the desk chair
This year-long participatory design project was completed in collaboration with Margot Kleinman, AIA of Vagus Workshop.
The Desk Chair is a redesign of a typical classroom student chair, designed for customization with incorporated fidgets.
The opportunity for movement impacts students’ success in the classroom and school spaces. Incorporating ways to fidget into the chairs allows all students the same resources. The chairs are made of three simple parts that the students assemble, giving a sense of ownership and customization to their learning spaces.
customization + assembly
Students choose the color of the legs, seat, and foot fidget, and then assemble their own chair on the first day of school with simple hand-screwed knobs.
covert fidgets
Hand and foot fidgets are built into the chairs to calm nerves and increase focus, without distracting other students.
classroom functionality
The chair design is lightweight and stackable, fitting in with current classroom procedures for cleaning and storage.
This is an independent project supported by a Faculty Research Fellowship from the Center for Art, Design, and Community Engagement K-12, Pratt Institute and supported by Independent Projects, a grant partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts and The Architectural League of New York. This program is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State legislature.