Precedent One | AP29 "Papa Bear Chair" Ottoman by Hans Wegner

Key Concept

Hans Wegner was an influential Danish furniture designer whose work had an emphasis on functionality. It is this focus on functionality that makes his work simple but effective. Designers such as John Pawson and Tadao Ando have used his chairs in their interiors owning to the perfection of execution and simplicity (F. Bertoni, 2004).

However, unlike strict functionalism, his designs displayed a genuine interest in the interaction between users and their tools and a greater understanding of form (J. Bernsen, 1994). This gives his pieces a character that is naturally relatable to the human body. It also distinguishes his work from more rigid functionalist, utilitarian pieces. 

 

I think that the model AP29 “Papa Bear Chair” ottoman embodies these concepts. Many of Wegner’s pieces are minimalist but have an organic and natural softness (J. Head, 2014) and this piece is one of them. For a small piece, which comes secondary to its parent model AP19 “Papa Bear Chair”, it is so ergonomically and elegantly designed. Its simplicity makes this piece subtle and complementary. Wegner clearly demonstrated the versatility of this piece at several occasions, presenting it with many other easy chairs. 

In short, I think that the model AP29 ottoman’s simplicity, its design in relation to the human body and its ability to complement other pieces well are key in making this piece so well designed.

Selected Design Element

The entire piece would be modeled because the key concepts require the piece to be viewed as a whole.

The downward tapering of the legs, together with their proportions compared to the seat gives the piece a certain lightness and elegance. The concave and rounded edges of the seat complement the cylindrical legs. 

From a functional point of view, the legs cannot exist without the seat and vice versa, or it would not be an ottoman. The concept of minimalism and simplicity would not be conveyed. Likewise, from a formal point of view, the ottoman would be completely different if one element was designed differently. It has to be a single entity, and only then, will it be able to create an experience for the user and exhibit its characteristics in relation to the human body. Therefore, modelling one element without the others would not make sense.

How is the Key Concept Reflected in Design Studio?

I am exploring the idea of how residents of modern-day apartments can be better connected to the natural environment. 

Firstly, one of the strategies stems from functionalism and minimalism. This is to put the external environment in the spotlight by distilling and reducing the architecture around it into its essentials. This however, should not be excessively utilitarian in form or spirit as the result might be slightly too cold and dissociated from nature. 

I think the ottoman embodies that. It has four legs and a seat, arguably the minimum for a piece like itself. However, its legs are elegantly tapered, its seat has a gentle and comfortable concave and its edges are rounded to reduce the harshness of sharp edges. These characteristics make the piece charming yet humble. It complements its parent piece and its environment rather than standing out.

Secondly, I think that the scale and experience of the architecture needs to have a close relationship with the human body. A more human scaled form rather than a large monumental form is more personal and relatable. This connection between humans and space imparts a sense of safety and comfort which can be almost zen-like or spiritual. This could heighten the experience of the external environment.

Wegner’s pieces are very much about the interaction of the human body and the piece. Ergonomics are important and it shows in the ottoman. The height allows the user to comfortably sit on it or use it as a footrest. The seat is concaved to make it more comfortable to sit on. Its edges are rounded and do not cut into the flesh. This piece is a reminder of how important that connection is.

Geometrical Description of the Shape

The AP29 ottoman is 430mm tall, 650mm wide and 400mm deep. It is a simple piece with 4 legs and a seat.

At 430mm tall, it is about the height of many sofas and easy chairs. The concave seat is thickest in the middle at about 40mm deep and narrows at the two far ends to about 20mm deep. The angle of concave is about 15° from the middle on both sides. From the top, the seat has the general form of a rectangle with its center measuring 400mm, curving to the narrower edges measuring 350mm. Its corners are rounded. There are 20mm by 250mm slots at each end, about 20mm from the edge so that users may carry or move it around easily. All of its edges are rounded, including the insides of the slots.

The legs are tapered cylinders, thinning downwards. They are tilted inwards at the top whether one looks at it from the front or the side. From the front, the legs attach perpendicular to the tangent at the point of connection to the seat. Because of the curvature of the seat, the legs end up tilted. From the side, the legs are crafted so that they tilt inwards. The legs are rounded where they meet the floor.

The seat and legs are made of timber, but the seat has an additional cushion and fabric covering spanning approximately 500mm, offset 50mm from the two far ends.

Proposed Scale, Material and Technique

A full size, 1:1 piece would be modelled. At this scale, I would be able to physically experience what it feels like to make an end product that is actually usable; not just act as a visual representation. 

My aim for this project is to use as many offcuts as possible. The legs would be turned on the wood lathe using solid timber offcuts gathered from the wood workshop. 

I have a spare sheet of plywood at home that I can use. From it, smaller plywood pieces would be cut into strips and glued together to form a solid block of laminated plywood. The main face of this block would show the layers of plywood stacked together; an interesting pattern which does not try to hide the fact that it is not solid wood.

The profile of the concave seat would be marked out on the side of the solid block. Using a table saw and slowly varying the height of the blade, the concave shape can be achieved through multiple passes.

Using a hand router, the slots will be carved out and the edges rounded off. The seat and legs will then be sanded using 100 then 150 and finally 220 grit sandpaper. Boiled lindseed oil, which can bring out chatoyance and create a finish which is not as plastic looking will be used to finish them.

The legs will then be attached to the seat using threaded inserts and screws.

Time Commitment and Budget

Time Commitment

Legs: 4 hours each, 16 hours total

Cutting and gluing plywood into a solid block: 2 days

Cutting the block: 2 hours

Sanding and finishing: 8 hours

Final touch-ups and attaching: 1 hour

Total: Approximately 7 working days

Budget

Parfix 500ml PVA wood glue from Bunnings: $11.12

Boiled lindseed oil from Bunnings: $11.60

Sandpaper: $10

Screws and threaded inserts: $10

Total: $42.72