Jon Derman Harris

Tessellate Chair

In a 2015 art studio course at Stanford, I cut and welded a stainless steel frame, laser-cut 1,000 plywood tiles, hand-glued each one to a fabric sling, and sewed the sling to the frame. The frame was professionally powder-coated by West Coast Powder Coating in South San Francisco.

Inspiration

Issey Miyake,  Bao Bao

Issey Miyake, Bao Bao

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textiles

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textiles

Kyle Garner, Sling Chair

Kyle Garner, Sling Chair

Issey Miyake, Bao Bao Distortion

Issey Miyake, Bao Bao Distortion

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textile

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textile

Hextie

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textiles

Kyle Garner, Sling Chair

Issey Miyake, Bao Bao Distortion

Eliza Strozyk, Wooden textile

Hextie

Concept sketches
& CAD modeling

renders of chair.png

renders of chair.png

Process

I used a cold saw to cut each piece to length, and a hand saw to exaggerate the angles. I filed fish mouths for the joints.

I used a cold saw to cut each piece to length, and a hand saw to exaggerate the angles. I filed fish mouths for the joints.

I then TIG welded the joints together.

I then TIG welded the joints together.

Brushing and cleaning before each weld.

Brushing and cleaning before each weld.

Fixturing the pieces for 90 degree alignment was particularly difficult.

Fixturing the pieces for 90 degree alignment was particularly difficult.

Picking up my powder coated frame.

Picking up my powder coated frame.

I prototyped four different lengths of fabric to determine which was the most comfortable.

I prototyped four different lengths of fabric to determine which was the most comfortable.

I laser cut 1,000 right triangles from birch plywood.

I laser cut 1,000 right triangles from birch plywood.

In addition to exploring adhesives, I also tried sewing the plywood pieces within two sheets of fabric.

In addition to exploring adhesives, I also tried sewing the plywood pieces within two sheets of fabric.

I experimented with eight different adhesives before deciding on the right one: Titebond II wood glue.

I experimented with eight different adhesives before deciding on the right one: Titebond II wood glue.

Several of the glue samples.

Several of the glue samples.

I used the spacer between the laser cut pieces to align each piece as I glued.

I used the spacer between the laser cut pieces to align each piece as I glued.

I then TIG welded the joints together.

Fixturing the pieces for 90 degree alignment was particularly difficult.

I prototyped four different lengths of fabric to determine which was the most comfortable.

I laser cut 1,000 right triangles from birch plywood.

In addition to exploring adhesives, I also tried sewing the plywood pieces within two sheets of fabric.

I experimented with eight different adhesives before deciding on the right one: Titebond II wood glue.

Several of the glue samples.

I used the spacer between the laser cut pieces to align each piece as I glued.

Final product