A classic foundation project that occurs at RISD during one’s freshmen year is making a chair with no glue or cuts with only folds using 1 large sheet of corrugated cardboard, and bonus points for including a table of some sort.
The above video is a result of Danny Kim’s quick exploration on this project. There are a few more online if you dig around, but I’ve always wondered why such great projects like his never make it to market even if using a different material? Cost, manufacturing, longevity, uniqueness, business, too creative, market. Maybe I’ll just make a few for my house.
I remember getting that assignment in fall freshman foundation. Man that was brutal, that was the moment I knew i was at art school. I’ve think I had Merlin Szasz that semester. My design was pretty much a failure.
The class next door had to build a bridge with the same rules that they piled bricks on.
One thing I think our whole class learned was not to get to attached to your work-most of them broke.
yup, it was merlin.
The other big freshmen year projects I recall:
1. Gareth Jones: Chess Set
2. Cardboard Boat, no tape (it had to make it across the lake)
3. 200 self portraits in a week.
4. Chuck Close painting (pixelated self)
5. Microscope painting with gouache w/Gerry Imomem
6. many others…anyone else for more…
I did this project in Ken Horii’s class. I couldn’t do it in one piece, but at least my modest little chair didn’t break under me. It was the best I could’ve hoped for!
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