Annals of the University of Oradea: Fascicle of Textiles, Leatherwork (May 2019)
THE IMPACT OF THE RIGHT CHOICE OF FABRICS ON USERS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Abstract
The paper presents the role and importance that the right choice of materials has on the final result of the design process of the interior of public means of transport. Establishing a balance between technical restrictions and the user’s perception on the interior space can be seen in the presentation of a case study on the project “Co-working Tram” made in 2018, part of the cultural project “Iasi – City of Painted Trams”, initiated by designer Silviu Teodor-Stanciu. The study emphasizes the optimisation of the identification process of seats upholstery, adapted for a mean of transport with multiple functions. The choosing and personalisation of the upholstery fabrics is made taking into account the graphic theme, the predominant colour and last, but not least, the resistance of the fabric to tear, each seat from a public mean of transport being used daily by an average number of passengers.The study presents the advantages of using synthetic leather for the seat upholstery of public means of transport not only for the resistance to tear, but also for the various possibilities of personalising the fabric through printing press printing. Through this procedure one can quickly obtain various visual effects, with minimal investments in comparison to conventional techniques. Also, the study shows the fact that the personalisation of trams is realised with the implication of volunteer students of the Design Department, emphasizing once more the importance of applied traineeship.