Human interaction, emotion and sustainability: Designing wooden children’s furniture

Abstract

In the final phase of a product design research, aiming to produce prototypes for a children’s high chair project, more adapted to the child and sustainability and capable of following child’s growth from 6 months up to 7 years of age, having a 10 high chair models’ case study as a starting point, a study concerning the choice of materials for this equipment was made. Visual and tactile comfort characteristics of wooden objects and the way humans interact and use them, as well as the issues concerning sustainability and waste reduction are main factors to deal with in this design project. A literary review based study revealed wooden materials in interiors and objects to have a positive psychological influence in humans, with a pacifying and relaxing effect. In conclusion, this study gave directions about the choice of materials and its finishing for the high chair project, leading to wooden based materials, capable of positively affect human’s well being and behavior as well as contribute to a sustainable environment.