Furniture in the line of inclusion
INtoto is a line of home furniture inspired by the people who have been recently diagnosed with a disability. With the uncertainty of what the future means, the furniture is designed to empower, normalize and break stigmas of their new lifestyle.
This project was awarded The Wood Co-Op/Forestry Innovation Investment in Wood Design Industrial Design Graduation Award
Collaborator
Barbara is a young professional who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in April 2019. Since then her lifestyle changed in a drastic way, the everyday tasks became more challenging. Her main symptoms back then were spasm, low energy, difficulty walking at times, standing up from soft surfaces, limited strength.
As time passes by she adapts better and is able to do all sorts of activities thanks to the treatment, but where she has been struggling the most is about the stigma. Having to use medical devices such as, shower bench, outdoor and indoor walker and sometimes having to use a wheelchair.
This fact has affected her self esteem, as she needs to use these not very attractive medical devices in public. Once at home this does not change much, couches are challenging to get out from, other seating surfaces tend to be low or do not feel safe.
One of the things she noticed is the convenience of being able to adapt the height of her seat on the shower bench which was a one time setup until she needs to re adjust it and the height of the walker.
This is where I found my space of opportunity, to design furniture that can adapt to the needs of Barbara.
Designing for the dinning area
I decided to design for the dinning room as this area lets Barbara use the area with ease, it can be used to do work, eat, have friends over and also this pieces of furniture can be used in other areas of the house. The design provides versatility and a vernacular aesthetic to step away from the medical device feeling.
Materials
Hard Maple
Hard-wearing heavy wood commonly used in furniture. The heartwood is a light reddish brown while the sapwood is often whiter.
Aluminium
Light weight and corrosion resistant metal often used due to its strength on certain alloys, recyclable.
How it works
Inspired by other medical devices such as crutches, shower benches and walkers, the legs of the furniture provide the ability to adjust the height in a familiar way as the devices mentioned before.
The holes on the aluminum part provide increases of half an inch, to secure the desired position a clevis pin is used on each leg. Shown in the picture on the right.
