Designer-Artisan Collaboration: A Framework for Reinterpreting Indigenous Joinery in Hardware-Free Furniture.
Author & Year Name of Paper Keywords Focus Area Key Findings/Themes Annotated Inference
Tests the performance of
traditional wooden joints under
This paper is crucial for understanding how to analyze the
various loads and explores how
Traditional timber connections, structural behavior of my reinterpreted joints. It provides a
The structural behavior of modern strengthening methods
Experimental Analysis of wooden joints, seismic blueprint for how to study a traditional joint's performance
Branco, J. M. et al. (2025) traditional timber connections, can be applied. While it doesn't
Traditional Wooden Joints performance, strengthening under load, and it validates the engineering principles that I'll
specifically in historic buildings. focus exclusively on India, the
solutions be exploring. I can adapt this approach to my own research
methodology is directly
to systematically test and evaluate my designs.
applicable to studying traditional
Indian joints.
This article provides the foundational theory for my entire
dissertation. It makes a compelling case that the structural
A foundational paper that
integrity of wooden furniture is dictated by the design of its
establishes the critical
Design of furniture joints, structural Design of furniture joints, The engineering principles behind joints, not by the use of external fasteners. This insight is
parameters for designing stiff
Eckelman, C. A. (2011) integrity, joint stiffness, structural integrity, joint designing strong and durable essential for my work, as it gives me the engineering
and reliable furniture frames,
woodworking stiffness, woodworking wooden furniture joints. principles needed to confidently replace metal hardware with
emphasizing the importance of
wood joinery. It validates my premise that a hardware-free
joint geometry over fasteners.
design can be just as strong, if not stronger, than a
conventional one.
This paper is a perfect case study for my project. It
Investigates new joint designs
demonstrates how to systematically approach the design of
that improve structural
a new joint, specifically one that is both high-performing and
Design and evaluation of a new Detachable joint, structural The design and evaluation of a performance and ease of
detachable, a key feature of modern furniture that usually
Işık, H. & Kurt, S. (2018) type of detachable corner joint in performance, corner joint, new type of detachable corner assembly, providing a case
requires metal hardware. I can use their methodology to
furniture furniture design joint in furniture. study of how innovation can be
inform my own design process, showing how to create a
applied to traditional joint
practical, user-friendly, and hardware-free solution for
concepts.
assembly.
This is a highly innovative paper that will inspire my
Explores how wood can be
exploration of biomimicry. It provides a powerful example of
manipulated (e.g., through
The use of wood's hygroscopic The use of wood's hygroscopic how to go beyond simple joinery and use the intrinsic
Sharma, V. & Prasad, R. Wood composites, biomimicry, controlled moisture content) to
properties and natural composites properties and natural composites properties of wood, like its reaction to moisture, to create
(2015) natural fasteners, eco-design create self-locking joints without
for creating fastener-free joints for creating fastener-free joints. joints that are not only fastener-free but also self-locking.
any external hardware, a form of
This concept will be key to developing truly unique and
biomimicry.
sustainable solutions.
Indian woodworking has a rich
history dating back to ancient
The History and Process of Indian woodworking, history, civilizations, where artisans Provides historical and cultural context for the dissertation,
History and process of traditional
Studio Botanica (2024) Traditional Indian Woodworking craftsmanship, ancient developed intricate joinery and a validating the existence of a profound and relevant body of
Indian woodworking.
Techniques traditions deep respect for natural traditional knowledge.
materials, passed down through
generations.