Charette

EZECOMFORT

The proposed solution of Ezecomfort will increase the emotional attachment of the user to the chair by the comfort and unique design of an adaptable backrest and seat pan; instead of its previous hard un-ergonomic features.

Proposed material:  Treated plywood; similar to the seat pan of Eames famous chair. We chose not to add a different material as it would over complicated the design and lose its simplicity and craftsmanship as a wooden IKEA chair.  (((upload pics of chair)

Transforming from a plain, hard and uncomfortable chair for general use; Ezecomfort will have a much more predominant role in the consumers way of life. Aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, the Ezecomfort will become a key 

player in the living room, a dinning chair, and an important point of conversation within the consumer’s home. The backrest and seat pan come in separate components for ease of packaging. Each component clicks into the pre existing slot

s of the IKEA chair; making modification is easy, affordable

 and accessibl

e.

As an all-purpose chair the life stages of the consumer from a small child to a teenager, entertainer and parent would be the main stimulus to modify the chair. As the consumer becomes older and has their own apartment or family, the chair adapts from an all-purpose chair to one for the lounge room or entertaining guests. ‘Wanting new things’, Boredom and uncomfort of the chair can also be other driving factors to want to modify the chair.

As a beneficial claim, the consumer could mail order or return to IKEA to swap parts of the pre existing chair not needed and receive a discount on the new aftermarket attachment.

Physio-Attachment 

Why Discarded?

• Move out of the home
  
• Easily Scratched and mistreated
• Untreated – no long life endurance
• Waterproof?
• Unable to customize
  
• Function
  

o   Uncomfortable

Hooks that can be attached to the backrest of the chair to hang up a child’s school bag or accessories’, while sitting in the chair studying.

Through the use of different colours and material components, the user can customize the colours of their chair.

Pyscio- Attachment

Supplied by IKEA the child can play with a craft kit, which allows them to draw and laminate pictures onto the seatpan of the chair. This customization, begins to translate into memories for the family and child, as each laminate changes with every picture. 

A footrest designed specifically to slot in underneath the chair enhances the comfort of the chair. The footrest foundation contains vertical magazine slots that can be easily accessed when in use and then stored securely underneath the chair when not in use. The footrest comes in two compartments and can therefore be stackable, or some left behind under the chair. 

Socio-Attachment

This concept attempts to bring character to the chair, to make it much more interactive for the child. Little silicone rubber shoes are given to the chair, a reading light, an ergonomic back-rest and finally a pouch on the side of the chair for pens and texters.

 

Though maybe not as practical, I wanted to explore the concept of a more organic chair, whereby the consumer would be supplied with a roll of sandpaper to encounter the task of rounding legs and square tops of the chair. 

DESIGN PROCESS REFLECTION

Promoting long-term satisfaction with the one chair was an interesting exercise to explore how a product could be enhanced over time.  The consumer’s life stage and personal interests can be the most beneficial for this modification. As a result its no wonder the consumer will increase their emotional attachment of the chair in their ability to customize.  This concept I believe has the power to enhance the products lifetime in a fun and creative way and reduce the planned obsolescence of most products in the marketplace today.

Designing beyond the original product is good in a way as it can allow you to develop all those other wild and crazy concepts that you had originally planned for the one object. It certainly makes the product more flexible and interesting over time for the consumer.

It was fun to collaborate with other designers; as it represents what we will be doing as a design team in the ‘real world’. Brainstorming for modification was defiantly the most interesting aspect for the task; as you got thinking creatively as a team and bounced off each. Finding a solution that everyone agreed on was the hardest.

Comfort in a chair is a must. After all people will be sitting in the chair for long periods of time and need to enjoy that experience. Touch and feel of the chair is highly relevant for consumers to build an emotional attachment to the chair, unlike that of any other on the market place. Difference. Exploration and manipulation of materials is effective to explore a balance between form, comfort and material.