The flat packaging system of self-assembled furniture has recently become a popular method of everyday living. However, people still struggle with the complicated instructional booklets and the kit of parts. Reimagining the components of flat packaging into a kinetic folding system can provide an economically efficient solution to self-assembled furniture. Mechanical parts such as gears and hinges are replaced by paneled sheet materials that act upon each other to create movement and form. The Origami Chair implements a folding operation inspired by origami geometries to open and close itself into a functional chair. It features ten panels that are connected edge to edge, activating movement in a chain reaction. Digital modeling and computational simulation of various angles allow the Origami Chair to fold into a thickness of less than one inch, minimizing the volume of space that the chair requires for packaging and storage. The absence of hardware in the construction of the chair also eliminates the need of outside tools, simplifying the self-assembly process into a single action.

2017 Prototype by Heeje Yang

Photos by Brandon Friend-Solis

2016 Prototype by Diana Yan

2015-2016 Prototype by Yuan