lithe

project type: 

furniture

chair weight: 

45 lbs

about the project

The lithe chair was inspired by volatility and designed to address flux. Flex of the Texalium (a compound weave of fiberglass and aluminum) seat and steel frame adjust to the user's height and weight. Similar to carbon fiber, Texalium is a fabric strongest when layered upon itself and laminated with resin. 

The Breueresque design employs laminated Texalium and a 3/8″ steel frame creating a seat that adapts to the user’s body by the deflection of component parts. Texalium gently bends to hug the human form while the steel carries weight in the form of potential energy. The result is a steel chair capable of becoming a rocking chair that moves in any direction a force is applied. Without kinetic energy, the chair remains stationary, reclining proportionally to the weight it supports.

Seat surface formwork was CNC milled out of layered MDF. Once the formwork was attached to a frame, the surface was sanded and covered in wax. Then coats of marine-grade resin and Texalium were layered in succession to create the seat of the chair. 3/8" steel frame joints were marked with a press brake and later completed by a Hossfeld bender to achieve 85 and 90 degree angles. The curve under the seat was bent over a metal cylinder using an oxy acetylene torch. Once cooled, the two chair-legs were MIG welded and the seat was cut to fit.