Windigo Presents: Furniture Design

Windigo Architecture has the unique opportunity to go beyond the traditional scope of architecture and into the exciting world of furniture design! We are pleased to be working on the design of two custom furniture pieces for Eaglebrook School: An Interactive Coat Hook Wall and hybrid Bench-Cubbies. These two unique pieces will eventually be used and repeated throughout the campus, giving students and teachers alike a much needed place to store their belongings (besides the floor, of course).

The concept for the Coat Hook Wall originated from the need for storage that students would actually want to use, but would neither detract from the simplicity of the hallway nor visually compete with the collections of student art work that adorn the walls. At first glance, the Interactive Coat Hook Wall appears like a piece of modern artwork itself. Simple, white, and unassuming, it allows the hallways to remain open and blends into its surroundings. That is, until the students bring the wall to life as they enter the building for their classes, meetings, and presentations.

Students can activate the wall by pushing on one end of a hook to expose the end used for hanging their belongings. Each hook can swing 180 degrees, which, when several are manipulated, can create innumerable variations of wall textures and shadow patterns that change throughout the day as students move through the space and utilize each hook.

The wall continues to be an interactive and ever changing piece of wall art as students activate the hooks and hang a variety of coats, hats, and scarves throughout the day. The Coat Hook Wall features hooks at different heights to accommodate the varying heights of its middle school age users. When not in use, the hooks can return to their nooks, once again creating a seamless view down the corridor and giving way to student work. Thus, the wall becomes a dynamic, yet simple piece of art work that fluctuates with the students, the weather, and the time of day.

Besides coats and associated winter-wear, backpacks and bags also have the tendency to be strewn throughout the campus. Therefore, accompanying the Coat Hook Wall, are the hybrid Bench-Cubbies. These custom designed benches feature integrated cubby spaces for students’ book bags. Each bench is stained and painted to compliment the building in which is resides, thus creating uniformity throughout the campus, yet assimilating to each unique building type. Varying colors and stains in the benches also make it easier for students to identify where and in which cubby they've placed their things. These two furniture designs illustrate just how form and function can work in conjunction to create beautiful and usable spaces. Stay tuned for images of the completed furniture pieces!