The National College
Design Staff
Gearóid Ó Conchubhair PhD, BSc Ind Des Eng. ANCAD, MIDI
Lecturer, Industrial Design
Graduated with a first class honours degree in Indistrial Design from the National College of Art and Design in 1982. Worked in design consultancy for five years before joining the NCAD as a lecturer in the department of Industrial Design in 1986. Continued to work as a freelance designer and consultant with a specialist interest in furniture design. Co founder in 1994 and partner of OMOS Ltd, design consultancy. Combines an active roll in design practice with design teaching and research. Completed PhD studies in 2004. Has thaught industrial design as a visiting lecturer in various institutes in Ireland and in Europe as part of the Erasmus programme. Has acted as course evaluator with the National Council for Educational Awards and is a current member of the HETAC, expert panel in Art and Design.
Research
| Selected Exhibitions: | |
| 2001 | Focus on Drawing - Touring exhibition – Dublin, Limerick, Cork. |
| 1999 | Dublin Corporation - Street furniture - Dublin |
| 1998 | IDI Design Week, Exhibition, selected entries from the Design Awards - Dublin |
| 1996 | NCAD 250 Exhibition of Industrial Design - Dublin |
| 1993 | Royal Dublin Society - EBS, Crafts exhibition - Dublin |
| 1993 | Design Yard - Furniture - Dublin |
| 1994 | Cologne fueniture fare - Germany |
| Selected Publications: | |
| 2004 | Irish Ergonomics Review, Conference Proceedings, The Design of a Chair for Orchestral Musicians |
| 1996 | Designing in Public, Rome, Conference Proceedings, Street Furniture - Temple Bar Dublin |
| Awards: | |
| 2002 | Thomas Damann Junior Memorial Trust Award |
| 1998 | Designer of the Year - Winner in furniture section - Institute of Designers in Ireland |
| 1998 | Winner of Dublin Corporation Street Furniture Competition |
| 1993 | Winner of the Royal Dublin Society EBS Craft Award, Furniture Section and shortlisted for the Muriel Gahan Overall Prize |
| 1981 | Kilkenny Design Awards, Young Designer of the Year in Industrial Desig |
New Chair Design for Performing Orchestral Musicians.
The chair which was designed by Dr Gearóid Ó Conchubhair (PhD, BSc,), Industrial Design lecturer at NCAD, with the cooperation of musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Concert Orchestra, offers a solution to musicians' seating problems. Orchestral musicians have particular requirements for seating, having to maintain postures for prolonged periods of time without breaks while practising and performing.
Through the application of a new development in forward tilt seating, the new principle of ‘equatilt’ offers an innovative answer for the requirements of the modern instrumentalist. This unique seat form combines aspects of equilibrium and tilt in such a way that the advantages of the conventional rearward tilting seat are incorporated with those of a forward tilt seat.
The chair was designed as part of his research thesis which outlines a design approach that is user-inclusive, informed by a cross-fertilisation between ergonomics and design and between function and aesthetics. The final design solution is implemented in the context of practicality, feasibility and viability.
The patented and registered design can also have a much wider application for any chair based task as it allows for much greater upper body mobility The chair raises the pelvis above the knees requiring less support from backrests - a more natural position for the spine. The EquaTilt chair is ideal for use with variable height desks, which is the biggest trend in desk design currently.
