Furniture designers are involved in the construction process at various stages: pre-construction, construction, and post-construction. In pre-construction, designers work with clients and create process sketches, ideation sketches, and presentation drawings. During construction, they oversee manufacturing and installation. Post-construction activities include customer service and product optimization. Designers use different types of drawings throughout the process, including location drawings, assembly drawings, component drawings, schematic drawings, and manufacturing drawings.

1. Product Designers (Furniture Design)
Relation to Construction Industry and
Drawings Involved in the Design Process

2. Product Designer
Personnel involved in the
design of products in terms of
its aesthetics, functionality,
and ergonomics, for the
intended application of these
products, by the end user.
Figure 1- Product design often focuses on improving and
innovating upon objects, to create “new” products for the
benefit of end users, besides the creation of new products

3. How are furniture designers related to the
construction industry?
Large Scale
Projects

4. Roles of a Furniture Designer
Furniture Designers are involved in the process of the
development of the project:
1) Pre-construction
2) During construction
3) Post construction Figure 2- An inexhaustive process description,
describing key points of product development

5. Pre-Construction
Engagement of Furniture Designers?
Private Sub-contraction Tender publication

6. Furniture Designers
Engage with Clients

7. Product optimisation

8. During Construction
Manufacturing Process
-Materials
-Overseeing
Manufacturing

9. Coordinate
Installation of
furnishings.
Site visits!

10. Post Construction
1) Product designers are involved in post sales customer
service
2) Product designers research, and optimise the product
post-sales for future purposes

11. Types of Drawings involved in the
Design Process
1) Why drawings?
2) The roles of drawings in the various stages
of construction of the building.

12. Pre-Construction
Process sketches
-An analysis of the problem. Occurs pre-construction with the problems/needs
of the client in mind, Rough sketches, corresponding with information gained
during client-designer meetings.
-A lot of writing and notes. Questions to accompany drawing.
-Only meant for the designer’s understanding. May not even contain furniture
sketches.

13. Various process sketches for chairs

14. Figure 3, 4- Process sketches are hard to understand, except for the designer’s instance as demonstrated in
these two images

15. Ideation sketches
-Ideas are more fleshed out, and a process of development occurs.
-Sketches are still rough, but furniture is designed, according to the results of analysis
in the process sketches.
-Usually excluding details.

16. The designer fleshes out the form of his chair in these ideation sketches

17. Presentation Drawings
- To illustrate design concepts to a client
- The drawings highlight key areas of the
product design
- Ensures that the client can understand
the designs presented

18. SCHEMATIC DRAWING

22. Working
Drawings
Location
Drawings
Component
drawings
Assembly
Drawings
Definition: In building construction projects,
comprehensive drawings are being used. These
projects will also include structural and services
engineer's drawings etc.

23. 1. Location drawings (a.k.a general arrangement drawings)
○ It shows floor plans, elevations and sections.
○ They show where the construction elements are located.
2. Assembly drawings
○ It shows how different parts are being put together.
1. Component drawings
○ It enable self-contained elements to be fabricated in a
workshop and delivers to site to complete and get ready
for installation.

25. Schematic Drawings
● During the 1st phase of schematic design, an architect will
consult an owner to know what requirements need to be
reached and also to determine goals.
● Schematic design also is the research phase of the project,
when requirements or restrictions are discovered and
addressed.
● When the owner agrees after several discussions and
consultations with the architect, a final schematic design
will be produced.
● Costs are estimated based on overall project volume.

27. Manufacturing Drawings

29. References
1) Studiocraft (2011). Fascia Installation. [ONLINE] Available at: http://studiocraft-hm.com/?p=403. [Last Accessed 22 Aug
2014].
2) Jaime Derringer (2010). A DAY IN THE LIFE OF KINGSTON SHAW. [ONLINE] Available at: http://design-milk.
com/designer-dailies-kingston-shaw/. [Last Accessed 28 Aug 2014]
3) Sarah A. Rigg (2009). University of Michigan construction continues, but few large-scale projects on horizon. [ONLINE]
Available at: http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/annarbor/index.ssf/2009/01/university_of_michigan_constru.html.
[Last Accessed 20 Aug 2014].
4) Small Business Tool Kit (). What is Tendering. [ONLINE] Available at: http://toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/part/26/134/623.
[Last Accessed 1 September 2014]
5) Karina Sokolava (2011). Basic Guidelines To Product Sketching. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/basic-guidelines-to-product-sketching/. [Last Accessed 4 September 2014].