Oh Chair 读者休闲区 by Ao Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award 铁奖 in 生成式、算法、参数化与人工智能辅助设计 Competition Category.

铁生成式设计· 2024

Oh Chair 读者休闲区

by Ao Zhou

Client: Meso Design

A' Design Award 铁奖 Winner in 生成式设计 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Oh Chair 读者休闲区

Oh Chair是对标志性复古未来主义蛋椅的现代诠释。通过融入弯曲金属线底座和视觉通透的标志性座椅设计,设计师们捕捉到了其前沿技术理念的精髓。在创作过程中引入AIGC,使Oh Chair得以展现设计师们对人工智能的观点:以开放心态和审慎考量进行协同合作,在拥抱进步的同时关注所处的语境。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 铁奖

Oh Chair 读者休闲区是 A' Design Award 铁奖得主，这是授予满足人们对设计精良的创作所期待的专业与工业要求的优良设计的声望认可。铁奖得主展现出其创作者的高超技艺、高度专业化、专家级的理解力和创造能力。预计Oh Chair 读者休闲区将成为一件备受推崇、令人钦佩且被珍爱的创作，既实用又创新。这件赢得 A' Design Award 铁奖的设计整合了行业最佳实践，并拥有与专业知识和才华相结合的称职技术特性。Oh Chair 读者休闲区因其严谨而受到尊重，旨在提供有助于让世界变得更美好的生活品质改善。

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