OKAPierre-Alexandre CESBRON . DMA ébénisterie . Session 2014

A n g l A i s

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PrOject APPrOAch introduction . limit . inspirations

introductionThe DMA training gives a chance to view stages of a

development of a project, from its concept to realization

by way of communication. So it is a rich experience. I

thank Ecole Boulle, the teachers and pupils with whom I

have lived this experienced.

PlanThis document presents the evolution of the creation

and development for OKA project, so the parts of my

presentation and dissertations are as follows.

1. In the first part, the analyses of the theme

“limit”, definitions or inspirations, the construction of

problematic and the proposition of creation.

2. In the second part, I explained the different

stages of construction, the process and technic to make

this project.

3. Finally, the conclusion deals with the project

and what this experience brought for me and what

problems I had to be overcome.

1 - Ecole Boulle, Hervé Abbadie, Paris, 2013

2 - Personal picture, Paris, 2014

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limitLimit is a large theme, because it is a concentrate of

profound concepts. It is used for many definitions, but

I chose one which explains my project direction: the

threshold. The Centre National de Ressources Textuelles

et Lexicales defines the limit like a “separation between

two fields.» I focused my attention on this barrier because

it is a moment of separation from one domain to another.

This threshold determines the domain of another. The

gap gives rise to a crossing and thus to communication

of the two spaces. This point of passage separates the

inside from the outside. The action of crossing over, this

threshold reminds me, of the transition between two

distinct environments.

Threshold

Passage

Hall

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literary inspirationsThreshold (the link between two entities ) is subject to

a strategic point, it is sometimes voluntarily condemned

. George Perec raises the image of the door in Espèces

d’espaces ( P.77,78)

«The doors separate .The door breaks the space, splits,

prohibits, osmosis requires partitioning, there is me and

my home, private, domestic, on the other side there are

others, the world, the public. You can not go from one

to the other by dropping back, you can not pass from

one to the other, either one way or the other: you need

a password, you must crossover the threshold, you must

show your credentials; you must be contacted like a

prisoner communicates with the outside.»

Inspired by this author I woud like to generate three

main principles that define this threshold.

The first concerns the extent of the crossing point,

because if the «border» often seems clear and

straightforward, it may happen that it is vague, gradual.

One is a pivotal moment; the other is like time between

two spaces.

The second point is the ability to open or close, but

why not imagine a situation ajar or simply close which

prevents any interaction?

Interactivity is also the third point of the exchange and

it can be plain or multidirectional, etc... The latter factor

depends on how the flow is made between the two

spaces; this movement allows the transition and causes

the action through, crossing the border, in short to cross

the boundary.

PrOject APPrOAch introduction . limit . inspirations

sOU FUjiMOtOFujimoto wanted, to remove the concept of input and

output. In this house the threshold notion is blurred,

fuzzy. Discerning outdoors and indoors is difficult

because windows and fine structures give illusion of

ambivalence. This house, is a good representation of our

society, if you think of a social network and open spaces,

we want to break the compartments. The limit between

public life and personal life is nested, hybridized …

This opening to the world come from a societal

inspiration, and a modified lifestyle. But we must adapt

our daily objects in consequence…

- Question of the border Public / Private.

On the contrary, this tendency for everything which is

public enables the name of the “cocooning” …

3 - Sou Fujimoto, transpa- rente house, Tokyo, 2010

4 - Personal picture, Paris, 20144

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PrOject APPrOAch introduction . limit . inspirations

tilt Design“Quiet” is a chair for partion, it pushes the user to ignore

his surroundings, to isolate himself. This furniture forms

a microcosm. Indeed, the packed box is intended to

detach the user from the environment around it and

creates a small personal space in space. It reflects a

desire to create a small world in the world. It is a kind of

a secret, a place that promotes peace and comfort, so it

prompts the user to get rid of earthly distractions.

- how to separate the living space from the work space?

The imbalance in the question comes mainly from

the professional activity; it enters in the habitat with

technology, telecommuting, work overload...

In our society where everything goes at a very fast

pace, it seems necessary for individuals to take a step

back, to refocus. Tilt design prompts the user to do one

work in one place and give a time. This position seems

to me a good response to stress and hyper activity in

our society. It is not to shut out the world, but to find a

balance between these two environments.

nicolas BAier

Mr. Baier asks the question of the separation of time of

human activity, bringing together two separate pictures.

The set depicts a man sleeping in a bed and his legs are

activated in a workshop. It seems unclear whether the

work haunts the dreams or if the dreams haunt work.

One is required to do the other and vice versa, yet they

are not compatible at the same time.

Today many tools allow work to interfere in the personal

sphere; it is a fact and there are in contradictions. But

without any doubt it is possible to develop «thresholds»

involved in the transition Work / Habitat. All this

considerations lead me to this problem:

- Alternation between rest and active life

How to separate the professional sphere from that of

the family? How to make the transition from public to

private sphere in the habitat?

5 - Nicolas BAIER, Oli, Montréal, 2001

6 - Tilt Design, Quiet, Angleterre, 2013

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reseArch & DevelOPMentconcept . conception . Fabrication

OKA

Today people can work everywhere and at all times,

because technologies follow us everywhere. OKA is a

research project into both professional and personal life.

So this piece of furniture is a wall cabinet for the home

of a person responsible for a professional activity which

takes an important place in his life and who wants to

relieve their concerns once in their home. It combines two

spaces: one personal visible in a normal time, to put this

keys, personal mails, magazines… The second space is

for business affairs: smartphone, attaché case, and other

documents. The passage of these two spaces occurs

with synchronized movements of six flaps. The total is

framed with a wood belt. In is definitive form, the OKA

having three materials application, massive paulownia*

wood, blue lacquered plywood and black reconstituted

leather. The congestion of this wall secretary is minimal

so facilitate the passage so its dimensions are 1040 x

684 x 190 mm. Professional

Use

I tried to answer these questions with a mural writing in

entrance; it allows to file professional affairs (business

smartphone, tie box, documents, computers) and expose

the personal affairs of daily life (mails, magazines, keys).

The transition from one medium to another is with the

articulation of flaps. This furniture is aimed at people for

whom professional activities play an important role and

wish to relieve their concerns once at home. It will be

fixed in the entrance of the house owner.

Private

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Development

The design and shape to the cabinet has evolved a lot.

At the beginning it had 4 legs but in finely it dont had

legs. This minimalist approach guided all of my research.

However, the idea of including a lot of retractable lockers

did not change. Because this principle gives the illusion

of a barrier: the entrance passage is blocked when Oka

is deployed and entrance is accessible when it is closed.

It also can increase the depth effect, as if professional

affairs in the cabinet were far, far into the wall, far away

from private space! However, the principle mechanism

was particularly difficult to develop because it has

many constraints (invisible mechanism, little space,

fluid movement, durability, ease of fabrication and

installation…)

reseArch & DevelOPMentconcept . conception . Fabrication

Lockers outside furniture, for private affairs, are not

built in the same way as professional lockers inside

the secretary. Indeed domestic lockers contain more

weight because it must integrate computer cables and

mobile phone. It will be characterized by a belt of wood

and outside lockers as a simple attachment system for

private affairs.

The choice of materials is made according to their

specifications. Paulownia wood is used its for lightness

and strength. Handmade plywood is used for is inside

flat and painted parts ( flaps ) and synderme* for wallets

of protections, because it’s an adherent surface.

Description

The set is comprised of a frame made of paulownia

wood and a network of six flaps with synchronized

movements. The mechanism of these elements is hidden

between the base and the lower part of the frame. These

flaps are painted in a dull blue color and furnished with

solid wood lockers and synderme* coating. The base

supporting these elements will also be covered with

synderme. The final dimensions of the furniture will

measure 1040x640x200mm.

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reseArch & DevelOPMentconcept . conception . Fabrication

Mechanism

After conception, an extensive research mechanism

was developed. It consisted of three parts: the axes of

rotation, the base and the rod*.

The axis of rotation is the same for all flaps. This pivot*-

latch allows disassembling the base of the flaps and

ensures the pivoting through 90 °. To manufacture these

metal pivots, I took help of jewellery students because

the precision of holes required a specific knowledge and

tools (precision milling).

The element used to synchronize the movement

connected to rod* is attached in the rear of the cabinet

to the flaps. The rod* and support are made in multiwall

to have to maximum strength and stability. After cutting

the layers of multiwall, I traced with the help of a laser

control tool for have the most accurate measures. Then,

I engrave with the portable router* each of the grooves*

and chamfers*. After that, I pasted different items to

form the multiwall of the base and the connecting rod*,

so I took this opportunity to insert pivot latches in the

sandwich multiwall.

The accuracy of all these operations was extreme care

because the slightest shift generates imperfections and

affects the whole mechanism, so it should be accurate to

a tenth of a millimeter.

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reseArch & DevelOPMentconcept . conception . Fabrication

lockers

On lockers, three item types were achieved: the flaps,

the wooden part and wallets in Synderme. The flaps

were made in plywood by me with urea-formaldehyde

glue and wood veneer of samba. After being machined

with jigs and router, I drilled the axes of rotation on the

edges of the flaps and inserted metal socket to reduce

my wear. Finally after a meticulous ginning I sprayed, a

blue matt lacquer on them.

Wooden fittings are used to stiffen the shelf, it was

necessary to pay attention to the grain of the wood.

The pieces were made with solid wood, like a wooden

sculpture. So I glued wooden blocks, then I machined

the parts of the wood through the planer*, chisels* and

CNC*.

Concerning wallets in synderme, I just developed in a

plan to the desired shape, and I used the laser cutting.

Then, I only had to get them in shape by folding and

fixed of them by a glue fish.

Wooden fittings are used to stiffen the shelf, it was was

necessary to pay attention to the sense of grain of the

wood. The pieces are made with solid wood, a bit like

sculpture. So I glued wooden blocks, then I machined

parts wood through my planer, my chisels and digital

control router.

Concerning wallets in synderme, I just made a plan

developed to the desired shape, and I used the laser

cutting. It only remained for me to get them in shape by

folding fixed by glue fish.

Frame

The frame of OKA is made into nine parts: Four sides,

four bends and one metal structure. The sides are

grooved with a circular saw to slide a strip to stabilize

then. The bends are made with a turned wood, then cut

for planed references connecting to the sides. All of this

is assembled by pins and secured by a metal structure

(wich was welded it beforehand.)

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cOnclUsiOn OF exPerience Difficulties . expectations . close

Difficulties

Management of workshop time was difficult because,

for me, the starting of making to the project is late. In

more, my project requires a lot of CNC* machining time,

but this machine is widely used,so I organized my work

in a specific way. Meanwhile, the paulownia wood is very

tender, I must be careful for not accidentally damaging

it, which involves a lot of precautions.

Finally the result of mechanical device was unpredictable,

it was necessary to adjust dimensions and technical

process after trying.

expectations

Boulle school will promote the OKA at the end of my

diploma, if the furniture is pleasing to some visitors

and that its function is viable in the time, I intend to

run an edition of 15 copies. Indeed, the study of the

project is already done, and the prototype is validated,

so only distribution of the product is left to be done...

However, the manufacturing costs probably involve a

price of approximately 2,500 €. So OKA will address

only to a clientele of a well to do category people. It is,

therefore preferable that I plan to sell the production in

a partnership with a deluxe edition home, gallery or a

premium retailer.

glossary

- Paulownia wood : It is a Japanese leafy wood, imported

to Europe in 1834

- Synderme : reconstituted leather with a rubber binder

- Rod : is a mechanical part for synchronizing the

movement of all seats

- Pivot : it is like a hinge which is listed removed

- Portable router : It is a portative wood machine for

profiling as splindle moulcer

- chamfers : It is a flat profil inclined to 45°

-grooves : It is a profil like a canal in the material

- CNC : It is a digital control router

- Planer : It is a manual tool for creating surfaces

- Chisels : It is a typical manual tool of a cabinet maker

for notch, nick and cut solid wood.

I am indebted to the DMA, of the Boulle school,

its professors and students. They provided me an

opportunity to progress and in learning the arts and

crafts and designing activity. It included the project

approach applied to OKA and also conducted worshops

and decision making. Its design and manufacture

workshops taught me to manage my time mutch better

and understand how to undertake and manage the

unexpected. So it was a rich experience where I had to

invest my body and soul! The theme of limit has inspired

me for a lifetime ! Thank you Mrs Garg and Mrs Briard

for these moments.

École Boulle9-21 rue Pierre Bourdan

75012 . PARIS