WWU's Gupta to discuss chair design Nov. 3

Dipu Gupta, an architect and a assistant professor of set design at Western Washington University, will speak on the relationship between construction and composition in chair design at noon Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the Western Gallery.

Participants will be led to look carefully at details of structure and material, which are factors in what we call "style." The presentation will also discuss how designers use original objects as a basis for stage design.

This event is free and open to the public.

On Friday, Nov. 13, Kent Smith,  a WWU professor of design, will give a presentation on 20th century chairs and the designer’s obligation to functionality in seating. Accompanying the presentation are eight chairs from his personal collection. Participants will be able to sit in the various chairs as part of a discussion on the role of ergonomics in form and function. Examples will augment commentary on historical influences, developments in technology and commitments to sustainability. In addition, the presentation will include artifacts from luminary contemporary designers as Smith also shares cross-disciplinary endeavors between architecture, product design and graphic design disciplines.

And at noon Nov. 16 and 17, professor Arunas Oslapas will introduce the Industrial Design junior class, who will present their favorite chairs selected from the Art of Seating exhibition. Their short, energetic presentations will cover the history of the chair including information on the construction, materials, dates of production, the designer, impact on society, the company that produced the chair, and any other information relevant to its history.