Crisscross 折疊椅 by Cameron Smith is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 傢俱設計 Competition Category.

銅傢俱· 2023

Crisscross 折疊椅

by Cameron Smith

Client: Cameron Smith

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 傢俱 Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #147478

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The Design

About Crisscross 折疊椅

Crisscross係一張為日常使用而設計嘅摺疊椅。大部分摺疊椅都以輕巧為主，只係為短暫使用而製造，因而犧牲咗質感同舒適度。Crisscross就提供靈活嘅座位選擇，同時毋須犧牲品質。呢張椅可以摺埋，方便收納或者搬去其他房間。隱藏喺後腳入面嘅齒輪機構，令椅面同椅腳之間產生同步嘅動作。設計上睇唔到任何連桿結構，令整體造型保持簡潔。摺埋嘅時候，成張椅都可以收納埋喺前腳之內。椅架採用彎曲鋼板製成，並配以蒸汽彎曲木材嵌件。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

Crisscross 折疊椅是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Crisscross 折疊椅將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Crisscross 折疊椅出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Most folding chairs are designed to be lightweight and portable for temporary use and give up quality, comfort and appeal. The Crisscross chair provides flexible seating without sacrificing quality. Designed as an everyday use chair, the Crisscross chair folds so it can be stored or easily relocated to another room. A geared mechanism concealed within the back leg creates a synchronized motion with the seat and legs. When folded, the entire chair nests within the front legs making it easy to relocate to another room or store for another time.
Dimensions & Packaging: Dimensions - Open
23” x 23.75” x 34.5”
585mm x 600mm x 875mm

Dimensions - Folded
23” x 8” x 41.5”
585mm x 200mm x 1,055mm
Tags: folding chair, chair, dining chair
Production Technology: The Crisscross chair frame is fabricated from bent sheet steel and machined steel parts welded and finished. Wood inlays are steam bent and fit to the exterior sides of the front and back legs. Pads on the seat and backrest are finished in Alcantara ultra suede and adhered to the frame.
Design Challenge: Because the Crisscross chair was to be used as an everyday chair, the folding mechanism needed to be concealed and the design needed to stand apart from the operation of the chair. Most folding chairs have visible folding mechanisms which lead someone to believe the chair is for temporary use. The Crisscross geared mechanism is completely concealed inside the back leg and there are no visible linkages to distract from the simple form. The simple design appears to be a static design when opened. When closed the entire chair nests inside the front legs.
Research: The concept of a folding chair designed to be an every day chair is a new category. Most folding chairs are for temporary use and are lightweight and easy to move. The Crisscross changes the paradigm of folding chairs to create a substantial every day chair that has the ability to fold and be moved from one area to another. Research was done on existing folding chairs and a variety of dining chairs to analyze whether people would accept an every day use chair with added mechanics for folding. Rather than ask people if they wanted a folding dining chair, a questionnaire asked more about a person's lifestyle and if they had a dining table that expanded for larger capacity. Users questioned could see the need for an every day dining chair that had the ability to fold and store or simply have a chair that was easy to transport in moves.
Inspiration: People are living in smaller, more flexible spaces and deserve a chair that flexes with them. Many dining tables expand and contract to accommodate different size settings, yet most dining chairs aren’t easily stored when not in use. This forces people to use mix matched chairs for larger settings or find a place to store extra chairs with smaller groups. Folding chairs, although easy to store, aren't designed for everyday use and lack the quality and design people desire for a formal sitting.
Project Duration: The chair was initially conceived and designed in March 2020. Engineering began in fall of 2021 and the first chairs were released May 2022 at ICFF in New York.
Operation Flow: Operation of the folding mechanism is simple. Depressing the buttons under the armrest allows the armrests to be lowered to the leg. Once the armrests are lowered the chair can be tilted on the front legs and the seat folded into the front legs. The back legs are geared with the seat so the chair folds in a synchronous motion.
Image Credits: Photography: Meagan West