amma
Spring 2016
Sponsored by ATU International, Ecuador, a leading producer of Contract Furniture in Latin America
This system was chosen for production and premiered in October 2017 at the ICFF Design Conference in Miami.
The name amma is a palindrome, which is the same forward and backwards. This perfectly describes this furniture system as it is designed to be flexible, modular and can be used in a number of configurations.
This project explores the new needs of the home office, the changing landscape of work and how it integrates into the home environment.
Can we create tools to be focused & efficient, wherever we work?
Configurations
The desk system can be configured in a variety of set ups to accommodate different working environments.
Modular Bookshelf System
The bookshelf system (composed of vertical frames, shelves and drawers) can be scaled up or down by repeating the vertical units.
System Assembly
Components connect to the system through the use of brackets that clip into vertical frames
Bookshelf
Bracket
Bracket
Desk
User Research
I conducted interviews with various users across different industries, geography and age groups. I documented my findings onto colored Post-Its and placed related Post-Its together in clusters along the wall. The groups were organized by specific behaviors and experiences.
Key Takeaways
Flexible Environments
Remote work needs to accommodate dual environments
Users don't stay in one place throughout the day.
Users like to control their environment.
Each home office is unique to its user and environment
Flexible Workflow
Users work from different work surfaces
Type of work can vary and require different environmental experiences.
Key Concepts
Ideation based on flexible systems and components.
Travel To Ecuador
Early in the term, the studio went on a one week trip to Ecuador to visit ATU’s factory, to present our concepts to the company and work with them throughout the week to develop those ideas. We presented our concepts to ATU’s marketing, sales, product development and management teams. We worked throughout the trip to refine the concepts based on the feedback we were given and presented our updates at the end of the trip to management
Mock-ups & Refinement
Midway through the project, the company traveled to Los Angeles, where I presented my refinements, along with a quarter scale model and CMF choices.
I gave my concept a name, further build details and development of the system
Building & Manufacturing
In working with a steel fabricator and cabinet maker, I created orthographic shop drawings and talked them through my CAD files and closely oversaw and coordinated the build process with each facility to keep up with my timeline and make sure the physical prototype was not only built to my specs, but manufacturable through ATU's manufacturing process.
Prototypes
I worked with a steel fabricator to build the frame and desk accessories and a cabinet maker to build desk top and drawer units.
The final piece was presented to ATU in May 2016 at the studio class final. ATU selected the piece for production in the summer of 2016 and began prototyping in their factory that December.
Factory production sample
