OK, before you get too angry that your favorite chair was not included in this list, let me explain the criteria involved in this “scientific” sampling. I was sitting downtown with no references, so this is totally off the top of my head. This means, the pieces listed are the ones that have fought their way through all the other images in my brain to resonate with me. Once twenty or so had in some way been listed, I began to rank them. Below are the top 10 (where 1 is the best).

10.  Brno Chair – Mies Van der Rohe. I have been lucky enough to visit the Tugendhat Villa in Brno, Czech Republic for which this chair was designed. It is a magnificent example of modern architecture and the chair is a perfect compliment. It comes in flat bar and tubular versions. I feel the flat bar version is the best and the most unique and ranks here at number 10.

9. S- Chair – Verner Panton. This is a wonderful form study and revolutionary for its day. Simple, smooth, and beautiful, it is synonymous with style.

8. Tulip Chair – Eero Saarinen. I can remember the first time I saw one of these chairs, it was about twenty five years ago (before I had gone to college or knew anything about design) and I thought, “wow this is a cool chair”. Soon, became aware that cool chairs were designed, they didn’t just happen. This is one of those designs that actually looks better when it is in a group.7.  LCM Chairs- Charles and Ray Eames. This chair exhibits the perfect combination of metal and bent wood.

6. Stitch Chair- Adam Goodrum. Full disclosure, Adam is a good friend of mine and his chair is awesome in that it folds down to less than an inch thick.  I was in the same exhibition as he was and I watched in amazement as he popped open this the stylist chair simply and elegantly.

5. Womb Chair – Eero Saarinen. If you have ever sat in this chair you know how comfortable it is. Those of you who have not, find one and try it out- you will not be disappointed.

4. Fiberglass Shell Chair- Charles and Ray Eames. This is an icon for a reason. Simple, beautiful and comfortable – it just works. The chair can come in about five different bases and can fit in many settings.

3. Navy 1006 – Emeco. Any chair that is specified for a submarine or battleship must be designed well. They are super light and actually really comfortable. We use four of the semi-upholstered versions as our dining furniture and I have a few more stashed in the attic, just in case.

2. Eames Lounge and Ottoman- Charles and Ray Eames. This is the probably the most recognized designer chair in the world. It is gorgeous and oh so comfortable.

1 Go Chair – Ross Lovegrove.  This is the Ferrari of seating. I am fortunate enough to own one and sometimes when I sit in it, I feel like I am actually moving. It is amazingly styled and made of injection molded magnesium, which is just cool to think about.

Recently, one of the real buzz phrases in product design has been “mass customization”. It sounds a bit like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?  How can something be mass produced and custom made at the same time? One way is to create a product, for example a table, and allow the customer to specify the width or table top color. Yes, some of the tables may end up being the same, but there is an opportunity for the customer to influence the look, feel, or function by selecting premeditated (by you) design choices. By premeditating those choices, you ensure that they don’t require massive tooling or work flow changes, thereby allowing you to mass produce the product while offering the luxury of custom.

More advanced examples of this include creating molds that purposefully degrade so the part they produce change from part to part, meaning no two are the same. This can lead to some fairly random and intense product mutations. It requires a sophisticated design to  plan for these variations so that the product is still useful and beneficial to the user while it morphs. One day I would love to try this technique–even if it is just a computer simulation–to see where a design might lead.

The Jasmine Table (shown below) was designed to offer a slightly less experimental form of mass customization. The simple choices include leg length, table width, and wood species. But, the kicker is that you can also choose the steel patterns that comprise the structure of the table (shown here as a jasmine plant pattern). Any pattern is valid as long as the connector tabs remain in the required location. If you like spiders, we can cut in steel webs and spider silhouettes. Bubble patterns, mums, you name it!  This product can really take on your personality.

Torii gates, found in Japan, inspired this design. It recalls the overgrown entrance where a Jasmine vine has flourished on the entrance to a temple or sacred space. You could use it in a hall that separates public space from private to mark the transition from the public to the sacred world. The sophisticated materials balance the table’s simple shape. The feet are balanced on elegant points–similar to a ballerina–“lifting” up the visual mass of the table.

As an added bonus, this table packs flat for efficient shipping and storage. Side note: it is very easy to assemble.

©2010 Donald Corey

With the advent and mass acceptance of recycling, the need for a huge office trash can is a thing of the past — right?

I think a lowly product for collecting refuse can be a dramatic element in the office landscape. Instead of being ugly truncated cylinders that hide in the corner or under a desk, trash cans can be designed accessories — not afterthoughts. There are waste bins on the market that look like crumpled paper, are leather covered, or are simple clean stainless steel cylinders. Most require a bag. All of them sit on the floor and do their job unassumingly, but for the most part do not quite fit in a high-end, modern office.

Thus, I was driven to create. The idea of elevating the trash can by putting it on a pedestal is interesting and slightly ironic. Plus, creating a visual block of the actual trash was also important. Finally, the color white counteracts the stigma that is normally associated with dirt and waste. And voila: the modern can. This can utilizes an interior bin that eliminates the need for bags and makes clean-out super easy.

Let me know what you think — and to any manufacturers out there: “let’s talk”.

Have a great weekend.

Modern Trash Bin by Donald Corey

©2010 Donald Corey

As some of you know, I teach Industrial Design at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Three years ago, a group of students came to me and asked if we could do some outside-of-class projects together. The goal was to diversify their portfolios. And so the Black Valley Design Collective was born.

The collective consisted the following members:

Bryce Katsahnias,
Zach Thomas,
Hugh Owings,
Bobby Ward,
Corey Daniels,
Russ Hagan,
and myself.

Our name referenced the Black Mountain College that began in the 1930’s in the hills near Ashevillle, NC. Black Mountain College was a “progressive” art school with faculty consisting of BauHaus expats like Walter Gropius and Josef and Anni Albers and where students like Robert Rauschenberg and Ray Johnson honed their skills.

While at our first meeting (which happened to be in a restaurant that specialized in wings), we were struck by the sheer volume of plastic cutlery that was being thrown away. There had to be something that we could create to give that waste value once again. So right there in front of us was our challenge! We picked used cutlery off vacated tables, often to the disgusted looks of other patrons. And, more than one waitress had to be assured we were not removing their tips. After cleaning the cutlery (of course), we began to test the plastic’s limits by melting, bending, and stretching the pieces to see what forms were possible. We decided that we’d focus on lighting for this experimentation, and the Waste Not: WANT series was developed.

We debuted the line at ICFF in 2008 to some wonderful praise. In fact Jill Fehrenbacher of Inhabitat.com wrote: “We found this collection to be more inspiring than most of the sleek corporate furniture design on display at ICFF this year — and it came from a student after-school project. We hope this will serve as inspiration for bigger furniture companies to get a bit more creative with their approach to materials. Congratulations on a stunning project BVDC!” After the students graduated, Black Valley Design Collective retired from actively producing work, but hopefully it provided a learning experience and a vehicle for some of the members to do things together in the future .

“Go Go Ghost” by Corey Daniels- reused knives

“Black Pollen” by Zach Thomas – reused knives

“Baroque Jelly” by Donald Corey – reused knives, forks and clothes hangers

“Cascade” by Russ Hagan – used knives and forks from a birthday party

We also did a few furniture pieces with a similar feel:

“Cadillac” by Bryce Katsahnias – Used chair frame and old swings from discarded swing set

“Waist Line Lounge” by Donald Corey – Discarded chair frame and used leather belts

“56K” by Zach Thomas – Old discarded phone cords on scrap metal frame

©2010 Donald Corey