Studio desk

Simple and efficient studio desk

Client: 

Internal project

Date: 

2012

Position:

Senior designer at ...XYZ Design

Roles:

Industrial design, Design for manufacture and assembly

This studio desk was born out of the need for a simple, affordable desk that maximized desk space while providing a solid structure that could neatly accommodate desktop workstations and that had a pleasing aesthetic to complement the ...XYZ Design studio. Other desks on the market were either too expensive and mundane or didn't offer the functionality that was desired so we took it upon ourselves to design a bespoke desk that met our requirements in the design studio. Each desk is manufactured from a single piece of 18mm thick Birch plywood with the addition of a melamine laminate to add colour and a smooth working surface. The resultant design is an efficient and easily assembled solution that also offers an adjustable desktop shelf upon which to place computer displays, allowing each user to adjust the height for preferred ergonomics. The shelf also allows for items such as a keyboard to be stored underneath it so that the workspace can be cleared for work such as sketching or prototyping.

The basic desk format holds a desktop workstation and dual monitors on the display shelf
The desktop workspace is maximised and all the basic parts can be cut from a single large sheet of birch plywood
The structure also allows for the desk to be easily broken down for storage or transportation
The design allows for the addition of extra shelves should some users not need a workstation. The extra shelves would be cut from additional sheets of plywood
The design also allows for the addition of privacy screens which can be fabricated from sheet plastic or any other desired sheet material
The desks form large comfortable work spaces 
Cable management was also included in the design by means of industrial wire cable trays to remove cable clutter
When grouped, the subtle color choices make for a calm and light feeling studio environment

The desk design proved to make a positive difference to the studio space at less of a cost than buying other desk systems on the market. It also adds a bespoke element to the design studio, we are designers after all! Further images of the initial prototype desk are shown below.

Contributors:  Dewald Koegelenberg and Peter Westerman (Production and procurement), Percy Chadenga (Assembly and finishing)

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