toolChair

An exploration of digital fabrication and flat-pack furniture design resulted in the development of the toolChair, a seating prototype optimized for automated manufacturing. The project focused on translating computational geometry into physical form, utilizing computer numerical control routing to minimize material waste and assembly time. Work centered on creating a functional, human-scale object that could be produced entirely by machine, eliminating the need for manual post-processing or complex joinery.

The physical artifact was engineered to be cut from exactly one square meter of multilayer plywood. To achieve ergonomic curvature from a rigid sheet material, a specialized milled pattern was developed and integrated into the digital fabrication files. This toolpath removed specific volumes of wood, allowing the remaining material to flex and form the backrest. The entire manufacturing pipeline was constrained to a single CNC milling operation, ensuring the chair could go straight from the machine bed to final assembly.

Developing the flexible backrest required iterative testing of milling patterns to balance structural integrity with material elasticity. Prototypes tested different pattern spacing and depths to prevent the plywood from snapping under human weight while still providing sufficient flex. The strict constraint of using only one square meter of material forced tight nesting of the vector profiles, requiring continuous adjustments to the cutting layout to accommodate the tool diameter and prevent tear-out during the milling process.

The completed prototype won the Back to Stool competition, an event organized by the fabrication studio MioCugino to inaugurate their new milling facility. The competition featured submissions from established industrial designers, validating the structural and manufacturing approach of the chair. Following this recognition, the physical prototype was exhibited at Fuorisalone during the 2014 Milan Design Week, demonstrating the viability of single-process CNC furniture production to a wider design audience.