A presentation on the Saarinen Tulip Chair: History and Sustainability Analysis including Improvements.

1. Ecology &
The Saarinen Tulip Chair Production
Martin Konrad Gloeckle
Fall 2007
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• Modolesto doloreetum zzrit accum verit vel ut in • Modolesto doloreetum zzrit accum verit vel ut in
et adigna facipit et adigna facipit

2. Saarinen Tulip Chair
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
X Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
Improvements
Sources
• Designer: Eero Saarinen, 1956 • Price: $1000+
• Manufacturer: Knoll Inc., since 1957 Knock-offs
available
for $150+
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

3. Knoll, Inc.
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
X Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
Improvements
Sources
• American furniture company, founded 1938 • American plants ISO 14001 certified
• Office furniture + KnollStudio residential line • Products Greenguard certified or in process
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

4. My Chairs
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
X Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
Improvements
Sources
Todo
:
to ha Find a
ve en bi
ough gger apa
spac r
e for tment
it
• Table + four chairs, original pieces from 1960’s • Chance to own an original design classic
• Bought September 2007 from friend • Very good price
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

5. Components
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
X Components
Shell
Lifecycle
Molded Fiberglass with Impacts
plastic finish What ki Improvements
plas nd o
tic? f Sources
Cushion
Fabric covered Wha
t
foam of f kind
abri
c?
Base
Cast Aluminum with W
h
Rilsan finish R at is
ilsan
?
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

6. Overview
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
}
Raw Extraction of Manufacturer
Material Extraction of Extraction of Shearing of Extraction of
Glass Compo- Personal History
Bauxite Oil Fleece Cellulose
Extraction
Most i
nents
Components
X Lifecycle
Material
nteres
Production Refinement of Production of Production of Impacts
Oil Wool Yarns Rayon
Improvements
Sources
tin
Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of
g
Aluminum Rilsan Plastic finish Polymers Glass Fibers Foam Fabric
Parts
Production Production of Production of Production of
Chair Base Chair Shell Chair Cushion
Assembly
Assembly of
Chair
Use
Use of Chair
Disposal/
Recycling Disposal of
Disposal of Base Disposal of Shell
Cushion
Disposal of Disposal of Disposal of
Disposal of Coat
Aluminum Foam Textile
Process Transport
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

7. Raw Material Extraction
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
• Sand
Manufacturer
• Bauxite in • Crude Oil in • Soda Ash
Material ground ground • Limestone
• Sheep • Wood (Pulp)
Personal History
• Feldspar
Components
X Lifecycle
Impacts
• Electricity • Electricity Improvements
• Electricity • Electricity
Energy • Diesel oil • Diesel oil
• Diesel oil • Diesel oil
• Electricity
Sources
Raw
Material Extraction of
Extraction Extraction of Extraction of Sand, Lime- Shearing of Extraction of
Bauxite Crude Oil stone, Soda Ash, Fleece Cellulose
Feldspar
Wo
rig ol is
ht
? good • Waste water
Waste/ • Bulk waste • Oil containing , • Pesticide
• Solid Waste • Chemical
By-product Mud Residue
Waste
• CO2, CO, NOx,
• Particulates • Particulates
SOx
• CO2, CO, NOx, • SOx, NOx, CO2 • CO2, CO, NOx, • SOx, NOx, CO2
Emissions SOx
• Particulates,
• Suspended SOx • Suspended
VOC’s
Solids Solids
• Oil, Metals
• Global warming through methane gas • Extensive resource usage
• Water pollution through waste and • Reduced wildlife through predator ‘control’
sheep dipping • Cruel animal treatment practices
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

8. Material Production
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
• Water • Caustic soda
• Water
• Silica Sand • Soap, Alkali • Carbon disul-
• Bauxite Ore • Polyurethane Product
• Extracted • Limestone • Chemical fide
Material • Lime
Crude Oil • Soda Ash
• Catalysts
solvents • Sulfuric acid Manufacturer
• Caustic soda • Blowing
• Cullet • Fleece • Water Cellu-
Agents Personal History
• Dye lose
Components
• Heat • Heat
X Lifecycle
• Electricity • Electricity Impacts
Energy • Diesel oil • Diesel oil
• Electricity • Electricity • Electricity • Electricity
Improvements
Sources
Material
Production e?
Bauxit Refinement of Production of Production of
a?
Alumin m? Oil Wool yarns Rayon
u
Alumin
Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of Production of
Aluminum Rilsan Plastic finish Polymers Glass Fibers Foam Woven Fabric
• Sand, Dirt,
• Solid waste
• Bulk Waste • Bulk Waste • Bulk Waste Grease
Waste/ • Scrap (100%
• Hazardous • Hazardous • Hazardous • Cut Waste • Cut Waste • Waste water,
By-product Recycled)
Waste Waste Waste pesticide
• Textile waste
• Carbon disul-
• SO2, CO2 fide
• CO2, VOC’s
Emissions • Suspended • CO2, VOC’s • CO2, VOC’s • CO2, VOC’s
• Fibrous dust
• CO2, VOC’s • Hydrogen
Solids sulfide
• VOC’s
• 4-6 tones Bauxit  2 tones Alumina  1 ton Aluminum • Open cast mining
• Highly energy intensive production process • ~80-90% of mined area rehabilitated
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

9. Common Impacts
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
X Impacts
Improvements
Sources
• Natural resources exploration and extraction • Occupational hazards
• Population movements • Accidents
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

10. Specific Impacts
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
X Impacts
Improvements
Sources
• Plastics & foam highly dependent on oil • Initial aluminum production resource and
• High impact of wool on environment and wild- energy intensive
life but recycles
very well
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

11. Approaches
not mutually exclusive!
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
X Improvements
Sources
• Lengthen life cycle • Increase share of recycled materials
• Provide recycling opportunities • Use alternative materials and processes
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

12. Certified Refurbishing
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
X Improvements
Sources
Certified Refurbisher good
care
l take iece!
the y wil recious p
r p
o f you
• High end pieces, structural sound components • Establish and provide reference to network
• Wear and tear unavoidable of Knoll certified refurbishers
• Often disposed due to purely visual issues • Increases usable life cycle
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

13. Cross-Industry Recycling
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
X Improvements
Sources
governmenta
l regulation
industry le not effectiv
adership ne e,
eded
• Single vendor recycling program not economical • Provide information on recycling opportunities
• Similar recyclable materials cross-vendor and • Make recycling more convenient
cross-industry • Further encouragement through coupon or
• Work with local recycling facilities rewards program
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

14. Recyled Materials
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Shell
Components
Recycled glass or glass fibers Lifecycle
for fiberglass shell Impacts
X Improvements
Sources
Cushion
Recycled wool
Recycled foam
Base
Recycled aluminum
his
of t
uch
h ow m pening
ear ap
n ot cl ently h
rr
is cu
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

15. Alternative Materials
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Shell
Components
able
Polypropylene re cycl Lifecycle
base Bio-based resin finish Impacts
d
corn on mate Improvements
, tap r X
ioca, ials lik
whea e s Sources
t an tarches
d po
tatoe from
s
Cushion
Organic cotton or hemp
Natural latex
y
nolog
Base tech
sed
ew u
Less material revi
Bio-based resin finish
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

16. Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Manufacturer
Personal History
Components
Lifecycle
Impacts
X Improvements
Sources
0 years!
it f or another 5
let’ enjoy
s
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

17. Sources
Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Product
Aluminum for Future Generations/European Aluminum Association, www.alufuture.org
Manufacturer
Answers.com, www.answers.com Personal History
Components
Argonne National Laboratory - Office of Technology Transfer, anl.gov Lifecycle
Impacts
Arkema Inc., www.arkema-inc.com Improvements
X Sources
Ashby, M. and Kara Johnson. Materials and Design. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002.
biopolymer.net, online resources for a better environment, biopolymer.net
Cereplast, Inc, cereplast.com
Environmental Literacy Council, www.enviroliteracy.org
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), www.epa.gov
FoamSource, foamsource.com
Cradle to Grave: How Products Impact Natural Systems, www.howproductsimpact.net
HermanMiller, herman-miller.com
International Aluminum Institute, www.world-aluminum.org/
Lewis, Helen, and John Gertsakis. Design + Environment. Greenleaf Pubns, 2001.
RocksAndMinerals.com, www.rocksandminerals.com/
The Shear Facts - Health, www.health.rmad.org/wool.htm
Wikipedia, www.en.wikipedia.org
Martin Konrad Gloeckle

18. Saarinen
Tulip
Chair
Martin Konrad Gloeckle
mgloeckle@yahoo.com
Thank Y
ou!