Project Overview

In conceiving the collection, Trent Jansen explores the myths and memories of summer and surf, rediscovering his love of the ocean and curiosity for Australia’s die-hard surf culture.

Stainless steel wire speaks to the linear language of those wave diagrams. A seamless fluidity emerges as the doubled up legs rise and diverge, circling up around the back of the sunlounge before coming back down again. In a poetic twist, Trent captures the swell of flowing water in a series of tidal marks that ripple up the seat base before breaking up and around the side of the products.

Organisation

Tait

Team

Gordon Tait (project leader) Trent Jansen (designer), Derrin Ray (R&D / maker), Michael Dwyer (R&D), Jono Sheean (maker)

Project Brief

Brief
Design a new furniture collection suitable for poolside use. The design should not only compliment the Australian lifestyle but also enhance how people inhabit and enjoy this space.

Whilst in keeping with the Tait Design Philosophy, this new collection should bring something different in look and feel to current products on the market in this category. This collection is to sit happily within the Tait stable.

It must perform extremely well in the areas of function and quality with specific attention paid to ergonomic requirements. The new collection must enhance the Tait offering, not compete directly with our existing products.

The product should be designed to appeal as a new "classic" and remain in production and be relevant to the market for years to come.

Purpose:
This collection must be suitable for residential and commercial projects. Commercial would specifically target developers of resorts, hotels and hospitality projects.

Mood:
The following key words relate to the tone of voice or mood that we are looking for. Visually light, elegant, Aussie beach holiday, Bondi, Noosa, Lorne, childhood summer, 1970’s, fun, comfortable, easy, uncomplicated, soft, social.

Project Innovation/Need

Tidal responds to a gap in the marketplace for mid-priced, Australian made, high quality outdoor furniture suitable for coastal or poolside placement. The customer is looking for a well designed outdoor lifestyle experience enhancing their sense of style yet reflecting the fun, relaxed Australian way of life.

The use of Stainless Steel wire is new to this market

Design Challenge

The design challenge was mainly the material but also how we could deliver a piece that vas visually light yet strong enough to support 120kg.

Wire forming technology in Australia is not that advanced. there are many suppliers that can form light gauge,however, this did not suit our material as we needed a machine that could not only form 10mm dia stainless steel but generate complex curves.

We only gave ourselves 8 months from brief to launch and in doing so put a lot of pressure on the designer and the R&D team. The outcome was we launched the dining chair, lounger, coffee tables and dining table in October 2015 and the Sunlounge at Den Fair in June 2016. The products are now 95% resolved and ongoing tweaking and implementing of jigs will ensure we can manufacture the products at an affordable cost to the user while making margin. Alway challenging while manufacturing in Australia.

Sustainability

Tidal Sunlounge incorporates a high-quality 10mm stainless steel wire frame. The strength and performance of the material ensures optimum longevity and affirms it as an incredibly sustainable choice for outdoor furniture, despite Australia’s harsh climatic environment and common exposure to UV light, chlorine or salt water. The stainless steel frames are available in two finishes, electro polished or powder coated, to further extend the Tidal Sunlounge’s performance and resistance to corrosion.

The end user is therefore guaranteed unbounded seasons of use with minimal maintenance. Tidal Sunlounge’s thoughtful design has been crafted to pass down generations, however can also be easily dissembled for refurbishment or fully recycled.