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Decker Tūru Kōpaki by Cameron Smith

Decker Tūru Kōpaki by Cameron Smith is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award Rino in Hoahoa Taputapu Competition Category.


RinoTaputapu· 2022

Decker Tūru Kōpaki

by Cameron Smith

Client: Furniture Smith

A' Design Award Rino Winner in Taputapu Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Decker Tūru Kōpaki

Ko Decker he tūru kōpaki i hoahoatia mō te whakamahi i runga i ngā kaipuke rēhia. Ka tuwhera te tūru hei tūru okioki iti, ā, ka kōpakina ki tētahi āhua poto, 100 mira te matotoru anake. Ko te anga i hangaia mai i te rino wharite kore me ngā ngongo hangahanga trapezoid me ngā rakuraku whakarewa, ā, ka hono ā-taiapa kōura ki ngā wāhi hurihanga. Ko ngā rākau tīki (teak) e piri ana ki ngā whītiki whatu, kaua ki te anga tonu, nā reira ka piri ngātahi te nohoanga me te tuarā ki te kaiwhakamahi. Ko tētahi hoahoatanga "over-centre" e pupuri ana i ngā whītiki kia mārōrō i te wā e tuwhera ana te tūru. Ko tētahi piko i roto i te anga nohoanga e hanga ana i tētahi kawenga, ā, ko ngā autō e pupuri ana i ngā waewae kōpaki kia mau tonu.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Rino

Ko Decker Tūru Kōpaki te toa o te A' Design Award Rino, he whakaaetanga whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa pai e whakatutuki ana i ngā hiahia ngaio me te ahumahi e tūmanakohia ana mai i ngā mahi kua hoahoatia pai. Ko ngā toa Rino e whakaatu ana i te pukenga nui, te tohungatanga teitei, te māramatanga mātanga me te kaha auaha o ō rātou kaihanga. E tūmanakohia ana ko Decker Tūru Kōpaki he mahi whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he whaihua, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Rino e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa o te ahumahi, ā, he āhuatanga hangarau pūkenga tōna e hono ana ki te mōhio me te pūmanawa. E whakahonoretia ana a Decker Tūru Kōpaki mō tōna tōtika, ā, i hoahoatia hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te oranga me te āwhina i te ao kia pai ake.

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

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