Multitasking desk, or be active at work

Dobrawa Bies

21 of January '21

Multitasking desk

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{Student}, a graduate of interior design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, designed a multi-purpose desk for sitting and standing work. His goal was to create a piece of furniture that would induce the user to change positions and thus take care of correct posture, influencing more efficient work.

The desk project was created as a master's thesis in the Furniture Design Studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, under the direction of Professor Halina Kościukiewicz.

I designed a piece of furniture - a desk for sitting and standing work. Changing the posture at work is very good for our body and allows us to work more efficiently. Nowadays, many people work in front of a computer in their apartment and often move. I created a desk to improve the comfort of prolonged computer work, and at the same time it will be easy to transport. For the desk, I designed a seat that allows the user to maintain proper posture. The seat also acts as a support when the user works standing up," explains Pawel Retkowski.

The desk is made of three materials: wood, steel and leather

simple materials and design

Thematerials used in Paweł Retkowski's design are oak wood, steel tubes and natural leather. In the middle part of the tabletop, there is a smaller, portable top, which allows you to work anywhere. This small top has an additional pull-out pocket for a computer mouse to make it easier to use a laptop. The entire desk is made up of separate pieces that can be folded and unfolded, making the furniture easy to transport.

The piece of furniture makes it possible to change position while working

As the author says about the construction:

The structure of the desk consists of a frame made of steel, bent and welded tubes with a diameter of 20 mm. I wanted the structure to be as thin as possible so as not to distract from the tabletop, which is the most important thing here. Under the top is a suspended sheet of leather, which acts as a "storage compartment" for cables. The leather also has straps that allow us to adjust the height of the tabletop and adapt it to the user's needs. Leather has another property that is important to me, which is that, just like oak wood, it ages nicely. On the right side I placed three rows of shelves, and on the back of the desk a perforated steel sheet, on which you can attach notes or photos.

The author wanted to solve the problem of working at the desk for a long time

Dobrawa Bies: What were the main design inspirations?

PawelRetkowski: The inspiration for designing the furniture came from observing work on projects - my own, as well as that of my fellow students. What kind of place we choose to work at the computer and how much time we spend at it. A prolonged sitting position negatively affects not only our health, but also our efficiency. The slogan that guided me in the design was "actively at work". My goal was to create a piece of furniture that would induce the user to change position. I wanted the resulting desk and seat to respond to the problem of prolonged work at a desk. What caught my attention was the adaptation of chairs in increasingly sophisticated ways for monotonous work, while it is less common for desks and seats to be adapted to changing body positions. Given the number of people now working in offices in corporations or at home, the problem seemed important to me. What has become a significant value for me is the return to using mechanisms. Thus, the scale became the prototype for me to create my desk. A simple, non-electrified way to raise and lower the desk on the principle of counterweight. Durability and mobility were other values that guided me in the creation of my design. The simple way of folding and unfolding the furniture fits into the current lifestyle of many people who move frequently.

Thanks to the leather elements, you can adjust the height of the top and store, for example, cables

Dobrawa: What was the desk made of and how did the choice of materials affect its appearance?

Pawel: The materials I used in the project were oak wood, steel tubes and natural leather. I used wood for the top and the seat, so that the material that comes into contact with our bodies is pleasant to the touch and warm. Such a top is also practical, because if it gets scratched or gently damaged, you don't need to replace it with a new one, just sand it, protect it and continue to use it. The structure of the desk consists of a frame made of steel, bent and welded tubes with a diameter of 20 mm. I wanted the structure to be as thin as possible so as not to distract from the tabletop, which is the most important thing here. Under the top is a suspended sheet of leather, which acts as a "storage compartment" for cables, power supply and other technical things we equip our desks with. The leather also has straps that allow us to adjust the height of the tabletop and customize it to our needs. Leather is a natural and very strong material. The durability of the materials used and their noble aging ensures timelessness.

The desk consists of separate elements that can be folded and unfolded, which makes it easy to transport

Dobrawa: How does the desk "work" and what elements does it consist of?

Pawel: The desk's top is 60 cm deep and 120 cm wide and is adjustable in height between 65 and 115 cm. The adjustment is made possible by a structure supported by leather straps. To raise or lower the top you need to loosen the squeeze on the left side, all the while holding the top. Pressing on the top, we lower it, and gently raising it, we raise it. Once the height is established, we tighten the clamp on the left side. If you want to work in a different place than the desk, for example, on the couch, it is possible to use the portable top, which is located in the middle of the desk. The seat is inclined forward, so the user will naturally maintain the correct position while sitting. When we want to change to a standing position, we turn the seat 180 degrees and use the upholstered roller to support the body while standing. To support your feet while standing, you can pull off the seat, which is hooked to the frame, and hook it onto the lower roller. This will give us a foot rest that will allow us to maintain a right angle between our feet and shin while supporting ourselves. In this way, I wanted to allow users to change their posture so that they feel the least effects of prolonged work.

On the right side there are three rows of shelves

Dobrawa: Do you think good design can help change the lives of its recipients?

Pawel: I think so. For me, good design is one that responds first and foremost to the needs of users, but at the same time takes care of aesthetic qualities. When I start a project, I determine the design problem I want to solve, and it is this that gives meaning to the design. Good design should stem from an attempt to improve the lives of users.

Dobrawa: Thank you for the interview!