Project 4 - Catalysts presentation

For this project we started it by over the easter holidays finding one hundred images which fell under the categories: conceptualism, minimalism, abstraction, modernism, and digital. Each of these is an art movement and had serious significance in its time and some even still have profound affects now. Once we returned from the easter holidays with these images we took a trip to the V&A where we were asked to look around finding things which fell into each of these categories in order to test our understanding. After this we then had to choose one of these movements and create something which was compatible. I decided to create something conceptual which had a minimalist finish. I therefore started to research more into the meaning of conceptual finding out that artistically it means that often the appearance of the art piece is trying to portray something. From this I tried to derive a meaning which I cold then use to create something. I therefore decided that something could therefore have a double meaning or even a double purpose. That week I saw a video on collapsible items. Anna my tutor then informed me that such a book existed so I took it out from the library and began to create this time an indoor piece of furniture. 

Hani Rashid

This was designed by Mr Rashid. It is in Dubai and situated over a racetrack. There are many reasons why I like this building. However two of my favourites are that it has the purpose of being a hotel and having the wow factor of being over a race track. Moreover I enjoy its outer shell allows it to light up and change colour. The clear theme here being that its a versatile building.

Thomas Heatherwick 

The rolling bridge at Paddington is another fantastic example of something with fantastic functionality. It is able to adapt for its purpose whilst also being something of great beauty. This here inspired me to create something which could change shape.

Ottakringer (ladder chair)

From the book collapsible I found this chair/ladder. I like the design due to the ease of changing between the two and the way in which it functions very well as both.

Authors own

I decided to create a retractable staircase. The reason for this was that I wanted a house hold object I could use and also something which maybe took up a lot of room.

Authors own

When designing the staircase I knew that practically as well as aesthetically it would have to be minimal. Therefore I decided that it may have to be slightly less child friendly in order to create this. 

Authors own

I felt that it should be situated within either student accommodation where there is confined room. Or in a place where room is scarce. For example in small flats in cities ect. 

Authors own

As you can see the stair case folds down the the top. However in reality my model does not show how I envisioned it working. I would have had it folding from top and bottom at the same time so that it met at the bottom in the middle.

Authors own

The reason I would have had each end folding simultaneously is because this is how I imagined it working. There would have been spring-loaded runners on both the wall and floor which at the click of a button would have released the stairs so that they folded down.

Authors own

The folding however would have had to be managed if I where to use spring-loaded runners. This is because otherwise the stairs could go flying together at speed and damage the parts. Therefore some weight distribution would have had to have been worked out.

            

Authors own

The folded staircase could have been used as a bookshelf or even a shoe rack. If I were to create this again I would definitely have created a better model as this model does not portray the expectations I had of the outcome. This was due to it proving difficult to find the material to make exactly what I wanted. However I still feel I could have made something which would have shown it slightly better than this.