concept sketch of the Space Chair for Becoming Independent
I’ve been commissioned to design tables and chairs for the youth of Becoming Independent, most of whom have developmental disabilities of varying degree. The seating structures will be used in a new playroom that doubles as a space for observation and evaluation, so the tables and chairs need to be very durable, safe, and easy to reconfigure by the people who use them. They also need to be inexpensive to produce while meeting the high aesthetic and ergonomic standards of the organization.
Over the next month, I will make the chairs out of locally-milled, air-dried Monterey cypress, which is strong, stable and has a pleasing amber glow when oiled and waxed. The joints will be mitered and fastened with the innovative Festool Domino system, and the backs will feature panel-on-frame construction, with panels designed and painted by the artists of Becoming Independent; the chairs will double as picture frames. The tables will be pentagonal in shape to encourage modularity and collaboration, with inlaid ‘star’ patterns to go with the playroom theme of space. I look forward to working with Ann Westaway, Service Director of Art Works, and the talented people she works with daily.
