1. Kingston University London
New Balance: The Olympic Project
Introducting furniture design concepts created by
Kingston University Product & Furniture Design and Product Design
students for the New Balance Olympic hospitality venue.
Philip Davies: Course Director BSc Product Design Kingston University London
2. 2 3
This booklet represents the work of
second year Product & Furniture Design
BA, Product Design BSc and Pre Masters
students over a 10 week live project
engagement with New Balance.
Twelve groups of students working in
teams of three developed a series of
challenging and thought provoking design
proposals that explored the meaning
of the New Balance brand as applied to
furniture.
Each piece has a rational and narrative
that explores the relationship between
the shoes, the makers and the values
imbued in the materials and processes.
The furniture is designed for and will be
exhibited at the New Balance Olympic
hospitality suite, Millbank Tower London.
This project has involved many full
time and visiting tutors, technicians
and workshop staff, without whose
help it would not have been possible
to complete the project. Thank you
everyone for all your help.
A special thanks to Mike and Stuart from
Octink, firstly for bringing the project
to Kingston and most importantly
supporting the project over the duration.
A huge shout to Classic Furniture and
Rosie Taylor for all the materials and help
getting a series of the pieces upholstered
to a professional standard.
And finally thank you to Bob Neville and
everyone at New Balance for making this
fantastic project possible.
Please enjoy the work!
Philip Davies
Kingston University and New Balance : The Olympic Project
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Kingston Teaching Staff
Philip Davies
Jon Harrison
Simon Maidment
Jochem Faudet
Simon Hasan
JJ Hudson AKA Dr NOKI
Felix De Pass
Carl Clerkin
Elinor Renfrew and the
Fashion staff.
Kingston Technical Staff:
Tony Cookson
Tim Clarke
Stuart hollister
Ueli Lehman
Chris Buttle
Bruce Morgan
Kingston Students:
Matthew Marshall
Josh Tomkins
Michal Rudzki
Delina Evans
Prinaka Sosodiya
Sam Gordon
Rory Hudson
Dejon Hurlock
Christopher China
Czili Orsolya
Veronica Wesolowski
Dan Jackson
Seo Hyun Cho
Joga Sangha
Giho Yang
Clea Jentsch
Graf Kwok
Mustafa Gokdemir
Margot Stummer
G Rodriguez Lopez
Sam lloyd
Chap Saharat Khanchitakorn
Louis Row-Care
Gerda Hertscheg
Kenichi Jackson
Anjali Multani
Lei Chi-Ian
Dichen Li
Yang Wang
MinJae Kim
Aaron Dunkerton
Tyrone Chan
Isabella Hollentin
Charles Dedman
Sang Jun Park
Sezar Alkassab
Sing Hour Kim
Studio Photography
Reiji Yamazaki
3. 4 5
The project with Kingston was born from
an initial visit of graphic designer Robyn
Wilson to the New Balance factory in
Flimby. Robyn visited Cumbria in late
2011 for a two-month visit that afforded
her an immersion into the culture of
the factory, the people personalities and
latent skills of the craftsmen and women.
The concept of producing furniture
pieces that celebrated these people their
skills and the ethos of the New Balance
brand emerged. Prototypes pieces
were developed with the help of local
upholsterer Gary Murdock using vintage
furniture frames.
The initial stool design shown explores
Family Ties and the heritage of the
company as represented by both British
and the USA within the framework of
hand made excellence.
This amazing piece inspired the project
with Kingston University leading to
the work you are about to see for New
Balance’s Olympic hospitality lounge at
the London 2012 Olympics.
Starting Inspiration : The beginning
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Family Patched & Laced Up Bar Stool
Designed by Robyn Joan Wilson
Sewn by Linden Upholstery.
Upholstered by Gary Murdock of Linden
Upholstery.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Family Ties Stool
4. 6 7
A lot of parallels can be drawn between
the Olympics and the day to day world we
live in, both business’s and students live
in an ever more competitive environment
where there is incredible global
competition for business and in the case
of students jobs.
Just like an Olympic athlete you have to
prepare well and develop the strategies
to win placing around you a team with
the experience necessary to take you to
the top of your game.
As a global brand with a history that goes
back to 1906 New Balance has a history of
winning and continually innovating whilst
at the same time ensuring we are part of
the community, giving back is something
we do all around the world.
As a former UK design student myself
the challenge was always to get a job
however companies want you to have
experience but you cant get experience
without a job!
It is therefore a great win win
collaboration of this nature as students
get to work with a global brand on a real
project with real deadlines and we as a
brand are rewarded with fresh innovative
thinking which is our life blood.
I believe the work that follows clearly
illustrates the success of this project and
collaboration and represents not the
end but the start of a great relationship
between New Balance and Kingston
University who together are creating the
innovative thinkers and winners of
the future.
Bob Neville
Global Creative Director
Kingston University and New Balance
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
5. 8 9
Factory Visit
It was essential for the students to visit
the factory and meet the actual people
making the shoes. This research visit
became the inspiration for many of the
design concepts set around the individual
makers or the shoe materials and the
values of New Balance as a company.
New Balance Project:
Visit to New Balance’s Flimby Factory
Cumbria UK
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
6. 10 11
We took inspiration from the lightness
of the shoes. At Flimby we saw how the
shoes are made in layers, like a net. We
liked how the material itself was used
as the structure rather than concealing
a structure within the layers. When
disassembling the furniture, we revealed
the hidden structure shrouded under
the upholstery. We discovered the metal
frame underneath had a beautiful,
minimal shape waiting to be revealed.
We wanted to celebrate this frame and
do a retake on the common conception of
upholstery. The metal frame is structurally
stronger than traditional wooden frames
so there was an opportunity to exploit it
within our design concept.
Using laces was a simple way to create
a seating surface, but still maintain the
light and minimal appearance mirrored
in the running shoes. The strength of the
frame allowed us to create tight seating
structure. The addition of bent plywood
arms reflecting the curves of the original
wooden base. The overall effect continues
the theme of minimalism.
Prianka Sisodiya
Delina Evans
Michal Rudzki
Team members
4
With the beauty of the structure exposed
we celebrated the form by upholstering
the seat with New Balance laces.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Final designSkeleton Chair & Stool
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
7. 12 13
Celebrating the Light weight and exposed
structure within.
ExoskeletonRevealing and transforming the structure
Hand made plywood arms.
Making new
plywood armrests
using a former and
bag press.
Exploring and exposing
the structure
8. 14 15
Sang Jun Park
Charles Dedman
Isabella Hollentin
Team members
2
“One man’s trash is another man’s
treasure”
New Balance’s new Sky Trainer, made
from recycled plastic bottles was the
inspiration for our Foan Chair and Q Stool.
We observed that the other groups were
themselves creating a great deal of foam
and fabric waste. We decided to recyle
and reuse these materials to produce our
furniture.
Assembled recycled foam blocks create
the final digitized foam seat. The inner
blocks are covered in New Balance fabric
to protect from foam degradation.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Final designFoam Chair & Q Stool
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Stool Process
For the stool design, keeping with the
recycle, reuse concept, we found the only
useful way of using this material was to
cut it into strips. We then combined the
traditional technique of weaving with the
modern QR code technology. The finished
product is a cube stool, with a woven
QR code on top that is linked to our
group project blog. We hope that when
in the space, the guests can sit in the
foam chair, scan the QR code and enjoy
reading through the project, seeing how
the furniture came to be and Kingston’s
involvement with New Balance.
Our Blog
http://csi-operation-chair.blogspot.co.uk/
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
9. 16 17
The Q stool allows you to access via a
smart phone the project archive and
process log.
http://csi-operation-chair.blogspot.co.uk/
Chair & Q StoolThe build process
Q Code
10. 18 19
Ghio Yang
Clea Jentch
Graf Kwok
Team members
8
Nine-ninety sofa
Our group were inspired by the 993 shoe
from New Balance’s 990 series. We were
intrigued why this shoe has become so
iconic and why it has been worn by such
innovators and leaders as Steve Jobs and
the president of the United States?
The shoe defined by subtle shades of
grey is both innovative and neutral
underplaying a high functionality.
Differing materials give specific support to
various parts of the foot. This makes the
shoe perfect for both sporting and casual
contexts.
We applied these understated yet
innovative principles to the design of our
sofa. Different densities of foam support
the reclining human body at the crucial
ergonomic positions.
Envisioned as part of a set the sofa
includes designs for additional stools and
furniture pieces.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Bespoke 2 Seater990 Sofa + Stool
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
11. 20 21
Foam cushion panels manufactured from
a range of foam densities support the
relaxing human frame.
990 RangeA Brand new design for NB
The design principles of the 990 Sofa
translate into a series of secondary
products including Bar Stool and
Low Stool.
12. 22 23
Light Weight & Sporty Chair
New Balances’s philosophy involves
producing light weight shoes for runners
to increase performance whilst offering
comfort and support.
Our club chair also offers the same ideals.
Solid and comfortable yet sporty and light
weight.
As the New Balance shoes are named or
numbered, we decided to name our chair
Frankie. This name came up during the
working process as we deconstructed and
reassembled the club chair provided by
Classic Furniture.
We discovered the old frame was too
small, so we rebuilt the chair, developing
its character within our philosophy.
Mustafa Gokdemir
Guillermo Rodriguez Lopez
Margot Stummer
Team members
9
Leather heel detail mirroring the design-
features of the running shoe.
Club ChairFrankie Performance Chair
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Main studio photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
13. 24 25
Physical experiments exploring concepts
for a woven stool.
FrankieBrainstorming and reconstructing the Club Chair
Initial design sketch for the reconstructed
club chair.
14. 26 27
UV Chair
“Revealing history and heritage with the
flick of a light switch”
At the New Balance factory in Flimby,
Ultra Violet ink is used in the production
of the shoes, as a guideline to help attach
the soles. Black lights are present in the
workspace illuminate the UV ink so the
workers can align the soles. Under white
light these guide lines are invisible.
Our process involves screen-printing UV
designs onto fabric to make a piece of
furniture that can change dramatically by
a simple flick of a light switch.
Our outcome uses UV ink to add
heritage, history, and illustrations to our
classic wing back chair. Because these
images only show up under black light,
people can discover and experience for
themselves the story of New Balance.
Ultra Violet ChairUV Chair
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Sam Lloyd
Chap Khanchitakorn
Sing hour Kim
Louis Row-Care
Team members
10 The majority of our time has been spent
learning the practicalities of the silk
screening process, whilst developing and
printing designs for it. All our graphics are
bespoke and represent a narrative of New
Balance and its workers.
Main studio photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
15. 28 29
Ultra Violet torches and lighting transform
and reveal the illustrations.
UVDeveloping the Silk Screen Process
Graphics and screen designs
16. 30 31
Wire Chair
Our concept for a New Balance wire chair
emerged from the industrial processes
used to manufacture the training shoes in
the Flimby factory.
Shoes are a extremely three dimensional
product, yet are made from two
dimensional materials jigs and cutters.
Exploring further this grid or sectioning
theme we developed and built a wire
chair solely from slices or sections that
built to represent a complete chair.
Final flocked design in Cardinal Red.
Main studio photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
WireWire Chair
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Dichen Li
Yang Wang
Lei Chi-Ian
Team members
12
17. 32 33
These images represent the whole design
through making process- Jigs, formers,
welding, cutting!
WireWire
18. 34 35
The concept was born from observations
made at the New Balance Factory in
Flimby Cumbria. Inspired by the close
family feel of the factory environment
and the interdependence of the workers,
the concept of two adjoining inter
dependant chairs was developed. Layered
onto this was the ambition to reuse the
waste shoe fabric. This became natural
ivy bridging the chairs through an organic
linking seat. The natural elasticity of the
reused off cuts were also cleverly used to
create matching stools.
Sam Gordon
Rory Hudson
Dejon Hurlock
Team members
5 Upholstered by Classic Furniture in NB
Plaid and Green Stripe.
Main studio photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Exploring InterdependencyConnected Chairs
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
19. 36 37
Our final design piece represents the
importance of inter dependence and the
relationship between people. The use of
recycled scrap material was also an
essential ingredient manifesting itself in
the joined furniture and stool designs.
Inter dependence
Inspired by the Flimby factory and staff
20. 38 39
Blocks
Born from experimenting with the
materials and architecture of road
surfaces this project allowed us to
envision seating landscapes that
toyed with the perception of comfort.
We developed what looked like
uncomfortable seating surfaces that
were in fact surprisingly comfortable.
After the interim presentation the designs
were formalised into a simple bench form
using pine blocks and a hidden foam
sprung bed. The blocks represent the
three podium levels and again disguises
a comfortable and unexpected seating
experience.
Main studio photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Blocks BenchPodium Blocks Bench
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Kenichi Jackson
Gerda Hertscheg
Anjali Mutali
Team members
11
21. 40 41
Experiments and development of proto-
types using computer software.
Blocks BenchSurfaces & Surprises
22. 42 43
Veronica Wesolowski
Chris China
Czili Orsolya
Team members
6
Wokking “Interactive” sofa
‘Working together to create comfort and
community’
When visiting the New Balance factory in
Flimby the main point that we picked up
on was the sense of community and the
relationships between the workers. With
the task of creating a two-seater sofa
this linked extremely well, as a sofa is a
communal space. We wanted to create a
sofa that encouraged people to interact
at an event where many will not know
each other. To do this we have created
an unstable sofa, which encourages more
than one person to sit on it in order to
balance and reach the most comfortable
position. We have given the sofa a very
unassuming appearance that reflects the
conserved ethics of new balance, adding
an element of surprise when it moves
under the user thus sparking interaction
and conversation.
A rather conservative sofa design is
transformed in use into a truly interactive
user experience. Sofa fabrics from the
Farmers Market shoe range.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
Wokking 2 SeaterWokking Sofa & Stools
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
23. 44 45
WokkingIdeas & Experiments
The New Balance Olympic project
consists of students from Second Year
Product & Furniture Design BA and BSc
Product design.
24. 46 47
A celebration of provenance and
bare necessity
The chair had two distinct concepts which
gave the project direction.
The first was provenance and the pride
that New Balance have in manufacturing
in Cumbria. The idea of a close knit
community is key and to be able to know
exactly who manufactures each shoe
and to then celebrate the craftsmanship
involved throughout the manufacture
was key to us. We felt that this should
definitely be celebrated and presented in
a subtle intelligent way.
The design on the upholstery itself
reflects this well as it represents the
sphere of influence that the factory in
Flimby has in relation to where each of
the leather cutter live and where the
leather itself is cut. The shape itself
tessellates meaning that we could cover
each of the cushions with the design. We
then needed to be able to tell this story
in some way, it was especially important
The second concept is Craftsmanship, we
decided very early on when taking apart
a chair that there was definitely a real
appeal to natural untreated timber. We
decided to expand upon this and really
try to celebrate the bare necessity and
also the level of craftsmanship that would
normally be hidden under upholstery.
This led us to try to expose as much of the
skeletal frame as possible and celebrate
the now restored timber. We decided to
wax both of the arm rests as this was the
only timber part that would come into
contact with the user and instead try to
give the rest of the frame a satisfying
level of roughness to again reinforce the
idea of it being the bare necessity.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
CraftsmanshipProvenance Chair
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
that this wasn’t made too obvious but
instead was subtle so we introduced a
set piece which in this case was a map
of Flimby. The map itself it dated from
the year of the factory opening to again
strengthen the link and upon the map
itself are each of the points of interest
and the shape these points make when
connected is the shape on the upholstery
itself.
The connotations associated with
cartography lent themselves well with
the “Farmers Market” trainer in particular
and helped sell the idea of country living
and pride and ultimately providence.
Joga Sanha
Seo Hyun Cho
Daniel Jackson
Team members
7
25. 48 49
Celebrating the quality of the structure
whilst emphasising the provenance
upholstered design.
Main studion photograph by Reiji Yamazaki
StructureProvenance Chair
26. 50 51
FRANKENSTEIN CHAIR: Built with
comfort, history and honesty.
FRANKENSTEIN is a refurbished wing back
chair built from recycled off cut pieces of
foam from the Classic Furniture factory,
which have been upholstered with
New Balance materials. The pieces are
attached to the chair using New Balance
shoe laces to create a comfortable piece
of furniture which supports and hugs the
user. The concept centres on the layering
and building up of trainer, honouring
the production line process at the New
Balance factory, Filmby. FRANKENSTEIN
also considers the comfort, history
and honest design philosophies a New
Balance trainer provides.
Recycled fabrics from the Flimby factory
provide a guerilla upholstery patchwork
secured by reflective buttons and NB
laces.
Main photographs by Reiji Yamazaki
FRANKENSTEIN CHAIRFrankenstien Chair
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Matt Marshall
Sezar Alkassab
Josh Tomkins
Team members
3
28. 54 55
Flipping “our concept idea”
We wanted to apply the idea of providing
two different seating positions by
subverting the traditional architecture of
a sofa. Our design has formal and casual
sides attained by flipping the sofa using
the “permission” handles positioned
strategically on the sofa body. New
Balance trainers suit both the casual and
formal wearer. Our sofa reenforces this
message through this design.
Prototype upholstered by
Classic Furniture.
Main studion photograph by Reiji Zamazaki
Final designFlipping Sofa
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
MinJae Kim
Aaron Dunkerton
Tyrone Chan
Team members
1
30. 58 59
I hope you enjoyed the work of our
students from the School of Design
studying Product and Furniture Design BA
and Product Design BSc. If you would like
speak to someone about the courses or
find out more about the University please
contact us using the details provided.
Alternatively visit us on the faculty and
Design School web sites.
www.fada.kingston.ac.uk
www.thedesignschool.co.uk
Philip Davies
p.davies@kingston.ac.uk
Kingston University London
Kingston University and New Balance | The Olympic Project
Contacts:
Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture
Knights Park
Kingston Upon Thames
Surrey KT1 2QJ
T: 020 8417 4646
E:admissions-info@kingston.ac.uk
