During an internship at Ocee Design, Nottingham Trent University student Joe McCusker-Bland created Dotti, a soft-upholstered reception chair that aims to bring an even greater domestic feel to today’s increasingly homely office spaces.
Dotti was one of two products exhibited by Joe at this year’s New Designers event in London, at which he received runner-up awards from John Lewis and Made TalentLab.
“The soft curvy arms and the retro button detail is inspired by the design of vintage sofas," says Joe of his design. "I chose to combine this domestic upholstery design with an industrial steel leg frame to give character to Dotti’s appearance. Dotti makes an ideal piece for office spaces with an eclectic interior.
“It’s designed for breakout spaces. It can be utilised for informal meetings, socialising and laptop use, etc, and the back is angled suitably for working and socialising in comfort.
“Camira Synergy fabrics were a great choice for upholstering Dotti. The range provided flexible choice for different colour combinations. Compound and Lateral were great colours for giving Dotti its smart appearance.
“To achieve a professional prototype, I used the experience gained from my construction detailing role from my previous internships. This proved an advantage when it came to communicating the assembly of the design to different manufacturers – special thanks go to Pressfab Engineering who helped weld the leg frame, Deebee Foams who helped produce the foams, and Ocee Design, who helped upholster the fabrics.”
Joe will graduate with a first-class honours degree in Furniture & Product Design from Nottingham Trent University this year, having completed internships at Ocee Design, Tom Dixon and Furniture Group Contracts. He plans to gain more experience by working in the industry before approaching his next goal of setting up his own design studio.
