Decker Noho Pelu by Cameron Smith is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award Hao in Hoʻolālā Lako Hale Competition Category.

HaoLako Hale· 2022

Decker Noho Pelu

by Cameron Smith

Client: Furniture Smith

A' Design Award Hao Winner in Lako Hale Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #137461

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Decker Noho Pelu

He noho pelu ʻo Decker i hoʻolālāʻia no ka hoʻohana ʻana ma nā moku holo. Wehe ʻia ka noho ma ke ʻano he noho hoʻomaha haʻahaʻa a pelu ʻia i kahi ʻano liʻiliʻi hoʻokahi wale nō 100 milimika ka mānoanoa. Hana ʻia ka lako mai ke kila kūpaʻa (stainless steel) me nā paipu trapezoidal a me nā lugs hoʻoheheʻe, hui pū ʻia e nā mea hana keleawe ma nā wahi ʻāmiʻami. Hoʻopili ʻia nā papa lāʻau teak i nā kaula ʻīlua ʻulana ʻia ma kahi o ka lako ponoʻī, no laila e pelu pū ana ka noho a me ke kua me ka neʻe ʻana o ka mea hoʻohana. Hoʻopaʻa kekahi ʻano hana geometry over-centre i nā kaula i ke koʻikoʻi i ka wā i wehe ʻia ai ka noho. Hana ʻia kekahi kīnā ma ka lako noho i lima paʻa lawe, a mālama nā mākēneki i nā wāwae pelu ʻia ma ko lākou wahi.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Hao

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Decker Noho Pelu i ka A' Design Award Hao, he ʻike hoʻohanohano i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā maikaʻi e hoʻokō ana i nā koi ʻoihana a ʻoihana hana i manaʻo ʻia mai nā mea hoʻokumu i hana maikaʻi ʻia. Hōʻike nā lanakila Hao i ka mākau nui, ka loea kiʻekiʻe, ka ʻike akamai a me ka hiki hana noʻeau o ka poʻe i hana iā lākou. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Decker Noho Pelu he mea hoʻokumu i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia e pono a hou. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Hao e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka ʻoihana a loaʻa nā ʻano ʻenehana mākaukau i hui pū ʻia me ka ʻike hana a me ka makakoho. Mahalo ʻia ka hoʻolālā Decker Noho Pelu no kona nānā pono a ua hoʻolālā ʻia e hāʻawi i nā hoʻomaikaʻi ola e kōkua ai i ka hana ʻana i ka honua i wahi maikaʻi aku.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Inspired by the need for quality compact furniture on yachts, the Decker folding yacht chair easily folds from a lounge chair to a compact form factor. Teak wood slats are secured to webbing straps rather than the stainless steel frame to provide flex and added comfort in the seat. A jog in the seat frame creates a handle when folded and allows the needed geometry for an over center design that keeps the webbing in tension and the backrest open while in use.

The teak seat and back slats are secured to webbing straps that run from the front of the seat to the top of the back. When unfolded, the unique over-center design provides tension on the straps holding the teak seat and back. The straps provide a secure seat that flexes and gives with the user.
Dimensions & Packaging: Open
660 mm wide x 730 mm deep x 673 mm tall
26” wide x 28.75” deep x 26.5” tall

Folded
660 mm wide x 570 mm deep x 100 mm thick
26” wide x 22.5” deep x 4” tall
Tags: folding chair, yacht chair
Production Technology: Materials common in yachts such as stainless steel, brass and teak are used in the Decker chair. The stainless steel frame is fabricated with trapezoidal tubing and cast lugs. The tubing and lugs are welded and finished to create a seamless frame. Brass hardware is used for pivot joints and fastening hardware. An optional pad with outdoor fabric withstands the elements encountered by yachts.
Design Challenge: The chair has a simple design, yet there were several challenges in the design. Creating tension in the webbing and teak slats through the over center design of the backrest required multiple prototypes and webbing materials to be tested. The simplicity of the pivots required design iterations to create surfaces that interact with each other while the chair was open and closed. These simple details become the highlight of the chair.
Research: A lower lounge chair was selected to aid the ability to fold and nest shorter legs. An ergonomic model was created that allowed for adjustment of the angle and height of the seat and back.. Adjusting the angles and length of the components allowed for the geometry to be tested by various users for maximum comfort.
Inspiration: There is not a lot of room on yachts, but they maintain a high desire to have flexible furniture that can be easily stowed when not in use. Plastic chairs or bulky furniture aren't at home on expensive yachts. The Decker folding yacht chair can be used on deck and easily stowed when needed.
Project Duration: Design completed January 2022 with prototype units completed March 2022 in Seattle, Washington USA.
Operation Flow: The folding chair is simple to use. To close the chair simply flip the backrest down onto the seat. The teak slats relax when folded as the webbing is no longer under tension. With the backrest folded, the chair can be picked up by the handle on the back of the seat frame. The front legs are then folded followed by the back legs. The legs are held in place by magnets embedded inside the tubing.

The same process is used to unfold the chair. First the legs are unfolded and the chair placed on the legs. The backrest is opened and the teak slats are tightened with the webbing is tightened.
Team Members: Cameron Smith
Adam Smith
Image Credits: photo - Cameron Smith