The Trefoil Task Chair concept is a compact easily assembled task chair created by slotting, braiding, laminating, and folding cardboard that changes what sitting is for you

CONCEPT

The Trefoil is a task chair that’s designed to make you get up and move after sitting for a while, the chair helps you physically regulate how long you sit and mentally regulates you to take breaks from your task

RESEARCH + DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Cardboard is a sustainable, recycled biodegradable material which is healthy for the enviorment. Additionally The Trefoil Chair can be deassembled and reassembled easily so it can be flat packed which is a more sustainable way of packing and shipping as it uses less boxes and less transportations which leads to less fumes. The Trefoil Chair is sittable but designed to make you uncomfortable after a bit so you can mentally take a break from your task and physically let your body move.

MATERIAL MANIPULATION

For materials, I used chipboard and single-wall cardboard. I would sandwich the single-wall cardboard in between the chipboard to reinforce sturdiness in the chair parts. the There’s folding manipulation to engage all cardboard for a packable and shippable design, Jointing and Braiding allows the parts to be easily assembled and taken apart while it undergoes a stress within it’s elastic range which allows the chair to convert back to its original form once the stress/load is removed, and the slotting is used to connect every chair part together

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Originally starting with a whole different concept but keeping the same theme, was the “Flower into Bloom Chair” that used 5 petals of a flower as the base of the chair creating a springy effect as you sit on it.

After trying a Springy Base with 5 Petals, I figured out the limitations of cardboard. Although it did have a sort of springiness to it when applied with pressure, It wasnt enough to hold a persons bodyweight. Using the same theme of a flower, I opted for a Trefoil structure, a three leaf plant which I extruded and flared out to create a base.

PACKAGING

It’s compact and lightweight even when assembled making it easy to move from room to room, desk to desk. The shipping/packaging makes them flat together, separating all of the single cardboard easy to deconstruct and reassemble using slotting and folding. This makes The Trefoil economical AND sustainable!