Prism Accent Furniture

Sustainable Design with Autodesk Fusion 360

Prism Accent Furniture (Short Lifecycle) 

 

Summary

Product lifetime cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach and design details and materials selection should accommodate for this variations. Prism is a modular system of illuminated tables designed for college students and other people living in temporary situations. Prism integrates tables and ambient lighting into a single product that comes flat-packed and is easy to assemble and disassemble. When users are ready to move to a new life stage they can either flat pack the tables and bring them along or they can recycle them.

 

Project Title: 
Prism Accent Furniture
Project Designers: 
Lara Cardoso, Andrew Magee, Mariana Pinheiro, and Trupti Pomaje (plus Professor, Alex Lobos) - Rochester Institute of Technology
Project Date: 
Dec 2015

 

Design goals 

  • Integrate packaging and product
  • Materials’ selection for products with short lifespans
  • Engage user in product assembly/disassembly 
  • Create a design that is easy to reconfigure
  • Minimize number of parts and manufacturing processes
  • Create multi-functional products

 

Sustainability Workshop Concepts Applied

 

Key Design Features

Simplicity and efficiency

Prism’s design is based on simple shapes and clean lines that take advantage of the structural capabilities of corrugated plastic. Triangular shapes provide strong structures with minimal use of material. The direction of the corrugated pattern is used vertically so that it strong enough to support weight over it, making them strong enough to work as tables or even stools.

             

 

Versatility 
 
The dimensions of each side of the triangles are designed so that multiple objects can be set next to each other in multiple configurations. This allows for the system to grow as much or as little as users need it. Users can also play with different layouts that allow for the furniture system to become an attractive element of any living space.
 

              

 

Product as packaging 

Prism systems come flat packed with sections folded one on top of each other. Protective caps secure the pieces together and provide enough protection to the corners minimizing the need for additional packaging.  
      
              
 
 

Colors and lighting 

Corrugated plastic comes in a wide array of colors and opacity. This allows for a wide variety of colors to be used in the design. An energy-efficient lighting system hosted inside the prismatic structure takes advantage of the translucent material, turning the furniture into dramatic ambient lighting elements.

                

 

Fusion 360 features implemented into Design

  • Modeled in “Model” mode
  • Extrude > overall form  
  • Press pull > cutouts
  • Pattern > paste multiple bodies
  • Simulation > Analyze stress strength
  • A360 > cloud rendering 

Learn more about Fusion 360 today!

 
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