It’s finals week. For those of you sleep deprived and overly caffeinated, I’m right there with you. I’m just three projects away from completing my first year of graduate school, phew! Almost there. The majority of my time this week will be spent on my residential design project. My concept for the space is based on the flux chair from the DC Design Festival. Inspired by origami, the chair can be unfold and carried with ease.

Dutch designers, Douwe Jacobs and Tom Schouten, worked on this design as a graduate project which turned into an entrepreneurial venture after graduation. Over 100 full sized prototypes were created in the process and the final designed was developed on the biggest molding machine in the Netherlands.

What I love about this piece is how many problems were solved in such a simple design. The chair is light, inexpensive, sturdy, attractive, convenient and easy to store. With only two points of connection, it’s amazing to see this structure hold. A perfect example of simple complexity.

The project I’ve been working on is for a client with a vacation home in the ski mountains of Spain. My idea was to create a space that would unfold, much like the flux chair does when disassembled. I decided on one continuous structure that folds up creating spaces and even furniture. Here’s some of the process work I’ve done on the design.

I’m at a point where I am simplifying the geometry and creating more fluidity with the structure. I’m so exhausted from the days upon nights upon days in the studio but I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product!  With the furniture in place and a physical model built, I think I’ll finally see my vision come to life. What do you think about living in a folded space?  Totally crazy or totally unique?

Keep going my friends, keep working hard; a well deserved summer is right around the corner! -chels