Duyan Chair Case Study

DUYANA RATTAN WOMB CHAIR

WHAT DOES A WOMB CHAIR AND A ‘DUYAN’ HAVE IN COMMON?

Both are inspired by the concept of ‘baby comfort’.

“It was designed on the theory that a great number of people have never really felt

comfortable and secure since they left the womb” – Eero Saarinen, designer of

the Womb Chair on his chair’s formanology

FORMANOLOGY

Taking inspirations from Eero Saarinen’s

Womb Chair and the Filipino cradle, the

Duyan Chair is no ordinary lounge chair.

Its form is greatly influenced by a Filipino

infant’s ‘first dwelling’.

EERO SAARINEN’S WOMB CHAIR

DUYAN, the traditional cradle in the

Philippines

CHAIR’S IMPACT ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS

• Because of its materials, it has a casual and resort

feel to the market. It is in fact a major attraction

especially in foreign countries.

• It has a lightweight, elegant, and flexible low, making

it appropriate for almost any type of design (from

classic to contemporary design)

HOW IT’S MADE – BASE AND FRAME CONSTRUCTION

One of the Philippines’ natural gems

Grows in the eastern side of Northern Luzon

Flexible and fibrous

Luckily, it is a material that’s not only ideal for weaving, but is strong enough to support furniture as its foundation,

as well.

Bends easily when heated


1. POLE SELECTION – Selecting the suitable species with canes of the right

size for the particular end-use to be considered. The material should be

dried to a moisture content of 18-20 percent.

2. POLE STRAIGHTENING - softening of the poles by briefly steaming them,

then straighten them in wooden straightening jigs.

3. CUTTING OF THE POLES TO LENGTH - Cut the poles to the required

lengths, allowing sufficient extra for trimming the bent component.

4. POLE STEAMING - Soften (or “plasticize”) the poles to be bent by

steaming them in an enclosed chamber with a temperature of 1000 C at

atmospheric pressure.

Furniture makers use steam – applying both heat and moisture – to modify the shape of rattan poles.This

process is called the Rattan Pole Steam-Bending Unit.

RATTAN POLE STEAM-BENDING UNIT


RATTAN POLE STEAM-BENDING UNIT

5. POLE BENDING IN JIGS – After removing the poles from the chamber,

immediately bend each one manually. Hand fashioning of bends is usually

done with bending forms or jigs.

Bending jigs are made of wooden or metal blocks shaped to the desired form of

bend. The use of jigs ensures uniform curvature in the bends. On a jig securely fixed

to the bench, secure the end of the pole where bending will start and slowly force

the pole against the jig to follow its contour. Slightly overbend the pole to give

allowance for springback. Secure the pole in the jig by placing restraining attachments

(ties) on the ends to prevent springback. Allow the bend to cool and dry – usually

about 24 hours.


6. PIECE-FINISHING - Remove the restraining attachment and adjust the bend

to the required curvature following a pattern used to ensure proper shaping

of components. To facilitate adjustment, soften the pole by passing a

blowtorch 3 to 4 times over the bent portion for about 25 to 30 seconds.

Trim any excess from the ends of the bent piece. The bent piece is now

ready for product assembly.

DESIGN INSPIRATION FOR CHAIR

FOUNDATION

BASE PEG

FLOOR PROTECTION

Heavy duty nylon glides are placed below the

chair’s base for floor protection and also to

prevent the chair from slipping on the surface.

HOW IT’S MADE - SHELL

Once the foundation is built to its desired, shape, the weaving of rattan strips for the chair’s shell is then begun.

For this chair, the Danish cord pattern is used because of its durability.

Polishing makes the chair contemporary while staining is used to ass color to it.

WEAVING IN PROGRESS WEAVING COMPLETEDWEAVING PATTERN

PRAGMATIC PICTURE

TARGET MANUFACTURER

CONCLUSION

Taking inspiration from Eero Saarinen’s Womb Chair and the traditional Filipino cradle ‘duyan’, this chair takes

an agricultural yet sophisticated approach in furniture design. The Duyan Chair mainly follows the Womb Chair’s

shape and features but instead of using the same materials, it opted for something the Philippines is very rich of.

Using natural resources like rattan, the chair does not only offer unique aesthetics but it also promotes the country’s

agriculture. Because of its lightweight and elegant low, the chair can be a major attraction even in foreign countries.

The chair has a classy yet contemporary design, making it flexible and appropriate to almost any type of setting.

REFERENCES

Building Rattan Furniture from the Ground Up. (2014, May 12). Retrieved September 28, 2015,

from http://blog.wickerwarehouse.com/?p=62

Shaping and Integrating Wicker Weaving. (2014, May 12). Retrieved September 28, 2015, from

http://blog.wickerwarehouse.com/?p=62

Crafting and Shaping Rattan. Retrieved from http://www.imprintmanila.com/crafting-and-

shaping-rattan/

Peters, C. (2006). How to Identify Woven Chair Seats. Retrieved September 27, 2015, from

http://www.wickerwoman.com/articles/identify-woven-seat-patterns

Peters, C. (2006). Seatweaving #101 Overview–Caning, Rush, Splint, Cord. Retrieved September

27, 2015, from http://www.wickerwoman.com/seatweaving

"InBarTechnology Pages." Rattan Pole Steam-Bending Unit: A Valuable Environmentally-Friendly

Technique (2005). International Network for Rattan and Bamboo.

Duyan Chair Case Study

Documents

Transcript of Duyan Chair Case Study