The design of indoor furniture for export markets from Queensland hardwood timbers
Creators: name: Allnutt, Lucy
Publisher: name: Swinburne
Year: 2024

description: Within the furniture and forestry industries, there is a need for high value products to be developed for international markets utilising Australian hardwood timbers. This investigation has addressed this requirement, with a focus upon a particular timber species - Spotted Gum (corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata), a diversely eminent species of Queensland hardwood timber. The investigation was initiated by collaborating parties within the Co-operative Research Center for Wood Innovations (CRCWI) particularly the Department of Primary Industries – Forestry Research (DPI&amp;F) in Queensland. It was decided by the DPI&amp;F that an industrial design contribution, through the instigation of a design research led investigation would be a beneficial avenue for addressing prevalent issues in the forestry and furniture industries. Background research processes undertaken in both the forestry and furniture industries in a geographically specific area of Queensland were vital in establishing immediate investigation parameters. Following the establishment of these parameters and their accepted relevance to broader national industry concerns, the consequent development of an appropriate research method in this investigation was undertaken. The method generated needed to address two major issues. First, to address technical problems in the application of Spotted Gum timber to the production fine furniture, surpassing various initiatives to resolve these issues in the past, secondly, to address a lack of market knowledge, with regard to product design parameters for export markets within the participating Queensland furniture manufacturing industry. The method employed seeks to establish the degree of cultural difference that must be accounted for by manufacturers in developing products specifically for export market integration. This theory was tested by the development of two experimental indoor dining chairs, that were designed and prototyped, recognising to the best degree possible the exceptional technical requirements of Spotted Gum timber. Each of the two chairs were developed to the requirements of pre-determined market and user oriented needs of a separate case study destination, determined through qualitative and quantatative information generation. The specific niche market design parameters applied to design development, created a precursory theory that the products would have a greater degree of success in market integration if they were designed for specific niche market parameters.Each of the chairs was then exhibited in an appropriate market arena for the destination for which it was designed. A series of questions seeking preferences for each of the chairs, and the reasons for those preferences were solicited from those attending both of the exhibitions. The testing process resulted in a conclusion that there is little cultural difference that must be accounting for in approaching design development for the two international markets identified tested as case studies. The initial chair designs, developed and used in the testing role within the investigation, were according re-designed given the findings of the market testing process.