D O M I N O E F F E C T
The brief of this project was to create a flat-pack, self-assembled, load bearing piece of furniture for children – made from cardboard. We also had to design interactive graphics such as colours, games, or shapes. The furniture needed to have considerable strength, have stability and be sustainable. To keep it sustainable, we were limited to two roughly sized 2m x 1m sheets of cardboard.
Material
Cardboard can be a very strong material if used correctly. The board consists of flutes, which are used as reinforcement. The flute direction can be manipulated to achieve different structural properties. Usually cardboard furniture is aimed towards adults because they would take care of the material, whereas children could be chaotic and cause damage.
Inspiration
The brief required that I determine a target market. I decided to design a toy box for boys and girls of ages between 4 and 8 years. A toy box is a large object, and since it requires graphics, I wanted to create something that would appeal to the children and to the parents who will inevitably be buying the product. I decided to design my graphics around a popular game - Dominoes. I designed my own set of dominoes with colours that match each number respectively; to provide cognitive skills and teach children to learn with the use of colour from a young age.
I would also provide a set a laser-cut dominoes that match the graphics, so to have a toy that comes with a toy box.
The Design
I went through various design thoughts, trying to keep the form as simple as possible to rather draw the attention towards the graphics and the story behind the box. Keeping in mind that the design needed to be load bearing, I played with various different folding techniques, flute orientation and inlays within the box. With the correct flute direction, cardboard can be very strong, and so I didn't laminate the sheets at all. I also found greater success within the prototyping rather than the sketching. This way I could understand the characteristics of the cardboard in different orientation, the strength or weakness of the cardboard in different areas, along with how well it folds and holds its' shape. I played a lot with origami styles, and realized that it didn't offer the best structural integrity.
The dimensions were determined through the average heights of children between the age category, along with the size of a single bed. The box is has a "playing field" on the lid where the children can enjoy their new toy.
Prototyping
My initial prototypes were used to find form and strength. My first concept was a very simple cube, and was very boring. It also had sides that were folded over to obtain even more strength, and this resulted in a large amount of cardboard being used, causing it to be unsustainable.
Following, I changed the design to my final prototype. This allowed for a large playing area on the lid, with the angles of the side walls allowing the children to sit in front of the box comfortably.
Cutting Template
The template is placed over a sheet of cardboard with a size of 220cm x 106cm
Assembly
Final Prototype
Thanks for viewing!
