Couched Constructions: Introduction

The old, abandoned couch is a pervasive element in America's culture of moving on, moving up, and disposal of single-use items. Everyone has seen them laying in yards, on street curbs, and near trash bins, disposed of due to space requirements, a new replacement, or wear from overuse.

But what about the materials beneath that old ripped fabric? Many couches are built with strong frames and meant to be practically indestructible. Can those interior, structural materials find new life that can benefit others?

The collaboration of Charmalee, Kate, and myself will contribute to the Couched Constructions show curated by Wes Janz at Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, Indiana in March 2012.

We will be disassembling found couches, categorizing the materials, and then reconfiguring them into a new piece that could be used to benefit homeless populations or those under-served by traditional design endeavors. Our initial ideas include:
- Meeting a need of someone left behind by society
- Creating an element of comfort or shelter
- A potentially movable item that can travel with a person or a group
- Using materials from a single couch in the new construction

Such a pervasive element, our first "abandoned" couch comes from close by (my mother's garage). It is used primarily as a storage space for other items since a giant hole in the side and other surface damage led a family member to reject it. Kate and I will be deconstructing the couch and documenting the process, along with our observations and lessons learned from the materials we encounter.

Here is our first couch, a large 3-seat leather couch, and a pile of tools we may need to disassemble it.