Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs by Ao Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award de Fer in Génératif Competition Category.

FerGénératif· 2024

Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs

by Ao Zhou

Client: Meso Design

A' Design Award de Fer Winner in Génératif Category

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The Design

About Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs

Oh Chair est une réponse moderne au fauteuil œuf rétro-futuriste iconique. En intégrant la base en fil métallique courbé et le design visuellement ouvert de l'assise emblématique, les designers ont su capturer l'essence de leur approche de la technologie de pointe. L'intégration de l'AIGC dans le processus de création a permis à Oh Chair de mettre en valeur la vision des designers sur l'Intelligence Artificielle : un co-pilotage avec un esprit ouvert et une réflexion attentive, embrassant le progrès tout en restant conscient du contexte environnant.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Fer

Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs est lauréat de l'A' Design Award de Fer, une reconnaissance prestigieuse décernée à de bons designs qui répondent aux exigences professionnelles et industrielles attendues de créations bien conçues. Les lauréats Fer démontrent la grande compétence, la haute spécialisation, la compréhension experte et la capacité créative de leurs créateurs. Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs est censé être une création très estimée, admirée et chérie, pratique et innovante. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award de Fer intègre les meilleures pratiques de l'industrie et présente des caractéristiques techniques compétentes associées à un savoir-faire et à du talent. Oh Chair Salon des Lecteurs est respecté pour sa rigueur et est conçu pour apporter des améliorations de la qualité de vie qui contribuent à faire du monde un monde meilleur.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Oh Chair is a modern response to the iconic retro-futuristic egg chair. By incorporating the bent wire base and the visually open design of the signature seat, the designers were able to capture the essence of their approach to cutting-edge technology.
Involving AIGC in the creation process allowed Oh Chair to showcase the designers' perspective on Artificial Intelligence: co-piloting with an open mind and careful consideration, embracing progress while being mindful of the surrounding context.
Dimensions & Packaging: 706 mm X 1316 mm X 1356 mm
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Algorithmic Furniture, Retrofuturistic, Sustainability, AI-Assisted Design, Furniture Design, Generative Design, Recycled Material, Stainless Steel, Future Casting, Lounge Chair, Sessel Design, Ergonomics
Production Technology: Design Process: Blender/Figma/Photoshop/AIGC

Materials: 100% recyclable polyethylene, Fabric, Stainless Steel
Design Challenge: Training the AI model is the biggest challenge that we met. Instead of just starting from scratch with a publicly available generative AI model, we trained the Stable Diffusion image-generation model on both modernism and retro-futuristic catalogs from the 1920s-1930s, and 1950s to 1960s. This process leads to thousands of Iterations and Ideations. We need to adapt to the technical demands of AI and invest in training and infrastructure. Images generated with these two distinct data sets reflect the general aesthetic of those time periods and that also correspond with our original design goal: While following the legacy of the timeless design from above two golden periods, exploring new materials, construction techniques, and ergonomic solutions within the constraints of a chair design, ultimately producing a functional and aesthetically compelling piece of furniture.
Research: This design project is a speculative experience exploring the impact of creative technologies on the design process. We suspect generative design will speed up the early stage exploration with conversational response, but yet know how it helps the final visualization. To figure out, we conducted qualitative research on how the designer workflow is impacted by generative co-creation.

In this test, designers are the participants. We collected and analyzed data exchange from every step of the design process, from MidJourney to Blender to Photoshop, and found the preset “prompt” setting of the scope for the entire project. After the back-and-forth chat process between the chief designer and mid-journey, generative tech assisted the designer in putting their vision to work and setting the boundaries and visual direction with an extensive image database from both modernism and retro-futuristic, thus clarifying the designer’s direction with the provided tangible option for the next stage.

However, the image generated by AI hardly applies to furniture modeling and production because of its limitation on understanding the z-axis and following the basic law of physics. Here is when the designer takes the lead. During the iteration phase, the design, and design alongside the visualizer collaborated as human factor engineers to restructure the initial design with more human factor and production consideration. Adding human touches, like a round cushion for back support and a visual icon; injects consciousness of sustainability with the material choice. At this stage, generative AI assists the creative process by presenting an incorrect baseline design embodied in the same art direction, this gives designers great motivation to “Correct” the structure, thus self-critique their vision and focus on the human factor and material choices.

The result of the research result is that generative AI is a great tool for visualizing designer vision with lightning speed and liberating design from the heavy lifting of self-double by accelerating the brainstorming process with a pre-trained database and creating “other” derivatives from “self” for more conscious iteration and less self double for later revisions.
Inspiration: The seating of the Oh Chair is reminiscent of bended paper, mimic the lightness and organic fluidity of a paper drifting in the wind, and symbolizing the dawn of a new era.
The welded metal tubes, with their simple bends, pay homage to the outline of a classic paperclip.
Drawing inspiration from Munich, the birthplace of Stable Diffusion, this armchair seamlessly blends diversity, vitality, humanity, and urban elements all in one.
Project Duration: The project started October 2023 in Munich, and finished in January 2024 in Munich and Los Angeles.
Team Members: Art Director: Jiaying Zhou(Connie)
Chief Designer: Ao Zhou
Visualization Designer: Jackson Zhang