Furniture Design Through Scale Models | June 26-28

Do you have an idea for a furniture piece but don’t know where to start? This intensive 3-day workshop helps turn that idea into a clear, buildable plan. Working through group discussion, drawing, and scale model-making, students develop their designs in a collaborative studio setting. Taught by master furniture maker Aurelio Bolognesi, the class emphasizes thoughtful design, sound construction, and clarity before committing to a full-scale build.

Learn. Students learn how to develop and refine a furniture design using group critique and scale models. The class focuses on proportion, structure, and construction, using models to test joinery, layout, and overall form. Students will use woodworking tools and machines and learn how scale models can be used to plan a build clearly or communicate a design to a client.

Phase 1: Design Development
Students present their ideas to the group and work collectively at the whiteboard to examine and refine forms and dimensions. Through discussion and critique, designs are questioned, adjusted, and developed with input from both the instructor and fellow students.

Phase 2: Scale Model Construction
Students build scale models of their designs, allowing ideas to be evaluated in three dimensions. The model-building process often leads to further refinement of the piece, revealing construction details that may not be apparent in drawings alone.

Make. Each student will build a completed scale model of their project, along with additional study models as needed. Students leave the class with their models, a construction plan, and expert guidance from a master furniture maker, providing the confidence and clarity needed to move forward with a full-size piece. 

3 SESSIONS: June 26, 27 & 28  |  This is a 3-day class. 
Friday, Saturday & Sunday  |  10am to 5pm  |  Class will break for a 1/2 hour lunch each day.

Cost: $585 non-members; $497.25 members (plus an additional $10 materials fee.)