Iron Furniture Design · 2022
Rollerback Rocker Chair
- A' Design Award 2022 Iron Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Timothy Hardman
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 10,192
- Verification code B41E7DC28B · Verify this award
About Rollerback Rocker Chair
Rollerback Rocker is a rocking chair made for adjustable, active seating. The welded metal frame holds hand-cut walnut accents that slot into the structure and are fixed with set screws. The cylindrical leather cushions spin on mounting rods, so a seated user can roll them and change the back support at any moment. The chair also rocks forwards and backwards, adding a second form of movement. The walnut inserts soften the angles of the metal frame. The chair measures 570 mm by 570 mm by 920 mm.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Rollerback Rocking chair is a unique combination of materials. The metal frame is accented with hand-cut walnut inserts, giving the piece an detailed accent that allows less severe angles than a pure metal frame. The leather cushions allow for the user to adjust and roll the cylinders as they please, letting them interact with the chair in a unique way.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 570 mm x 570 mm x 920 mm
- Tags
- walnut, claro walnut, chair, armchair, leather, upholstery, rocking chair
- Production Technology
- This piece features a welded metal frame that has hand cut walnut accents. The walnut accents slot into the frame and are attached with set screws. The piece required immense attention to detail to get the pieces to set into the metal correctly, especially the curved arm insert. The legs are attached with Festool domino joiner and the cushions are sewn with leather.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part of this project was the walnut inserts. In order to get the curved arm insert in, the chair needed to be welded together with the insert in, allowing no margin for error or second shot once it was in.
- Project Duration
- The project started in October 2020 in San Francisco and finished in June 2021.
- Operation Flow
- This rocking chair allows for the user to interact with it in many ways. The user can rock forwards and backwards as well as up and down. The cylindrical cushions can spin on their mounting rods and let the user continually adjust while seated.
- Research
- This piece rested on precise geometry. Designing a chair requires very subtle angles, which only increases when doing a rocking chair. Add to that the walnut accents and the attention to detail in this piece was immense. Timothy spent weeks designing this piece and going over the math to get it right before starting.
- Inspiration
- Timothy's inspiration for this piece mostly came from his disinterest in armchairs. Seating is one of the most intimate furniture designs as it requires the most physical interaction of the user. By incorporating freely moving cushions on the chair, the user can rock in it as well as adjust while seated by rolling their back into the cushions as needed.