BOAT—CHAIR

Carnegie Mellon—Architecture
Design Fabrication

Designer: Tai Le
Instructors: Vicky Achnani
Pittsburgh, PA | Spring 2026

Born in the lagoon landscapes of Central Vietnam, my earliest memories are shaped by water. At dawn, small boats drift across the surface carrying seafood and fruit, forming a quiet yet vibrant floating market. By sunset, these same boats set out again under the fading light, beginning their journeys of livelihood. The vastness of the sea, the gentle rhythm of waves, and the slow drifting of boats remain deeply imprinted in memory. These sensations of openness, lightness, and calm continue to influence the way space and objects are imagined.

The Boat—Chair transforms these memories into a physical form through a language of soft, continuous curves that prioritize both comfort and experience. Inspired by the gentle movement of boats drifting on water, its geometry embraces adaptability rather than rigidity, allowing the form to feel fluid and natural. The seat subtly cradles the body, creating a sense of balance and ease. More than a static object, the chair carries a quiet sense of motion, evoking lightness, calmness, and the feeling of being momentarily suspended between stillness and movement.

Tectonically, the chair draws from the structural logic of traditional wooden boats, where curved ribs and horizontal members create a lightweight yet durable system. Bent plywood forms the main frame, while slender rods and precise 3D-printed joints enhance structural efficiency and reduce material waste. By combining craft and digital fabrication, the Boat—Chair becomes both a contemporary object and a vessel of memory, bridging tradition and technology, stillness and movement.