Response 4

The design for my and Alec's stool originated from the requirement to be able to support both of our weights. Our primary focus was to be able to achieve this goal, and once we figured out how to accomplish that, a design would be spawned from our results. Our first draft acted more as an experiment for how to create viable supports for two different bodies where we created a grid of cross-hatched strips placed underneath a large overlaying seat. The grid was unsuccessful because even though there was a large amount of support throughout the entire structure, a figure only takes up a small fraction of the grid, which results in very little support for the small area they inhabit.

Upon reviewing this, we redesigned how to support the users of our stool. We decided to condense the support of the structure in order to create a stronger base for the user. To accomplish this, we increased base support to two designated areas for one to sit, making it clear that those were the intended seats of the structure. The two seats were connected with an organic styled bridge that acts as an effective detail according to Marco Frascari's definition of such as it acts as an aesthetic and functional aspect of the structure. It does so by both connecting the supported seats and it clearly encouraging siting on said seats by not being supported by a base. Also, it utilizes a curved form in order to coincide with the rest of the round forms that inhabit the bench.

Finally, the design for the base was a cylindrical outer shell that would house another, more condensed crosshatch grid that would rise vertically to support the user. However, upon the initial construction of this grid, we noticed that the first piece of cardboard inserted into the cylinder not  only provided additional support to the sitter but also put additional pressure for the sides of the cylinder to be pushed out. This pressure was further increased by two more smaller boards that were placed perpendicularly of the first board, creating an 'X' within the cylinder. The pressure that this 'X'  placed upon the cylinder was enough to support either me or Alec and the process was repeated for he second base. Because of this efficient use of dividing the weight placed upon the supports through six boards total instead of two complete crosshatched grids, only two and a half sheets of cardboard were required for the construction of our two-person stool.