Eggcrate Seat (2023)
The goal of this project was to design a seat that fit within a one foot cube, using a nontraditional material in a way that took advantage of its material properties.
The seat is composed of commercial-sized egg crates found in the garbage outside of restaurants along a main road.
Egg crates use curved wood pulp as a durable but springy structure to keep eggs protected. This durability with elasticity is what drew me to the material and made me want to use it for the seat. The stacked crates can hold weight, but have enough movement and retention to act comfortably.
Material.
The egg crates are able to stack- with each layer added giving further structure and spring.
At first I found the structure of stacked crates unattractive, as it felt too obvious. I also did not like how it felt trapped in a cube shape. I kept a stack of egg crates by my desk for over a month and used it as a low seat- all while researching, sketching, and experimenting with various other materials, forms, and ideas.
Form from Material.
While on a walk in the woods, I was able to discover that sitting on a rock slanted forward eased the lower back pain that I was having beforehand. I was able to take this realization and apply it to my eggcrate seat- by creating a forward slant, the spine is assisted into a straight posture.
The seat in one orientation creates a slant, while the seat in another orientation creates a subtle backrest.
Egg Ergonomics.
One of my final challenges with this project was to figure out how to hold the layers together. With my major background in bookbinding, I was able to bring in a method of attachment that involved sewing. To sew through it all, I had to first cut out holes. I then created a sewing needle that was big enough to pass through by taping rope to a skewer split in half. This blue rope was chosen for its contrast and heft.
