Mid-century classic furniture meets prosthetic leg
I came across this on Apartment Therapy this week and I couldn't pass it up.
I love the work of Charles and Ray Eames as I've said before on many occasions. In 1956, the Eames' released their Eames Lounge and Ottoman through Herman Miller . Herman Miller still produces them now, but in 1956, the Eames/ Herman Miller combination hit pay dirt and released an instant classic. This chair is a design icon for obvious reasons. Designers go ape over it still and it remains as popular now as it was at the time of its unveiling.
An industrial designer named Joanna Hawley took her inspiration from the Eames Lounge and Ottoman and used that inspiration to design a prosthetic leg while she was a design student at Carnegie Mellon University . Hawley partnered up with Kayhan Haj-Ali-Ahmadi, a pre-med student. Kayhan's knowledge of anatomy and Joanna's design skills combined to terrific effect and the fruit of their partnership speaks for itself.
When I think of prosthetic limbs, If I think of prosthetic limbs, the idea that they should be beautiful never occurs to me. When it comes to medical devices, I always assume that function trumps form every time. Who says they can't work together? Clearly, not Joanna Hawley.
In her personal words and from her internet site:
Prosthetics usually lack humanity, fashion and beauty. Often, they look just like touchdown tools and make the wearer uncomfortable, self conscious, and on occasion depressed. By channeling the Eames' use materials and iconic fashion, we designed a leg with Steve McQueen in thoughts. We sought to convey a innovative use of high quality and terrible area, a stability of materials and a mirrored image of the wearer.
I corresponded with Joanna Hawley a chunk the other day and I requested her why a prosthesis? Here's what she had to say:
Today's generation is faced with the Iraqi battle, specially the truth of squaddies coming returned without limbs. Diabetes is likewise the leading reason of amputees in America, that's a little known truth. Finally, as an Industrial Designer, its my job (and passion!) to think about methods to enhance human beings's lives. All these reasons honestly rolled into one very severe and exciting mission. I've always been a massive fan of Ray and Charles Eames (as you can probably inform with the aid of the rest of my work) and I wanted to present this prosthetic a totally fascinating aesthetic. I recognize veneering may be polarizing, however to date humans appear surely excited by using the possibilities. And really, that's what the point of the challenge become, to identify the possibilities in the future of prosthetics.
Get this woman an award.
