ISBN online: 978-80-7701-044-3 | DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3
TRENDS IN FURNITURE AND LIVING 2024
24.–24. 10. 2024 Křtiny
- Edited by Petr Čech et. al.1
- 1 Department of Design and Furniture, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
The focus of the conference included topics such as Material in Furniture Production, Furniture Manufacturing Technology, and Furniture Design. Through expert seminars, research presentations, and open discussion, the conference aimed to highlight current challenges and innovations in the design and manufacture of furniture. In doing so, it sought to strengthen connections within the professional community, accelerate knowledge exchange, and support the implementation of research results into practice. This year’s conference further underlined the importance of interdisciplinary and international collaboration in addressing the evolving needs of the furniture and living sectors. As consumer preferences, technologies, and sustainability requirements shift rapidly, dialogue between researchers, designers, manufacturers, and institutions is more crucial than ever. Events like this provide the space where such cooperation can take root, bringing innovation closer to everyday life.
online: 2025, publisher: Mendel University in Brno
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Conference papers
OVERVIEW OF HANGING FURNITURE AND ITS CONSTRUCTION
Horák Dominik, Maňák Hynek
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0005
The topic of this paper is hanging furniture. Nowadays, the principle of hanging furniture is applied in many furniture groups: these are mainly kitchens, bathrooms but also living and office spaces. In general, hanging furniture can be found in almost all definable furniture groups that interact with the building structure. Furniture is suspended from vertical walls or structures but also from ceilings or other auxiliary horizontal structures. The article defines the basic subdivision of suspended furniture into shelving systems, upper cabinets, lower cabinets and ceiling cabinets. In addition to basic aspects such as functionality of the furniture, principles of assembly and disassembly, manufacturability and transportability, safety is an important aspect of hanging furniture. A comprehensive assessment of the overall safety of the application of hanging furniture is required, which does not focus rigidly on the furniture part of the issue, but also perceives the interaction with the building or structure on which the furniture is hung. The paper describes the research started in this area, which is divided into sub-areas: the construction material of the hanging furniture, the connecting fittings of the hanging furniture structure, special connecting fittings, hanging fittings including anchoring technology, and finally the material design of the supporting structure (wall, ceiling).
OPTIMAL METHOD FOR MEASURING THE INTERIOR
Hruąka Michal, Kořený Adam
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0014
The purpose of the work was to determine the optimal method for interior measuring. The study gives an overview of measuring instruments, then discusses metrology, tolerances in furniture manufacturing, multi-criteria analysis and software support related to Industry 4.0. For each type of measuring device, their properties were analyzed by using multicriteria analysis. In order to compare the time consumption of each method, results from a separate research study were used in the analysis. A methodology for the analysis is also included to allow modification to meet the specific requirements for particular users. The result is a comparison of the different facilities and associated procedures, taking into account technical, time and economic influences.
DESIGNING A SEATING ELEMENT FOR A SACRED SPACE
Krupičková Petra, Svoboda Jaroslav
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0021
The issue of sacred space falls into the category of the use of furniture in the public interior. In contemporary religious buildings, due to wear and tear or pest infestation, both individual parts of the interior and entire church interiors are being restored. It is desirable that new furniture already meets the criteria of modern church pews with regard to typology and ergonomics, safety requirements, construction and material design. However, these criteria must be closely related to the overall existing and planned space, aesthetics and liturgy of worship and ceremonies. The design and construction of the church pew was done through sketching, 3D modelling and also by creating several cardboard models. Subsequently, the production of a 1 : 1 model in the chosen materials was proceeded. The design of the church pew is situated in the so-called winter chapel, which is part of the Church of the Virgin Mary in Křtiny. This chapel is used mainly in the winter months or during services for smaller numbers of people. The chapel is currently undergoing renovation and therefore completely new furniture is planned.
WOMAN AND DESIGN
Hynek Maňák, Ludvika Kanická, Dominik Horák
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0027
The generally assumed lower proportion of women in technical fields is due to a historical development full of gender stereotypes and persistent anxieties. The proportion of women studying design at LDF Mendel has long been around 80%. At the Department of Design and Furniture, the technical difficulty of the content of the study programme has been discussed with regard to this high proportion of women, and the subjects of mathematics, physics and geometry have been reintroduced into the study programme. At the same time, higher requirements were set for knowledge in the areas of mechanical and physical properties of materials, furniture design and dimensioning and production technology. The defended final theses of the students prove that women are able to process these works with the high technical complexity required by this level of education. The study thus creates a high prerequisite for women's further career development.
POTENTIAL NEW WOOD SPECIES FOR THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY
Németh Róbert, Fehér Sándor, Ábrahám József, Komán Szabolcs, Csordós Diána, Szeles Péter, ...
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0035
The effects of climate change, which are becoming more pronounced today, mean that unconventional wood species must be used in the wood industry, of which the furniture industry is an important integral part. Less used wood species for furniture are poplar and robinia. Poplar is unsuitable as a surface component because of its low density, hardness, etc. This can be improved by compression, which would significantly increase the usability of this species, which is found in large quantities worldwide. The Brinell-Mörath surface hardness can be improved up to 22 MPa. Robinia already has interior, furniture and outdoor furniture applications, but its difficult machinability and variable colouration, especially in the case of so-called „black stripe“ discolouration, are major limiting factors. The latter can be improved by various thermal treatments. For this purpose, dry thermal-treatment was considered to be a better solution than steaming in water vapour.
ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF ICONIC SINGLE-SEATING INTERIOR PIECES FROM THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT
Oą»ádalová Michaela, Sovják Richard
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0041
This article examines the role of materials and technologies in product design, focusing on iconic chairs from the early 20th century to the present. It explores the impact of ground-breaking materials, such as bent steel and plastics, on aesthetics, ergonomics, and industrial production transformations. The analysis extends beyond the design, highlighting the application of traditional and modern materials. The article traces historical milestones where design responded to emerging technological possibilities. Additionally, it investigates current challenges designers face in addressing sustainability and resource efficiency. The concluding section emphasizes how these factors increasingly shape not only the aesthetic but also the functional and ethical dimensions of contemporary design, with potential implications for its future evolution.
JOINING SOLID WOOD WITH EPOXY RESINS
Petr Pacas, Daniela Tesařová
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0050
The paper deals with the analysis of the suitability of selected woods (acacia, oak, meranti) for bonding with casting epoxy resin. The main objective is to evaluate the influence of the thickness of the cast joint on the strength properties of the formed joints. The investigated wood species differ in their physical and mechanical properties, which can significantly affect the resulting cohesion and strength of the joint. In addition to the interaction between the wood and the epoxy resin itself, the cohesive strength of the cured resin, which plays an important role in the mechanical behaviour of the joint, was also investigated. The experiments focused on measuring the strength at different cast joint thicknesses, which provided valuable information on the optimum parameters for joint formation. The results of this study provide new insights for the structural and design applications of epoxy resins in conjunction with natural materials such as wood and contribute to the development of efficient methods for producing strong and reliable joints.
THE RESPONSE OF SCREW CORNER JOINTS MANUFACTURED OF HONEYCOMB PANELS TO CHANGES IN RELATIVE AIR HUMIDITY
Smardzewski Jerzy, Tokarczyk Maciej, Giedrius Pilkis
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0055
Honeycomb panels are an attractive material for furniture production. However, their usefulness in industrial practice depends on the technological quality of corner joints and the effect of temperature and relative humidity changes on the stiffness and strength of these joints. This work made corner joints from 37 mm thick honeycomb panels. A screw confirmat type was used for the connection. It was experimentally determined to what extent a change in air relative humidity from 40% to 85% will affect the strength and stiffness of corner joints. Numerical models were developed to predict the behavior of joints in variable climatic conditions. It was shown that an increase in air humidity reduces the stiffness and strength of joints. However, in conditions of extreme humidity of 85%, the stiffness and strength of joints are still acceptable compared to dry conditions (40%). Numerical models allow for correct estimation of the quality of joints.
ANALYSIS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS, THEIR EVOLUTION AND THE PATH TO CONTAINER ARCHITECTURE
Andrea Vokřálová, Richard Sovják
DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-044-3-0063
The paper analyses the historical development of shipping containers, the change of their use from standardized shipping containers to a building element from which both a building with architectural value and a useful building for humanitarian and social housing can be constructed very quickly and cheaply. Materials, technologies and technical solutions for construction are constantly advancing and it is therefore essential to address current and future issues concerning our planet. After the supply-chain crisis, production of shipping containers is on the rise again due to the worldwide increasing demand for international transport of goods. Retired containers need to be disposed of in a meaningful way and given an alternative use as a building block. This paper summarizes the information necessary to create an ergonomic manual for the rapid construction of cities with all the social amenities. It is also important to take into account the impact on people through the quality of interior comfort, the speed and sustainability of production and the social convergence between the population and nature. To evaluate the efficiency of use, to explore its further progression for the benefit of the population of our planet and beyond.