ALBERT BECK

GCSE DT- Resistant

Materials Project

King Edwards VI School

Southampton

Centre Number 58625

Examination Candidate

Number 2416

AnalysisMy mind map has shown me that my storage unit is more suited to indoors and can avoid any stains by using glass on top. While I am still considering different designs and eras to base them on I believe that I will probably settle for an older design like art nouveau, as oppose to something like post modernism. The design or look that I hope to achieve with my storage unit is that of a bed side table or bedroom storage. It will consist of a place where books can be stored perhaps after reading and a number of shelves

Adults

Design era: The design era art nouveau is from the late 1890s and into the early 1900s. While it was most popular at this time the actual design is based on the furniture that could be found in Victorian times. A look that it complicated and old fashioned with swirls and round edges. Furniture like this tend to have an authentic appeal.

This a the full view of the table, it shows the nouveau style handles on the door and the leather inlay on the table top gives the design an older look

Mood board

I will take inspiration from the art nouveau designs that can be seen in the images above. Art nouveau often involves swirling patterns that are carved/cut (as in the case of the cathedral and some of the small tables) or etched/ painted in to the object. However painting these sort of designs would take too long but the cut images may be achieved on the laser cutter. A symmetrical design is common as is shown in the buildings, their ceilings and ‘fronts’ are the same on either side giving a balanced and stable look. My storage unit will follow the use of leaves or vines in its patterns and be predominantly made of wood although nouveau designs are also stone, and sometimes metal.

Art nouveau is a design that encompasses many different styles and translates from the French term to mean ‘new art’. Antoni Gaudí is perhaps the most famous art nouveau artist and is best known for his involvement in the Sagrada Família in Spain. Although not the original designer he took over the project and gave it the look it has today, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. The project in question is yet to be completed Gaudi only saw the completion of one side of the cathedral before dying.

Questionnaire

material

wood

metal

plastic

glass

I asked twenty people about what they would be looking for when they bought a bedside table and will use the results to help me with my specification.

Out of the people I asked the majority (60%) of them said that they would want a bedside table made of wood. This is also a classic art nouveau material and so is fitting with my design era.

storage

books

magazines

valuables

pictures

cables

alarm clock

lamp

What things would you store in a bedside table?Of the people I asked the main thing that people said they would store was an alarm clock. People gave more then one thing then one thing that they would store and so the chart does not show the exact options but the amount of times that one object was stored

types of wood colour

dark

medium

light

The majority of people wanted a medium darkness of wood which is probably the best choice as it will fit in with more environments as well as being a compromise. This means that people would be less likely to be put of by the wood being too dark or too light.

how important manoeuvrability is for the buyer on a scale of 1-10

1 to 3

3 to 6

6 to 9

9 to 10

From this question we can gather that manoeuvrability is not considered to be that important. When asked why this was, the common answer was that a bedside table would only be needed in one place and is not likely to be moved unless the bed is. If the situation did arise then, as a small piece of furniture, it would not be to difficult to move anyway.

price range of product (£)

10 to 30

30 to 50

50 to 70

70 to 100

100 to 150

150 to 200

200+For the price ranges most people said that they would pay between 100 to 150 pounds. This has to be brought into consideration when making the product as the price of making it might have to be lowered so that it is cost efficient.

Function:• My storage unit will be used as a bedside table though it could be used in a living room for more casual storage.• I aim to design my project to be able to store thing such as books or magazines after reading in bed. It also needs to be able to store thing such as an

alarm clock, picture etc. etc.

Size:• My small storage unit will be between 500 to 690 in height, 520 to 60 in length and 370 to 425 in depth. These dimensions fit the size and height of

the average bed. The top of my unit will need to be big enough to accommodate an alarm clock (size range about 40 to 80 in depth, 90 to 40 in height ad the face of the clock is between 75 to 140) and perhaps a picture or book.

• My storage unit is going to be a bedside table and so cannot be to big, the general idea and classic ‘rule’ is that the higher the bedside table the thinner it should be.

Aesthetics (how it looks):• My project will be based or influenced on the design era ‘art nouveau’. It will consist mainly of wood and include rounded edges and table legs in

accordance with the design era. • I will try to include multiple storage areas so that there is not just one large area for every thing. For example I will have an external shelving unit for

the storage of books.

Cost:• My project is aimed at an older generation and so does not need to be of a price that would appeal to a first time buyer. It cannot be too expensive

however • I would like my project to be in the price range 50 to 100 pounds.

Customer:• My project is aimed at an older generation from about 25 onwards. It follows a non-modern design and so would not be suited to a younger

generation. • My customer will be in the age range where they would e willing to spend a little more for a better quality of storage so that it will last longer.• They will also be looking for something that will fit into different environments in case they move house or rooms.

Materials:• As my project is of an older design it will consist of mainly wood with glass inlay in certain places. As little metal will be used as possible, hopefully

only coming into play in the hinges n the cabinet at the front. Leather might replace glass on the top face of the table. • I also hope to use some fabric to cover the base of one of the drawers that will contain more valuable things.

Safety:• I will make things like corners rounded to avoid people ( mainly small children) hunting them selves by falling over and hitting their heads on the

edges.

Environment:• My project will probably be in a bedroom although it could serve its purpose in a living room as well.• it needs to be manoeuvrable to a certain degree as well so that it can be carried to upper rooms of the house.

SPECIFICATION

Product SizesAverage bedside table:Height- 500 to 690mmLength- 520 to 600 mmDepth- 370 to 425mm

Average Book dimensions:Height- 225mmLength- 145mmDepth/ thickness- 30mm

Large alarm clock (allows for smaller):Length/ alarm face- 75 to 140mmDepth- 40 to 80mmHeight- 90 to 40mm

Lamp (desk lamp):Base/ diameter- 125 to 170mmHeight- 150mm (the height is not really significant as it will be ascending into the air and so will not be limited by the size of the table.

Door handles:Face/ width- 30mmDistance from door- 25mm(how far it protrudes from the door surface)

INITIAL IDEAS

INITIAL IDEAS

Developed Idea 1

Cabriole table legs give the storage unit an art nouveau look while providing additional external storage space. I aim to make them on the lathe though it will be difficult to get the two legs to look the same. In order to achieve this I will attempt to use a template of the first to roughly mirror the shape in the second piece.

The cabinet door is going to be made of wood (preferably cherry) with a glass pane inserted into it. To make this I will use two pieces of wood and place the glass in between them. The design on the door will be made using the laser cutter so that it can be replicated for the back panel of the door.

The door handle I will buy as it would prove to time consuming to make out of wood

This design took the most time to create but I believe that it is the best and more fitting to its purpose then the others. It is the right size for a bedside table just smaller then an average bed. It provides multiple storage spaces inside and out, all of which are the right size to accommodate books and spare things like cables. The cabinet has a shelf to increase the amount that can be stored in it and how easy it is to access. The shelf is set back from the door to allow for taller objects to be stored at the front of the cabinet.

The design bears the most resemblance to the art nouveau style out of all of my other designs. The cabinet door (which will be cut with the laser cutter) has a pattern of vines and leaves the reflects the designs imprinted on most of the original furniture form the design era.

The cabriole table legs on the side of the bedside table are also typically art nouveau and offer support to things stacked on the ledge as well as giving the design an older look.

The most suitable place for book storage is the two slots on the side of the cabinet. They are the ideal width and height for storing a couple of books at a time on each shelf.

I added these table legs to raise the height of the storage unit without changing the dimensions of the actual cabinet. The also lend the design a more art nouveau look

My design could also be modified so that it is more durable and wouldn’t scratch or stain as easily. This could be achieved by placing a glass pane on the top or varnishing the wood. Varnishing the wood would also give it a better finish and is more fitting with the design era upon which my project is based. As my bedside table is aimed at an older buyer the colours of the wood do not matter as much and by leaving it unpainted the project is more sustainable and has a more mature look.

My storage unit does not some in small packaging as it’s glass and cabriole table legs mean that it is difficult to collapse down into a smaller size. This problem is averted however by the size of my project.; it is relatively thin and so can fit through doorways and around tight corners very easily. This means that it will not be difficult for the buyer to carry it upstairs. Its small size also means that it takes up less room when being transported making the project more sustainable.

The table is also shown here in metal. The end result does not look as good and the environmental impacts prove that making it out of wood is much more sustainable the plastics or metals. The fact that I am using a wood like cherry to make my project means that it is more environmentally friendly. Woods such as mahogany or oak take a long time to grow so by using cherry I can ensure that that wood is easy to replace.

Developed Idea 2

This design gives the drawers a more nouveau look that is typical of the late !8th century. As well as adding to the style of the storage unit it provides support for anything that might be stored on top of the draws. This unit is most likely to be stored against a wall and so the back panel is useful in preventing objects such as pictures sliding down the back of the cabinet.

The draws are also designed in a way that gives them a more authentic feel. The draws themselves have a step down design where the middle of the wood is further in then the outside. The buyers will be adults of an older generation and so this will give the storage unit less plain look.

The side and top of the unit are smooth so that things can be propped up against or placed on them.

This is the second of my designs and as it is not as effective as a bedside table I have made it taller and deeper. The draws of this project are not as deep as others and so cloths are not ideal for storing. Things such as paper or cables for the TV and general small parts can easily be kept in them however. Originally the cabinet was going to be an elliptical shape but I made the decision not do this as it would have taken too long and was potentially problematic for the making of the draws. The other thing that would have been wrong with this design is that it would not have sat comfortably against the wall.

The draw handles that are shown in this picture will be bought so as the time taken to make them would be too long. They are bade of brass and shaped in a curve so that they follow the art nouveau pattern.

This chest of draws will be harder to compact down for transport and more difficult to manoeuver around the house. I believe that it is best stored in the living room as it is easy to place then a bedroom most likely at the top of the house. Its storage purpose is better fitted in a lounge as appose to a bedroom anyway.

The making of the storage unit will be fairly easy the trickiest part will be the assembling of the draws though once made they can just slot into the cabinet. They will not be on runners but will rely upon a plank of wood either side of the draw. This will provide support. The same technique will be used the whole way down.

The top of the cabinet is too large to be made out of one piece of wood and so will have to be made out of more then one piece. This will give an uneven effect but it is much less expensive and more sustainable in that less wood is wasted. The wood can be planed down so that it is more even though it will take more time.

When compared to the metal or plastic version of this unit we can see that it is much more sustainable then the others. The metal and plastic designs do not look as good either, so wood is the better choice of material to work with.

Developed Idea 3

My last idea for a small storage unit was this cabinet mounted on cabriole table legs and consisting of two art nouveau based doors. These however are the only parts of the model that bare a resemblance to the design era in question. While my project is only inspired by a design era I prefer my final project to be more in keeping with the designs used at that time.

This cabinet can be improved however by modelling it to reflect some of the designs shown on some original art nouveau furniture. For example the sides of the cabinet do not coincide with the front, this can be fixed by laser cutting an image onto the side of the wood so that it is no longer plain. An alternative to this would be to layer the wood like in the second photo. This would give a better look without having an image on the side. This might be preferred by the buyer who might not like the picture or pattern.

Doors will be laser cut so that they are identical though one must be flipped so that the two doors are like a mirror image of each other . The wood cant be too thick or else there will not be as cleaner cut on the edges of the design.

Cabriole table legs were very common in the art nouveau furniture made and so I have added a type of one to my design. It has the benefit of making it look older as well as raising the cabinet for easier access.

This storage unit is not as old fashioned as the other two designs that I have made. This however enables it to attract a larger audience as appose to just older people. I do not plan to paint this project as I believe that it is better to retain a wooden look as is common with art nouveau. To get a smoother and cleaner finish I will use varnish or wax to give it a sheen as well as make it more resistant to stains and scratches.

This design is the most sustainable of the three as it contains the least amount of metal being made almost entirely out of wood save the door handles. It is also easily compactable as it can be flattened down with the cabriole legs slotting in between the swirling patterns in the doors. The plastic construction of this is evidently not as sustainable and the oak wood less so then cherry.

Mainly wooden based design

The design made of plastic

Comparisons/ Chosen design

This design is the most complex of the lot but it is also the best looking. It reflects the characteristics of the art nouveau design and has the most efficient storage space. It will not be easy to make and a lot of the project relies upon looking symmetrical and this will prove difficult to do when making it by hand. The cabriole table legs are going to take up the most time in making the project.

The cabinet was my second design and while the doors look good the rest of the cabinet lacks an old fashioned look and is quite square. There is a lots of storage space but it is not divided and so everything must be stacked or mixed up. This means that it is not as effective as a storage unit as the first design idea.

The third design that I did was the chest of draws. While aesthetically pleasing it lacks efficient storage space as the draws are too shallow to fit anything large. The design does have a nouveau look with the back panel and is quite effective in the sense of top storage. The prevention of things falling off the back is a big plus side that would appeal to buyers.

Though all designs would be good to make I believe that this one is the design idea that I will follow through with and finish. It will be the most difficult but its curves and intricate design will give it a more appealing look when finished. The majority of the project is made of wood and so it will not cost a significant amount to make. I plan to use glass for the door as this will lessen the dominance of wood in the design so that it does not overwhelm the project.

Modelling

When I modelled my project I realised that the depth of the bedside table was too small. In order to account for random items being placed in front of the usual ones (e.g. alarm clock or lamp) I would have to make my project wider.

By making the top face of my project bigger it also means that the front face will be more proportional to the top . This will improve the overall look of the project and has the benefit of creating more space on the inside of the project. By widening the top the cabinet should be able to store more things and there will be more room in front of the shelf to store larger items.

Process Materials Needed

Tools Time Method Evidence

Making the jig for the cabriole table legs

Acrylic (does not mater what colour)

Laser cutter (by only using the laser cutter the jig can be mass produced)

One lesson I will first design the jig on “2D design” using the outline of the leg previously designed on solid works. Then I will use the laser cutter to cut the shape into the acrylic.

Making the Cabriole table legs

Cherry block Lathe, laser cutter 5 lessons I will laser cut a template so as to get a symmetrical look (or as close to it as possible) and then use the lathe to shape the legs.

Assembling the door Glass pane, wooden board x2, door handle, hinges.

Laser cutter, skew driver

2 lessons To make the door I will laser cut two identical pieces of wood and then slot the glass between them. The door knob I will skew on as well as the hinges.

Construction of main body.

Wooden boards x8,cabriole table legs.

PVA, chisel, mallet, sand paper.

2 lessons I will join together the back, sides, shelves and cabriole table legs using glue and in some places joints.

Production plan

Three View Autographic

Quality Control• My use of a jig will help enable my project to be mass produced as well as giving a better quality of design. By using a

template the two cabriole table legs could be crafted to the same shape and size this was essential as the design era of my project was art nouveau. This design era involves cures that are repeated elsewhere in the product.

• The jig its self is easy to make the only part that would take time is the creating of the outline using CAM. This is now done and so does not need to be remade. By using a laser cutter and acrylic it means that the outline can be cut quickly and exactly multiple times.

• The outline of the cabriole table legs its self is designed so that it tessellates to a certain extent . This will limit waste and enable more templates to be produced from one sheet of acrylic.

• Function:My project can store books, magazines, newspapers, cables and multiple other things. The two side shelves are the right size to fit the most common items such as book, the lower shelf is slightly taller then the other one and so is ore suited to storing books where as the smaller side shelf holds rolled up magazines and remotes and so on. if I were to make the project again I would probably make this shelf a little bigger. The top of the bedside table is the perfect size for accommodating alarm clocks, lamps and any addition things that are temporarily placed there. By making the top wider I was able to allow for things to be placed in front of the lamp and alarm clock I used.• Size:I have managed to keep my storage unit within the size ranges that I set my self before a began making the project. Due to faults with the cutting of the wood I had to change the depth of project somewhat. I had originally planned for it to e wider but I was forced to discard some of the wood. The adjustment did not make that much of a difference however there is still plenty of room on top. The bedside table matches the height of my bed and when compared to a slightly higher bed it is still not too low.Aesthetics (how it looks):My project follows the design brief that I was given and also follows the trends of the design style art nouveau. It has an old look to it though not a many flowing curves as I would have liked in this respect it is not as art nouveau as I hoped it to be.• Cost:The project cost less than was originally thought. The more expensive material such as the glass on the front was substituted for less expensive material such as acrylic. The back of my project is hidden from sight and so I though it only necessary to have a cheaper for f wood, I used ply. The selling price of the project would now go up to over 200 pounds.• Customer:The design style I used means that my project has an older look and so will still appeal to the older generation. It has multiple storage space though and easily accessible shelving units, I believe these may attract more customers.• Materials:The project is made of predominantly wood with clear acrylic in the centre of the door. Other materials in the project are the metal hinges and handle as well as some rubber feet. These prevent the floor from scratching.• Safety:My project Is very safe, consisting of no sharp edges nor areas for thing to get trapped in. All of the corners have been rounded and the project its self is not that heavy. The only thing that might have caused a problem is the door as people may have trapped their fingers in it. However the door is very light and so will not cause any damage by its self. • Environment:I have positioned my project around the house in different areas, while it looks good in multiple rooms and can store most things the best place for it is in the bed room. It is of the right size and is fairly light so is easy to carry upstairs.

EvaluationMy project covers most of the design brief and task that I was given. The cabinet is relatively small and can be carried quite easily, it has enough room to store all the usual things that go in a bedside table. The storage unit also has additional storage space on its exterior; this can be very use full for placing books or magazines when you are finished reading. The cabinet is based on the design style art nouveau witch consists of curves and wooden design.

If I was to make my project again I would probably change the door and the back of my cabinet.The door while it does fit its purpose and I managed to insert a see through pane in the middle is not perfect. Originally I was going to use glass and the door was to have more patterns across its surface. With more time I think this would have been possible and is something I would definitely redo. The back of the cabinet is made of ply were as the rest of the project is made from cherry. While this was the cheaper option I would have preferred it to be cherry as well. This would mean that the cabinet would look better and not have to up against a wall. The ply can also been seen from the inside and I would like to improve this look.