ROOM1: STORAGE, SEATING, AND LAP DESK

Digital Fabrication | Fall 2020
MAEBB | Rebecca Baierwick

3 drawers stack to become a seat or table.

WELCOME HOME

Upon opening the door to my room here in Valldaura for the very first time, my first thought was, “Wow, this is gorgeous!” My second thought was, “Where am I going to put all my stuff?” Although there is ample space in the room itself, there is limited storage area to keep my belongings organized and out-of-sight. So when the time came to construct furniture in our Digital Fabrication class, I seized the opportunity to design storage for the under-utilized space beneath my bed.

Upper Left: Plan of lap desk; Middle Left: Plan of drawer; Lower Left: Elevation; Right: Completed drawer

FABRICATION METHODS

The curved profile of the drawer faces was originally a nod to the tall arched windows in the room. However, with the introduction of wavy kerf patterns it takes on a personality of its own.
The design process involved experimentation with kerf bending patterns, balancing flexibility, rigidity, aesthetic quality, and ease of fabrication. Small butterfly joints lend sturdiness without the added need for glue or fasteners. The 15mm plywood base plugs into notches on the interior of the sturdy drawer sides. To the base of these sides I adhered small felt pads to allow the drawers to slide more easily along the tile floor. These drawers are also able to stack to form a seat or a tale, depending on personal preference. The surface of the seat or table is most commonly used as a lap desk so that I can study from the comfort of my room.

Drawer assembly pieces using CNC’d 15mm plywood and laser-cut 5mm plywood.

Table top assembly with 15mm plywood.

Top view of finished drawer

Finished lap desk

In the short time since its installation, this simple furniture set has made my room more organized, personalized, comfortable, and made it feel even more like home.

DIGITAL FABRICATION: ROOM1 is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed at Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities in 2020 by:
Student: Rebecca Baierwick
Faculty: Eduardo Chamorro