This WRITTEN RESPONSE selected the chapter “Census, Map, Museum” from Anderson_B’s Imagined_Communities book, analyzing it using the “Inventory” cataloging method. For this project, I attempted a census of chairs and categorized the SETS I selected.

Based on the Imagined_Communities census, I selected 100 chairs from the 3dsky model website for classification, initially listing some potential characteristics that could serve as criteria for classification, with the intention of later establishing “ethnic groups.”

I established a basic classification method for chairs, using the information available on the website to create a basic categorization.

-File format. File formats can limit downloaders’ uses. I categorized them into .OBJ, FBX, and others.

-Material: The components that make up the chair.

I replicated the modeler’s process for modeling a chair, considering the key considerations from a modeler’s perspective.

Material

Components
-The connection between components and file formats led to new categorizations, such as whether the model is a single piece or a modular assembly. A one-piece model cannot be disassembled, so it is classified as a separate category.

Connection Method
Based on these three factors, I developed a deeper focus on chair classification: Sustainability

Definition: Can it be reused over the long term?

Based on this general category, I then expanded into other categories:

-Can it be washed and reused after contamination?

· Disassembly (Yes/No)

· Connection Method (Screwed/Glued/Welded)

Screwed chairs allow for easy and separate replacement of components.

· Material Composition (Single Material/Dual Material/Three or More Materials)

Single materials are easy to sort and recycle. A single material with too many “mixed components” (e.g., plastic + metal + fabric) is nearly impossible to recycle, as each component requires a different treatment.

· Design (Universal/Modern)

After categorizing these, I received feedback and experimented with reorganizing unsustainable chairs.

Through the work 100chairs in 100 days, I saw more chairs made from various components. These were defined as chairs. This reminds me that the modeler’s construction of a chair also defines the chair category, just as a census defines race. I, too, define chairs. My goal in reassembling is to create new, comfortable, and sustainable chairs. By disassembling and reassembling the components of unsustainable chairs, I reestablish a new category, reshaping a new “race” of chairs. However, this also leaves behind many unusable parts. I group these discarded parts with models that cannot be modified. I wonder if I can create a new category again—this is something I’ll continue to explore in the future.