Langskip - Baltic Plywood Chair
School Solo Project - Complete
A Baltic birch plywood chair CNC cut from a single sheet, designed to read as one continuous flowing form. Copper piping serves dual purpose as both alignment pins for assembly as well as the anchor points for the hand-wrapped Jute.
01 Objective
A school project challenging students to design and fabricate a chair from a single sheet of Baltic birch plywood, cut entirely on a 3-axis CNC machine. The primary constraint was to maximize material efficiency while achieving a comfortable, ergonomic seat, designed with a 1:5 scale human model and measurements taken from existing chairs.
02 Inspiration
Inspired by mid-century Scandinavian and modernist furniture design particularly the continuous form language of Alvar Aalto and the organic plywood shells of the Eames, Langskip aims to achieve the same flowing form within the constraints of flat-sheet CNC fabrication.
03 3D Modeling
I chose Fusion 360 to take advantage of its parametric modeling capabilities. Given the time constraints of the project, being able to quickly adjust seat height, back angle, and joint tolerances by changing a single value was more valuable than the organic surface freedom I would have had in Rhino.
04 Prototyping
To validate the design before committing to the full sheet of plywood, I 3D printed a 1:5 scale model using a 1:5 scale human figure to check ergonomics and proportions. The 3D print also served as a test for the CNC as if the model could be printed without supports or overhangs, the geometry was guaranteed to be cuttable on a 3-axis CNC machine.
05 Process
With the design validated, I generated CAM files in Fusion 360 and ran the parts on the CNC router, then freed each piece from the sheet by hand with a trim router. Copper pipes were pressed into place as alignment pegs during assembly, keeping the joints true without traditional fasteners. Jute rope was hand-wrapped around the backrest and armrests before the whole chair was sanded and finished with Danish oil.
06 Final Product
The Langskip fully assembled Baltic birch plywood, copper pipe, and hand wrapped jute, finished with Danish oil to bring out the natural warmth of the wood grain.
