We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Jeffrey Koffman about their original and creative Rocking Stool design work. Jeffrey Koffman is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original rocking stool works.
Jeffrey Koffman ("JK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Span Rocking Stool. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
JK : The concept was driven by the need for small modular seating elements in the workplace. The idea of "fun" became a primary focus and therefore the principles of a rocking horse were incorporated into the design. Adding a storage component for phones, tablets and personal items helped create value and add utility to the rocker.
JK : The primary focus is aimed at creating fun, interactive, modular seating elements for impromptu collaborative meetings.
JK : I hope to find a licensee to develop and distribute this product concept.
JK : From research thru design, modeling and rendering it took approximately 2 1/2 months.
JK : When there are unmet needs designers try and find solutions to address these specific areas. Span was developed as an answer to the problems of seating and collaborative teaming in the work place.
JK : I hope to find a licensee to develop and distribute this product concept.
JK : I have a graduate degree in Industrial design and have been lucky enough to work with Don Chadwick on some projects so seating is always at the forefront of my imagination.
JK : A rocking child's horse heavily influenced the final form but the over all intent was to address the concerns of seating and storage for meetings. It had to be interactive and fun and therefore the idea of a rocking horse for adults became a significant driver.
JK : The concept was developed to address unmet needs in the evolving work place but as the idea developed its application in waiting rooms, schools, dorm rooms, hotel lobbies became more evident.
JK : There are some rocking stools in the market today but none that directly reflect on the rocking horse as a primary driver. People tend to like things that make them feel young, that remind them of their childhood. This rocker capitalizes on that past memory, answering concerns of the present while incorporating storage to meet the needs of the current cultural climate.
JK : The name reflects on the arch, spanning past memories with present realities. Its a bridge between the child state of being and adulthood.
JK : Everything was modeled and designed in Solidworks, an imperative tool for production.
JK : This stool is unique in that it creates a fun, interactive seating elements for adults while providing utility in the way of storage.
JK : I modeled and developed this concept on my own as a way to address the needs of the modern work place.
JK : Technology was not the primary driver for this concept. The form reflects current tooling processes to maximize utility and minimize cost.
JK : The concept evolved from unmet needs in the market, rather than research data. Insights into human behavior was the primary research tool for this concept.
JK : The design is pretty straightforward, so the challenge was imagining a product and a form that would answer market needs, address human behavior, and reflect on the memory of the past simultaneously.
JK : Emerging designers need recognition and publicity to further their careers so this competition was an obvious choice. This product may be a better for for European markets and manufacturers.
JK : This project is really about the power of simplicity. Once in a while you see things clearly when you change the position from which you view the world.
