Repose Rooj Zaum So by John G Williams is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2019 A' Design Award Hlau in Tsim Rooj Tog Competition Category.

HlauRooj Tog· 2019

Repose Rooj Zaum So

by John G Williams

Client: John G Williams Fine Furniture

A' Design Award Hlau Winner in Rooj Tog Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #75298

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Colors

The Design

About Repose Rooj Zaum So

Repose yog ib lub rooj zaum so uas tsim los ntawm ntoo nyoos khov. Lub qauv (frame) yog ntoo American ash, thiab lub chaw zaum thiab sab nrob qaum yog ntoo American walnut. Lub chaw zaum uas nkhaus tob raug tsim los ntawm kev muab cov ntoo txiav ua qauv thiab muaj ntsis nkhaus los txuas ua ke, uas yog ib txoj kev siv ntawm txoj kev ua raj ntoo (coopering) uas ib txwm siv los tsim lub thoob ntoo, tab sis ua rau kub ntxiv thiab nyuaj dua. Cov kab nkhaus sab hauv raug siv cov cuab yeej tshwj xeeb los tho kom du, tabsis sab saum txhais tes (arm tops) tseem tswj cia muaj cov qauv sib cais (segmented texture). Ob txhais ceg tom qab raug siv hluav taws thiab kua av los nkhaus (steam bent) thiab pab ua kom cov npab (arms) muaj zog ruaj khov. Cov ntsias ntoo (draw bore tenon joints) pab ua kom lub rooj muaj zog thiab nyob ruaj. Lub hom phiaj yog xav ua kom tau txais kev nyob so zoo ib yam li lub rooj zaum uas muaj ntaub npog, tab sis siv tag nrho ntoo nyoos xwb, tsis muaj ntaub npog li.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Hlau

Repose Rooj Zaum So yog tus yeej ntawm A' Design Award Hlau, ib qho kev lees paub muaj meej mom uas muab rau cov qauv tsim zoo uas ua tau raws li cov kev xav tau ntawm kev ua haujlwm thiab kev lag luam uas xav tau los ntawm cov khoom tsim zoo. Cov neeg yeej Hlau qhia txog kev txawj loj, kev paub tshwj xeeb siab, kev nkag siab ntawm cov kws tshaj lij thiab lub peev xwm tsim ntawm cov neeg tsim. Repose Rooj Zaum So xav tias yuav yog ib qho khoom tsim uas neeg hwm, qhuas thiab hlub uas siv tau thiab tsim tshiab. Cov qauv tsim yeej A' Design Award Hlau no sib xyaw cov kev coj ua zoo tshaj plaws ntawm kev lag luam thiab muaj cov yam ntxwv siv tshuab txawj ntse txuas nrog kev paub thiab txuj ci. Repose Rooj Zaum So tau txais kev hwm vim nws tag nrho thiab tsim los muab kev txhim kho rau lub neej uas pab ua rau lub ntiaj teb zoo dua.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The Repose lounge chair is constructed from solid timber. The curved form is realized by an extreme form of the 'coopering' process - similar to the process used to construct round barrels from staves of timber.
Dimensions & Packaging: W 800, D 800, H 830 mm
Constructed from solid hardwood timber. Frame: American Ash. Seat and Back: American Walnut.
Joints use draw bore tenon joints for extra strength
Tags: Lounge, chair, wooden, artisanal, Danish, timber, art
Production Technology: This chair is not moulded, as some might expect, but is formed from solid timber. The deep sweeping form of the seat is made by laminating various pieces of timber, with angled edges, to form the desired curves. The inside curves are machined into smooth curves with custom made tooling; but the arm uppers retain some of the segmented feel - smooth enough and yet conveying a sense of where the piece came from. The rear legs are steam bent, to retain the overall simplicity, and to attenuate and stabilize the top part of the chair arms. The backrest is also a curved laminated, solid-wood form. It would also be possible to add a thin seat cushion, or perhaps to re-conceive the entire backrest as a custom moulded leather cushion
Design Challenge: The major unknown was how strong the seat section would be in bending - in other words if someone sat on the arms, would they break? It became apparent that the arms would need additional support given the depth of the form, and the inevitable flexibility (despite steps taken to add strength in the manufacturing process). It was found that the support pins at the rear of the arms were sufficient to stabilize the entire form - which was confirmed through trial and error.
Overall the challenge was to create a lounge chair that, despite being solid timber, would be as comfortable as an upholstered equivalent
Research: The method drew heavily on the methods used in earlier designs (eg Zene submitted last year), but took these to extremes to experiment with the art of the possible.
New tooling was developed, in the form of a type of drum sander run between centres on a woodworking lathe, to machine the large concave curves
Inspiration: The inspirational question behind Repose was: if the design language at the core of the Beke and Zene dining ranges were extended to lounge furniture, what would that look like? Could a form be created out of beautiful solid hardwood timber that was profoundly comfortable even though it may be challenging to manufacture? Could some sort of modern shell design be crafted out of solid timber to yield a beautiful striking new design ?
Project Duration: The project was designed and the first prototype built in 4 weeks, starting Dec 2018 and completing in Jan 2019 in Johannesburg South Africa. The design was refined and built in finished materials (Ash and Walnut) over the following 4 weeks.
Operation Flow: The user settles comfortably down into the seat using the armrests.
Various postures are supported sitting comfortably down in the seat.
Getting back out of the seat is very easy, and facilitated by the arms.
Patents: UK IPO design registration: 6053688
Team Members: John G Williams
Image Credits: All images: John G Williams