a very long time trying to figure this aspect of the stool out. I actually figured it out through the drawings that I chose to draw on the outside of the shell. The top of the stool was constructed so that it would have several different layers just like roses. The idea of how to attach it to the stool came soon after. I went with a variation of a tab. One of the bottom layers of the top had an edge folded down and then tabbed so it could could connect to the center of the main structure. If I had more time to improve this project I would have spent more time on the top of the stool to make it more aesthetically appealing instead of looking like it was very haphazard.

Weekly Response #4 - JingJing Wu

Initially, like many others, the idea of having to construct a stool entirely out of cardboard that could support up to 175lb was extremely intimidating. What made it even more difficult was the fact that we were given limited material and were also not allowed to use any added fasteners.  However, through gathering ideas in class and online and having gone through the class session on “introduction to cardboard making”, it gave me a better understanding of the requirements and the expectations of the project. I understood that I had to “free” myself of the my psychological restrains that this project was near to impossible and come up with ideas and just work and experiment on them in order to get the project to materialize.

I decided to go ahead and construct a stool that is simple and yet would be able to support a lot of weight. Hence, I chose a design that facilitates multiple zigzags as the interiors of the stools to be able to support heavy weights without requiring additional support from external fasteners. As flat pieces of cardboards are extremely hard to be cut precisely and accurately, after a few experimentations, I decided to go forth with existing cardboard boxes such as delivery and grocery boxes. These cardboard boxes would provide me with existing folds and crises. To maximize strength, I used smaller pieces of cardboard and created as many zigzags as possible instead of just contrasting a few within the space bounded by the exterior cardboard. The process, nonetheless, took surprisingly much longer than I expected as it required a lot of careful intertwining and making sure that the cuts would be able to fit each other well in order to maximize the effects of the zigzags.

As we learned in lecture, from Roth, physical structure is defined as “the literal ‘bones’ of the building doing the work of keeping the building standing” while perceptual structure is defined as “the sensation produced by the structure in the observer”. I felt like I was able to achieve the former but not the latter.  Hence, in terms of improvements, if I had the chance to work on the project again, I would pay more attention to the visual representations and the aesthetic appeal of the stool rather than just focusing on its functionality.