Design research centre Fabrica showed its experimental chair project, Searching For Cassiopeia, in the historic Crypt of the Museum of the Order of St John this week as part of Clerkenwell Design Week.
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| Casseiopeia No. 6 by Fabrica at Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 |
The collection of 12 concept chairs explores the different ways in which we use seating - from perching on sawn-off treelogs to balancing on a chair to reach a high cupboard - and was first exhibited at MOST during Salone 2012.
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| Casseiopeia No. 3 by Fabrica at Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 |
Each chair is inspired by an individual star in the constellation Cassiopeia, often referred to as Cassiopeia's Chair due to its distinctive shape.
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| Casseiopeia No. 1 by Fabrica at Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 |
The high-backed, cocooning chairs of Casseiopeia No. 6 are designed to encourage secret-trading, and eavesdropping, while Casseiopeia No. 3's beech plywood sofa bed, which sits directly on the floor, is a response to the star of laziness, on which "anyone who is seen standing for longer than ten seconds is considered unruly".
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| Casseiopeia No. 5 by Fabrica at Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 |
Casseiopeia No. 1 references the star of romance in its winding, loveseat style. Steambent beech arms entwine in a tribute to a star where "everything is designed for two people: the swings, the bicycles, even the bar stools". Casseiopeia No. 5, meanwhile, is designed to accommodate the inhabitants of a star where everyone is entitled to sit on a throne - offering three levels of furniture in one.
