Chair Design Activity
This activity will have you use information gathered regarding anthropometrics, furniture
design, cardboard and other related topics to design, model and construct a full size
prototype of a cardboard chair. Along the way we will also talk about evaluation rubrics
as well as what makes good chair design. We as a class will develop evaluative rubrics in
the below listed areas.
Criteria for chair’s design and fabrication: Note that a single violation will result in
a reduction of your efficiency rating by 20% of the highest rating. Two violations
will disqualify your chair from testing.
1. Must be made from only cardboard. No non-cardboard items will be allowed.
2. No adhesives, tape or glues may be used. Chair must be able to be assembled and
disassembled through the interlocking of parts.
3. Chair needs to have a back.
4. You may use up to 25 square feet of cardboard for your prototype.
5. Your chair may not be a refolded box. The teacher reserves the right to decide if
the design violates the intent of this criteria.
6. Your design must meet the criteria for the majority of people between the 5th and
95th percentiles.
7. Chair designs will be patented. First come first served. You cannot patent the
interlocking of parts unless you can describe what makes it unique.
8. Once an idea is taken you may only use that idea with permission from the
originator. You must pay a “fee” of 5% of the grade you receive for your work.
The 5% will be taken from your grade and given to the holder of the patent.
Criteria for documentation:
1. Must have created an Inventor Assembly from individual parts
2. All parts and assemblies must be done to their actual size. We may have to plot
them full scale to use as patterns attached directly to the cardboard.
3. Must have generated a drawing with parts list, fully dimensioned views,
individual part areas as well as total area for cardboard calculation.
4. Keep all research, investigation, notes, sketches and anything else that documents
your thoughts and decisions along the design process in your journal. You may be
required to refer to your journal to justify your design decisions.
You need to answer the following in order to start the research process. Copy and
paste questions to a new word document and type your answers:
1. What is the definition of a chair?
2. What is the typical height of the top of a dining or kitchen chair’s seat from the
floor?
3. What is aesthetics?
4. How will we evaluate the aesthetics of the chair?
5. What is anthropometrics?
6. The following areas are to be considered for evaluation of the chair:
a. What type of chair should we design? For what purpose will it be used?
b. How will we judge its success?
i. Strength
1. How strong does a chair need to be?
2. What types of forces does a chair experience during its use?
3. How can cardboard be oriented in such a way that it
improves its strength?
ii. Aesthetics
1. To what degree should aesthetics drive the design?
2. What does the phrase “Form follows function” mean?
iii. Comfort
1. What dictates comfort?
2. What do you need to know to determine how comfortable a
chair is?
3. For how long should a chair be comfortable?
iv. Stability
1. What is stability as it relates to a chair?
2. What determines the stability of the chair?
3. What would be the point at which a chair would be judged
to be unstable?