I'll be honest, the BF1 armchair has been an extremely slow project with the first MDF prototype being built early July 2025. The initial MDF form went through various alterations immediately. Seating angles, heights and various dimensions to name a few. The two MDF forms were constructed over several days in the workshop, these were essential for me to assess the relationship between the main form and armrests. The 3D CAD model was created prior to the MDF forms being constructed, this was quickly modified after the MDF form forced certain design changes to be made to the original model. I must mention the one major design change, this involved lifting the main seating form off the ground and adding a base form beneath, the reasoning behind this was purely aesthetic. The altered form now gave the armchair a hovering illusion which I feel allows the user to not feel overwhelmed by the large austere form arising from the ground beneath.
The 3D model was altered over the next week with all changes being made to the original concept. Once I was happy with all cut files these were sent away to be processed. The plates arrived at my workshop within a few weeks. My excitement was building when the aluminium plates were sitting on the workbench ready for me to assemble. Before the plates were to come together they required edges to be de-burred and holes chamfered, once this process was done I could move on to prepping edges for welding and tacking plates together in strict order. The next two days was spent under the welding helmet listening to the buzzing sound of the AC tig welder. The welding was slow and methodical with a meditative under current with every dab of filler. Once all of the welding was completed it was now on to the task of linishing the welds to start the metal finishing process. The dirty process of removing the excess weld filler is tedious and requires focus. A subtle angle change of the handheld linisher can result in the base material being gouged past the weld area causing a time consuming job of sanding these marks out before moving through the sanding process any further. A long day was spent linishing the welds down enough ready for the next process. To achieve a straight and clean edge for joining these forms together required me to block sand the welds after linishing, this process alone took 3-4 hours to complete. Next was to use the orbital sander and start by sanding all edges with 80 grit, once the edges were sanded it was just a matter of sanding the rest of the components to a fine 400 grit finish. The smooth and linear aluminium finish I was after requires a high level of attention while sanding to make sure any marks are removed prior to moving up through the grades of sandpaper.
After the time consuming process of sanding was completed it was now ready for test assembly before powder coating. This assembly was frustrating and revealed some minor issues regarding access to certain fasteners etc. These issues were noted and will be rectified for the final production. The form was disassembled and ready for powder coating. This process can also be problematic for raw aluminium, the handling of the aluminium has to be taken with extreme care as any touching of the aluminium without gloves will stain and show up in the final appearance.
The powder coating of the first prototype turned out great and was assembled for the first time the day I received all components back from powder coating. Once assembled and shifted in to a clean room I could really appreciate the accentuated "box" like form. This form really does hold it's own in the room, grounding itself within the space it resides. The mottled appearance of the raw aluminium really does grab your attention by guiding you through the subtle difference in shading of each surface area.
The completion of the first aluminium BF1 armchair left a great feeling of achievement. From navigating the challenges of angles, seating height & overall form, I felt the experience as a whole was a worthwhile endeavour. The project has now been completed for a few months, allowing me to spend time sitting in the chair intent or merely glancing at it while working within the workshop environment. Listening sessions within the chair have been a great experience, bringing attention to subtle sensations and emotions. The chair sits confidently within space. I suspect this has to do with the volume or mass presented in the carefully arranged forms. Although by raising the main form off the ground 80mm it has given the chair a levitated feel thus reducing it's overall intensity. The sensation of running my hands over the raw radius edges before turning your back to sit in the chair starts the experience off in a calming manner.
I must briefly mention a few of the challenges I encountered along the way while designing this chair. When designing the cushions I instantly began to feel overwhelmed by how different the sitting experience feels with changes in upholstery details. Soft and plush foam left me feeling swallowed within the chair, while a firm foam combination left me feeling as if I was sitting on top of the chair rather than within it. Once the correct foam was chosen it was a pleasure to spend time lounging in.
The distressed black leather in combination with the raw aluminium gives this chair a timeless feel, Leaving me a sense of joy knowing the chair can hold a firm presence wherever it resides. Simple beeswax is used to preserve the leather & keep it in top condition, This allows the user to stay connected to the chair by demanding regular care.
I thoroughly enjoyed designing & fabricating the first BF1 armchair, This enjoyment was certainly unexpected due to my tendency to be overwhelmed by the task of bringing such a complex design in to reality. I knew the first chair was going to be in need of some changes, the second chair to be produced will have minor updates to facilitate assembly + minor height alterations that will be discussed and posted in the coming months.
works by tomo 