First Thoughts; Rethinking Form + Function of a Chair

01 Chair

-noun 1 a separate seat for one person, typically with a back and four legs

• I want to do something which isn't typical... go against the 'back and four legs'
• If i had never seen a chair before and was given this definition, how would I imagine it...
• A chair is most significant when there is someone in it. What purpose does it serve if there is no-one to sit in it?
• Can improve the body; posture, strength, mobility, status
• Has personified parts... Back, arms, legs, feet... Why? Literalise?
• Is physically for supporting a body... Give different kind of support? Emotional?
• Chair with no legs? Lots of legs? Unnecessary legs... Over the top decoration
• Could it incorporate something else? Technology
• Why a 'separate' seat? Separate from what?
• Conform to desires... Are becoming more about laziness. Go opposite?

Ergonomics of a Chair

Out of all the different types of furniture, chairs create possibly the greatest challenge when it comes to structure. This is because of the way the body interacts with it and puts pressure on the joint between the seat and the back legs.
Chairs are often, but not always, designed around the human form. To create the ultimate in comfort, it needs to support certain points of the body which are weakened in a sitting position; namely the back and neck. If not directly supporting the body part, it manipulates the body in a way which will force the person to support it themselves.
These aspects of chair design are becoming more and more uniquely interpreted, resulting in ever developing and changing concepts surrounding the altered definition of what a chair can be.

Different Types of Chairs

The one thing that all chairs have in common is their reason for existence; to provide a resting place for the human body. A chair is also a unique piece of furniture for this reason, as it is the only form (other than the bed) which is designed to support humans rather than objects. There is such a vast range of chairs, assisting both young and old with their physical inabilities (the high chair and the wheel chair) to both ending and starting life (birthing chairs and the electric chair), and everything in between.

Downtime/Social Chairs

These are the kind of chairs whose primary function is to be comfortable, and to help us rest and relax during our downtime. One of the most common in this group is the La-Z-Boy recliner, known worldwide as a ridiculously comfortable armchair which, these days, can include such features as built in massage, audio or gaming systems.

The common features of these chairs (including sofas) are thick layers of padding which cushion the body, large rounded shapes which help encompass the body in a variety of positions, and a strong base which allows the chair/user of the chair to recline comfortably without feeling unsupported. These chairs will also often include storage space or extra items which aid in the users relaxation; for example, whilst sitting in the chair you will feel more relaxed having the TV remote control stored next to you and knowing that you don't need to interrupt your downtime to get up to change the channel.

Also included in this category is the hammock, which needs no frame and is essentially a particularly shaped piece of material which can be hung between two posts/trees and is suprisingly very comfortable. These, as well as other outdoor chairs, are also common grouped in one space, intended to be a meeting/greeting place for people to socialise.

Others: rocking chair, loungers, beanbag chairs

Concentration Chairs

These chairs are most commonly used in study spaces, classrooms and offices, as they help create better posture for someone who is intending to be sitting at an elevated desk/table for a lengthy period of time. The features most common to this type of chair are adjustable seat height and back support, and usually extra cushioning around the lower back. The adjustability of these seats allow them to cater to different bodies and different needs. It is also fairly common for these chairs to be on wheels, which makes it more efficient for the user to navigate around a space.

Dining chairs are kind of a sub-category within concentration chairs, although they serve a slightly different purpose. They help the user with posture so as to not become uncomfortable at a dining table, but really have no specific need for wheels or adjustability, hence they are usually of a simpler design than office chairs.

Convenience Chairs (stools)

Stools are most commonly used to achieve small tasks, for example putting on one's make-up in the mirror in the morning or as a booster to change a lightbulb. They are less about appearance and more about functionality than most chairs, and due to this they are usually small and fairly compact so that they can be stored out of the way until they are needed.

Bar stools have a longer base, and as they are in the open of the home far more, their aesthetics are more important to the overall design than that of practical stools. They also usually have a back, which practical stools do not, because it is necessary for them to provide more support for longer use.

Others: fold-out chairs, camping chairs, beach chairs

Assistance/Medical Chairs

These are the kinds of chairs which either aid people in their physical shortcomings (e.g. wheelchairs, highchairs) or assist in developing one's physical standing (e.g. dentist chairs, chiropractic chairs).

Assistance chairs are most commonly used by either the old or the young, as it is at these stages that the body is at it's weakest. There is a wide range in their purpose, from giving mobility to someone who cannot walk, to supporting a person while they carry out simple tasks like eating or showering.

Medical chairs are not as common as regular chairs, as they are usually in the possession of one who is authorised to operate it. For example a dentist chair is not especially comfortable and would not be of much benefit in one's home, however a dentist would find it rather difficult to conduct a satisfactory examination of a patient without one. Medical chairs are usually, but not always, a tool in strengthening the human body too. In the case of wheelchairs and dialysis chairs (to name a few), the support provided to the patient allows their body time to recover and regain strength, and if this is not achievable, will continue to be a support system until it is no longer needed.

Single Purpose Chairs

These chairs are usually public, for example benches in parks and seats in movie theatres. They are put in place for a single reason, and continue to serve that purpose for anyone who should need it. They are also a big part of transport, built into cars/planes/trains/bikes etc. in order to create a functioning form of travel with which the body interacts.

Others: roller coaster seats, boats

A Brief History of the Chair

While no-one can definitively say when the chair was first invented, or whom invented it, I think it would be fair to say that it is based on an age old concept; that is, having something to rest upon.

There are hints at the existence of the chair during the Egyptian and Sumerian times, however they later emerged more commonly as an indicator of status, reserved mostly for royal families and high-ranking officials. The throne is an early example of this, with only kings, lords and bishops allowed a crafted form of seat at all. The size, decoration and detail of the chair were also indicators of the importance of the person sitting in them.

In 1400BC, the Ancient Greeks were constructing chairs with four (usually wooden) legs, which was of their design. This style was adopted by the Romans, who began to introduce it in the territories they took over. By the mid 1650's, chairs were much more mainstream and were often upholstered to give a sense of comfort. This element was developed until the 1750's, when chair designers and carpenters realised that the comfort of the chair should be as important as the appearance. From this point, the designs began to embrace the contours of the body, and it has been said that the French had a great impact on the weight and comfortability of future chairs.

It is my guess that from the beginning of time, people would have been creating their own versions of chairs, be it a rock or a well shaped tree stump. Although the intentional manipulation and design of this concept came into existence much later, the idea is something which would have always been, and will continue to be, a human need. For this reason, there is a vast field of potential within the confines of what a chair is, and what a chair should be.