‘How can I design furniture within a social context to solve a problem, if I don’t even know how to make a basic furniture piece yet?’ A hands-on research project.

With a newly discovered passion for furniture, I decided to broaden my knowledge both construction wise and in their social aspect. Starting by understanding the basics of wood and metal, the different types of furniture, construction and uses has led to narrowing down to a selection that triggered the maker in me. An interesting way of finding out why I make certain design decisions, why I prefer certain materials, machines and furniture types; a hands-on self discovery. While practicing in my preferred materials, staying curious by researching the psychological influence different materials, shapes, sizes and details can have. In the end, a workbench and matching stool became a physical proof of the knowledge I had gained and applied.



Multiplex and steel rods/tubes became the materials I was interested in to continue with. Firstly being both materials already formed into usable shapes, reducing the amount of preparation and after work. Secondly, two materials that by already being formed, creating a framework of limitations in shape and size. Limitations that actually trigger my creative brain to work with what is given.

The last six weeks of this project I focused on designing and constructing a custom workbench and stool. This workbench integrated and combined the research into table design, storage solutions and seating. By creating a workbench specifically tailored to individual needs, social context considerations can be ignored which leaves space to focus on the fundamentals of furniture design. Additionally, the design choices, including materials, layout, shapes, and colors, were critically examined to address the parallel research question of understanding the unconscious personal reasoning behind these decisions.