Interior and Furniture Design

Kieran Roddy

I am a Furniture Design student with a longstanding passion for precision and fine detail in design. My journey into the world of design began six years ago, when I was tasked with creating a wooden project for my Construction Studies coursework in secondary school. That experience ignited a deep interest in the design process, one that has continued to shape my academic and creative path ever since. 

With a naturally hands-on approach, I gravitated towards furniture design rather than interior design. I find that my creativity flourishes when working directly with physical models, as this allows me to explore the limitations and possibilities of each material in a tangible, meaningful way. My strongest design interests lie in objects that are closely tied to the human body products that balance form and function through the lens of ergonomics and anthropometrics. This includes furniture, such as chairs, as well as accessories like watches and even elements of fashion. 

Chassis

This metal cabinet was inspired by a deep appreciation for the automotive industry an industry where designers devote countless hours to sculpting chassis, obsessing over precise crease lines, and ensuring that panel gaps are flawlessly executed, seamlessly integrating with the vehicle’s functional components and exterior form.

Drawing from this meticulous design language, I chose to work with 1mm sheet metal, a material that allowed me to echo the crispness and precision found in automotive manufacturing. The use of flanges as a joining method not only facilitated assembly but also created subtle shadow details that directly reference the panel separations and linework found in car bodies.

Early in the design process, I established a set of guiding principles: the piece would be entirely flat-pack, minimize material usage wherever possible, and rely on construction techniques that accentuate unique shadow lines through intentional connections. These constraints became integral to both the visual identity and functional essence of the cabinet.