DESIGN NAME: Astrapia
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Bookshelf
INSPIRATION: The main idea was to come up with a design that prevents books from tipping over without using bookends. Moreover, I wanted to create an organic shape in order to make the piece look more dynamic. Some Elements of this design were inspired by nature, specifically by the bird of paradise called "Astrapia" which was also the name giver. Like the ribbon tail of that bird species, the steel structure of the bookshelf is shaped in a similar, arched way.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Three wooden shelves are arranged in different angles on a round, supporting structure made of six, separate steel pipes, giving the object its distinctive appearance and lightness. Thereby, this kind of shape is a solution for eliminating the need of bookends and preventing books from tipping over. Details such as the supporting shims underneath the shelves complete the design. This piece of furniture not only functions as a bookshelf, but also acts as room divider and a sculptural piece.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The concept behind this design is to make bookends superfluous because books can only be placed in an already tilted way. Thus, no books could tip over. The steel structure supports the books from sliding away. The bookshelf acts as a room divider and a sculptural piece as well.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The design process started at the beginning of 2021 in Linz and the final product was released in May 2021. The bookshelf was exhibited at the event "Design District 1010" at the Vienna Hofburg in October 2021 and at the fair "SCHAU! - Die Presse" at the "Marx Halle" in Vienna in November 2021.
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Furniture Design
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The manufacturing process includes craftsmanship, semi manual technology and CNC machines. For the main construction, round steel pipes are bent into a circular shape and welded to a solid steel base. The steel structure is powdercoated in matt black. The wooden shelves are made of birch plywood to give them the necessary strength and to avoid that the wood expands and shrinks. They are covered with bookmatched eucalyptus wood veneer and lacquered with a satin matt finish.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The external dimensions are 1.460mm in length, 400mm in depth and the highest point is at 1.720mm. The top and the middle wooden shelf measure 1.200 x 320mm and the lower shelf is a bit shorter for a more balanced overall look. Different methods are used such as steel bending, laser cutting and manual work to prefabricate the individual steel parts that are welded together. The wooden shelves are veneered and the joints for the steel shims are made using CNC technology.
TAGS: furniture, bookshelf, wood, metal, sculptural, art, modern, contemporary, round
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: My approach to this design was to reinterpret the classic bookshelf which usually consists of straight, horizontal and vertical components. Moreover, due to my own experience I wanted to solve a common problem: Modern bookshelves often require bookends to prevent books from tipping over. As a result, I tilted the shelves and used thin steel pipes for the structure to maintain lightness of the overall appearance. The circular shape makes the whole piece look more dynamic.
CHALLENGE: Finding the right proportions and curves for the main structure as well as defining the angles for the radially arranged shelves and coming up with custom hardware for the connecting piece between the steel structure and the wooden boards were the biggest challenges of this project.
ADDED DATE: 2022-03-26 13:56:31
TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
IMAGE CREDITS: Image #1: Photographer Moritz Pröll, Astrapia, 2021
Optional Image #1: Photographer Moritz Pröll, Astrapia, 2021
Optional Image #2: Photographer Moritz Pröll, Astrapia, 2021
Optional Image #3: Photographer Moritz Pröll, Astrapia, 2021
Optional Image #4: Photographer Moritz Pröll, Astrapia, 2021
PATENTS/COPYRIGHTS: All copyrights belong to Moritz Pröll, 2021.
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