Meaning and Value on Contemporary Design

I have chosen Well Proven chair as my subject for this essay, it is a chair designed by Marjan van Aubel and James Shawn, two students from Royal Collage of Art in London class of 2014.

 This chair came about though experimentation, The students combined Bio-resin and sawdust creating a chemical bond resulting in a foam like material, they manipulated this material to create a seat shell which is durable and biodegradable.

When looking at this piece and describe it through formal elements, I am mightily attracted to the simple soft lines and the structure as a whole, the harmoniums colours and application of dull pastel colouring, The design has a smooth ergonomic surface where the human figure would sit and rest ones back while at the back this seamless shell chair it has a rough moon like surface, very futuristic, I would describe the surface like a natural material being eaten by acid. The shell is bonded with a base made from natural wood giving it an industrial /rustic feel.

Consumers of this generation appreciate recycled/repurposed material , we as the consumers are always on the look out for items or surfaces witch intrigue us, we look for purchases (ex chair) which are stable and durable and more over,  the comfort of the chair .

I believe the Well Proven chair fits all the criteria which  makes it a very contemporary  design and will thrive and inspire future consumers and designers.

These students have definitely  given us a step forward to the future  by finding/ introducing an innovative  material half of which its components, being sawdust would have been disposed of and more over creating a product that is made completely from Biodegradable material.

This reminds me of the Eames chair; ergonomic, industrial, visionary and produced of innovative material.

The Eames chair 1948 by Charles and Ray Eames.

Eames moulded plastic chairs were the first shell seat to be designed and produced. It was conjured up in aim to win a competition which asked for a well designed, low priced product that would attract a wide range of consumers, is easy to move, comfortable and well finished. Eames gave this and more making a chair that was easy to mass produce, using innovative material, a structure that has

never been used before and attracting many clients with the option of changing the base according to the function of the chair. While being cutting edge Modern design and style of living.

I see a connection between the Well Proven chair and the Eames chair both in the over all shape/form of the seat, the clean Modern design of the base , the ergonomic studies behind the production and most inspirational,  the connection of both using new technical application of innovative material .

Comparing between these two pieces, while the plastic Eames shell chair was a step forward for its time the Well Proven has one over the Eames, providing us with a biodegradable chair that uses material that was before disposed of, in my eyes making it even more economical.

Then again as far as the functionality the Eames chair wins for me, having the ability to change the 'legs' base of the chair giving them a larger customer base,

Were as the Well Proven chair has a fixed base giving a need for a more fixed placement.

Both pieces are very ergonomic giving the human finger a secure, moulded place to rest, I would imagine the Well Proven chair to be more comfortable due to the foam like material compared to the plastic shell of the Eames chair .

        

Well Proven chair by Marjan van Aubel + James Shaw. 2014. Well Proven chair by Marjan van Aubel + James Shaw. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.designboom.com/design/waste-wood-and-bio-resin-chair-by-marjan-van-aubel-jamie-shaw/. [Accessed 30 November 2014].

Office Essential: Charles Eames Chair - MIKESHOUTS. 2014. Office Essential: Charles Eames Chair - MIKESHOUTS. [ONLINE] Available at:http://mikeshouts.com/office-essential-charles-eames-chair/. [Accessed 30 November 2014].