Couched Constructions: Work Day 5

Becca and I were able to finish deconstructing couch number two. Since last time we had removed the fabric this last portion went rather fast. We separated the back from the base as in the previous couch with the use of hammers and a hand saw.  Once the pieces were separate we were able to start trying out some design ideas.  In our last meeting we talked about the possibility of constructing two pieces. The first would be like the designs Charmalee and Becca put forward; it will be a portable piece on wheels meant to be used by the same individual day after day. This design idea was tested out in this first set of pictures:

Some alterations and additions were made from testing:
- only one couch will be used to create the moving roof. using two is unnecessary and makes the piece awkward and bulky. We chose the piece off of couch number two because of the angle of the back; there is more room 'inside' the piece for the user to sleep.
- instead of putting wheels on just one end of the piece so it can tip up, wheels will be used on all four corners so it can be pulled like a wagon.  The piece is too large and bit too heavy to tip up and pull for a long distance. Giving it four wheels and a handle so it can be simply pulled behind the user is ideal.
-the leather can be used to wrap the frame of this piece for comfort and warmth. This will also aid in giving the piece a uniform material palate.
-painting can be utilized to give the piece a uniform and custom look. It will help the piece transform from looking like a 'put-back-together' couch.
-the only uncertainty of this piece is the springs. They provide structural integrity to the base but are somewhat uncomfortable to lay on. We have scrap pieces of fabric that can be used as a cover. That coupled with the leather will hopefully provide enough cushion for the user.

The second design starts with the idea I brought forward; a stationary piece.  This could be something like a bench made from the moving sleeper piece that at night can transform into a canopy for someone to sleep beneath.  The users of this piece could/would be different on a daily basis. The first design piece could be 'parked' beneath this second canopy piece to give a person more warmth or protection on a cold or rainy night. The pictures below show the beginnings of how this idea might begin to work:

 There are still a lot of issues to work out with this design:
-the bench portion is uncomfortable and needs to be altered to make it viable as a bench.
-the legs on the awning need to be removed to create enough inhabitable space underneath to be functional.
-the awning is light enough to work with just one person but we need to figure out how to secure it in place. Creating anchors at the back/base of the bench and then using a piece of wood to hold the top could work.