CD.1 Levitate
Furniture Design Study Abroad Copenhagen
Challenge
Design and build a chair that reflects core Danish values as part of a study abroad program in Copenhagen. The chair needed to be functional, elegant, and minimal; in line with the spirit of designers like Poul Kjærholm and Bruno Mathsson. Designed entirely through traditional methods and hand-built.
Insight/Research
Danish design emphasizes simplicity, honest use of materials, and high attention to craftsmanship. Early research led to cantilever forms and raised the core question: how can a wooden chair feel airy and elegant while staying structurally sound?
VILAN CHAISE BY JOHN KANDELL, 1987
BLACK WOOD FRAME WITH COWHIDE UPHOLSTERY
INSPIRATIOn
PK20 CHAIR BY POUL KJÆRHOLM, 1968
STEEL FRAME WITH LEATHER SEAT
PERNILLA 3 BY BRUNO MATHSSON, 1954
BENTWOOD FRAME WITH WOVEN LEATHER SEAT
Prototyping
Started with hand sketches and small-scale models. Focused on proportion, joinery, and overall form. Prototyping was done entirely without CAD. Received critique and support from Erling Christoffersen and Peter Johansen, both practicing Danish furniture designers.
Learning/Redesign
Through model-making and iteration, I learned how small design tweaks could drastically affect overall proportions. Working directly with wood and leather gave me a deeper understanding of each material, their limits, strengths, and how to design with those in mind.
Final Product & Features
CD.1 Levitate is a cantilever chair that uses minimal materials to create a sense of airiness.
Materials:
Solid wood frame, leather and canvas composite straps, accenting steel hardware
Key Features:
Visually “floats” with minimal contact points
Ergonomic support through flexible leather strapping
Crafted entirely by hand, no digital design tools used
Credits
Design and Fabrication- Chaz Dunselman
