The form and materials of the original context of the carriages was used for inspiration for the base designs. Mid-century modern furniture, featuring dark stained natural wood, and designs from the bauhaus movement, featuring industrial steel bars was also used to influenced concept generation.
IDEATION
The bulky bases of the carriages influenced some of the concepts, with angled dark stained wood supports. Bench-like slats and chrome bars were also incorporated into a range of concepts, giving a nod to the handles rails in the original carriages. Many concepts explored the idea of maximising material used from the scaffolding board dimensions to reduce waste from offcuts, leading to several minimilistic and geometric base designs.
PROTOTYPING
Scale foam and wood models were created for the concepts that had the strongest design language and links to the original context. Consideration was also made for the amount of waste material that would be generated from each design, opting for concepts that utilised entire sections of timber to reduce offcuts.
These models gave a better idea of proportion and scale, allowing the heights of seats and arm rests to be altered in some cases. This also allowed the form of some concepts to be simplified and refined.
These concepts were then developed through CAD modelling, allowing for quick alterations and comparisons to be made. These also allowed for more realistic visual renders featuring materials as well as providing accurate dimensions for manufacturing.
The next steps involve choosing a final direction and getting started on the building process...