Long time gone

I was going to let this blog die, but I've been selected as a designer for the REST competition that is part of the Interior Design Show West.

The parti is to build a prototype of seating of any kind, indoor or outdoor. I submitted my portfolio on the advice of my AIBC mentor SC, and am really pleased that I was picked as one of twelve designers. Because I don't feel able to build a bench on my own, I've convinced Team to help me (as a side note, I am going to have to call him T4m now, as he came up with the idea to call us TeaM and capitalization isn't enough to distinguish two different things).

Right now the main problem is that T4m is working on his thesis and will be until Jan 12/13th. He's doing a great job and I certainly don't want to distract him, but I'm a little concerned that we might be tight to hit the March 3rd deadline.. Luckily we have the major parts of our design worked out and we just need to build it -- we've decided that we are going to build my thesis problem basically as I designed it, with some minor variations and details because the project has to be mobile and will not be working as a roof.

I think that we should start by deciding what ambiguous spatial conditions we need to use. The bending radius of steel tube is about 1.5 x the diameter of the pipe, so if we use 1" pipe we could conceivably have a radius of 1.5", but when the wood cladding is mounted on that, the absolute minimum we could have is about 5.5" (this is using 1"x2" lumber -- I think it's best to use 2"x4", although that can be open to variation upon testing). Since this is the case, I think that it's best to cut out all of the desk options. There just won't be enough room for legs underneath, and the wood is much more exposed in these areas because it is going around such a sharp bend. As well, since the project is called "rest", it seems like a nice tie in to use only the ambiguous spatial conditions that directly tie into that: seat, reclining seat and counter.

T4m and I have basically decided that this thing is going to be around 4'x6' -- a large seat to be sure, but I want to make sure that it is accessible from both sides and that it can accomodate different uses at the same time. We're going to have the base fabricated: we've worked out (although I haven't drafted up) a detail so the whole thing sits on a base with wheels that is mostly obscured by the wood cladding. I hope that we can make it obvious that there are lots of ways this project can reach the ground and that the wheels are in place to make it easier to transport our bohemoth.

There are a few other details. My boss, WF has agreed to sponsor us for about half of what we expect the project to cost (another person in my firm was also chosen to design and he asked for both of us). Right now, the most important thing is to produce a short (or two short bios) for TeaM.

We can start with T4m. He did a Bachelor in design (but I'll have to check exactly what the degree is in) at the U of M and is currently completing his Masters in Architecture at UBC SALA. T4m originally hails from Brandon, Manitoba. I did an undergrad in the History Honours program at UBC and completed my MArch in Spring 2007. I'm from Vancouver.

Frankly, I can't think of anything else to write. I'm an AIBC Intern (I got the letter last week). I work for WFA .T4m works for HBBH (although he's taken some time off to get his thesis in the can and I don't think he plans on going back). We both want to design and build stuff. We work pretty well together: he's good with details and I'm good at figuring out why we want to do stuff. Our contact with the REST competition said that in-process images and comments can be very useful, but I have no idea what would be appropriate. T4m welding?

I keep hoping I can get T4m to talk about this, but he's too busy thesising right now, so I should really draft up something basic and get him to okay it instead of both of us starting from scratch.

In other news, my family is insane and I don't like Christmas. Probably best to stick with the design stuff, eh?