Woodworking and joinery : a deeper understanding of architecture

Abstract

As a discipline, architecture concerns itself with creativity and innovation within the practice of design. The process of design, which is inherently recursive, allows architects to jump between designing, investigating, and discovering in order to realize a design that truly pushes the boundaries of its purpose. My creative thesis project, which engages in this process of recursive design, took on the challenge of creating an innovative design solution for a simple chair. Material investigation and joinery techniques provide further immense opportunities for problem solving in the architectural discipline, specifically as it relates to furniture design. Endless possibilities evolve from materiality choices; however, I chose to investigate the properties of wood as a material and its ability to join together structurally and aesthetically. However, my creative thesis project is not simply a chair. It is a journey to discovering the personal evolution of a designer as he or she engages with design and seeks to transform raw material into pure beauty.