TORI SEAT
NAT NINA
2023
During my last year studying industrial design, I was assigned a folding shower seat to design. I worked on this project for a whole school year.
I named it "Tori" because of the grab bar's resemblance to Japanese Torii gates. My priorities with this design were to create a seat that was visully appealing, comfortable, durable and ergonomic for the target user. The shower being a vulnerable environnment, I emphasized the curves in the seat, making sure that there were no sharp corners that could hurt or intimidate the user.
The frame is made out of aluminum, which is entirely recyclable and has high thermal conductivity, making it sustainable and comfortable to the touch by adapting to the temperature of the water. The other parts are made out of HDPE plastic, which can easily be recycled.
The design criteria was created as a guideline that would give the product 4 must-have features.
The armrests are necessary to give users with reduced mobility support when sitting and getting up from the seat.
The supporting leg adds strength to the structure of the seat and gives the user a stronger sense of stability.
Folding the seat upwards allows the user to easily create more space in the shower.
Having curved shapes prevents the user from hurting themselves against the seat. It also looks more appealing and comfortable.
This diagram shows how the seat folds up.
