If Chairs Could Talk
"If you're essentially designing on a computer and printing it out or cutting it out on a machine, is it still handmade? Am I being true to my woodworking roots?"
These are some of the questions student designer/maker Teshia Treuhaft is asking herself as the world of design and creation are influenced by rapid changes in technology.
"As young designers and as young woodworkers, we have to take hold of these new tools because that will be the way of the future. This will be the way furniture design as a career path stays relevant," she says during an interview via Skype from the Rhode Island School of Design where she's completing her Master of Fine Arts degree.
"I think what's interesting about digital technologies and how they might play out into traditional furniture design is that you will have the ability to manufacture on a one-on-one basis," she says. "If you are in Toronto and I'm manufacturing a chair for you in New York, there's all that shipping. That's a pain. But what if there's a way for the manufacturing to happen in Toronto because, I'm just sending you a digital file. It's cost effective to do that."
THE FIRST CHAIRS
During her undergraduate studies in textiles at the University of Michigan, Treuhaft began what has become a series of experiments designing and creating plywood furniture. Her earliest project was what she calls the curve chairs, her first experience vacuum forming plywood.
Teshia Treuhaft's Curve Chairs (above) and her Copenhagen Chair (at right) are crafted from vacuum formed Luann plywood. Photos courtesy of Teshia Treuhaft.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Teshia Treuhaft?+
Teshia Treuhaft is a student designer and maker completing her Master of Fine Arts degree at the Rhode Island School of Design. She previously studied textiles at the University of Michigan, where she began designing and creating plywood furniture.
How could digital technology change traditional furniture manufacturing?+
Treuhaft believes digital technologies will enable one-on-one manufacturing, where a designer can send a digital file to be produced locally rather than shipping a finished piece. For example, a chair designed in New York could be manufactured in Toronto simply by transmitting the file, making the process more cost effective.
What material did Teshia Treuhaft use for her Curve Chairs and Copenhagen Chair?+
Both the Curve Chairs and the Copenhagen Chair are crafted from vacuum formed Luann plywood. The Curve Chairs were her first experience with vacuum forming plywood.
Why does Teshia Treuhaft think young woodworkers should embrace new digital tools?+
She believes young designers and woodworkers must adopt new digital tools because they represent the future of the craft. Embracing these technologies is how furniture design will remain relevant as a career path.
What questions does Treuhaft raise about handmade authenticity in digital design?+
She questions whether designing on a computer and then printing or machine-cutting the result still qualifies as handmade. She also wonders whether this approach stays true to her woodworking roots.