Stellated Stool

This was the final project for my Bent-Lamination class at RISD.

In designing this, I wanted to create something that takes advantage of bent-lam’s ability to create complex forms while retaining great strength. Each hollow is what supports the entire top and person sitting on it, there is no interior bracing or hidden support structure. In addition, each one isn’t simply a section of a cylinder. Each side widens and curves outwards towards the floor, something that wouldn’t be possible with traditional woodworking methods while remaining so thin.

In my first significant foray into CNC machining, I machined the top from a coopered blank. In addition to the aesthetic appeal, coopering the top improves the strength of the part, and reduces the damaging effects of wood movement in a radial design.