Racetrack Shelf
Cecilia Y. Emy
My “Racetrack Shelf” for my Bent Lamination class was born from me stewing on three pieces: Antelope, Marcel Wanders’ mosaic clad dream car for the future, 3000 Vilbert by Verner Panton, and a 1990s red plywood bench from IKEA by an unknown designer.
The design of this shelf came around by exploring the possibilities the extruded racetrack shape could give me. My fixation on this shape has cost me money, time, and functionality, but I was curious about creating an object that is already “solved” with this unconventional and often ornamental shape - since there are ways to make a shelf that are more economic spatially, financially, and labor wise than what I present to you now.
Though of less import to me conceptually, I simultaneously kept in mind the idea of incorporating the curvy language of futuristic design and bringing it to the present, while also referencing design from the past.
Shelves are pent ply with curly maple face veneer, spacers are bent ply with house paint, with the exception of the bottom pedestal, which is poplar hardwood. Everything is finished with spray lacquer.
Spring 2019
Inspirations:
1. "Antelope" by Marcel Wanders
2. "3000 Vilbert" by Verner Panton
3. Red plywood bench from IKEA by an unknown designer (1990s)
Illustrator, Rhino, and KeyShot drawings and renderings:
Sketches and drawings:
