Couched Constructions: Work Days 6 & 7

In the last two workdays a lot of designing, painting, drilling, hammering, and nailing took place. It was figuring out a lot of little details to tweak the design to make it work and now it's finally finished!  As a reminder, I've included the original pictures of the couches we used to create Mobile Refuge as well as a picture of the finished product below.

As Becca mentioned in the previous post, we painted the entire frame black to give the piece a finished, cohesive feel.  We used green accents in the handle, parking blocks, and roof strap to give the piece a bit of life and contrast.

The following pictures show how the piece works in the wide open, open, and closed stages. The wide open stage (left) shows the roof strap. This piece was included so the roof could be wide open allowing the user to sit on the piece or access belongings stowed in pockets. In the open stage (center) two support legs on hinges swing out and support the roof so the user can lie in the piece. In the closed stage (right) the roof folds down to allow the piece to be easily transported as well as protect the belongings inside.

A pad was included to cover the springs in preparation (left) for the sleeping pillow (center) and cushion (right) which can be folded in half to be used as a seat cushion. 

 We used the large piece of leather salvaged from the first couch as our protective cover.  It was situated on the frame to create a pocket wall for storage and protection from the elements. (large center image below) The sleeping/seat cushion matches the leather and again aids in creating a cohesive feel. Becca demonstrates the seat cushion idea mentioned in the last section (right).

 The image to the right depicts the inside of the sleeping chamber as well as the pocket storage wall. Below you can see how the ventilation flap works to allow the user to have some control over the climate inside the chamber.

 The last three images demonstrate how a person would look inside. There is just enough room for me to either lie comfortably on my back or side.  I would say due to the size of the frames available, this piece would be difficult and possibly uncomfortable to use for larger people. This would be something to consider if this were to be implemented; maybe another prototype could be developed for larger individuals to be comfortably sheltered. While I was in the piece I did notice the leather held my body heat in very well as intended. When we opened the ventilation flap to take a photo, the sleeping chamber cooled down immediately.

There are only a few minor details left to tackle before the piece goes into the show on Friday.  One major thing we foresee at this time is what to do about the stationary piece. We are thinking of including it in a satellite show in a very raw, conceptual form. Overall we are extremely happy with how the piece has come together and are very excited to see what our fellow Couched Constructions groups have come up with for their discarded couches!

Couched Constructions: Mobile Refuge

In naming a project it always seems difficult to pick the right combination of words even though you know what you're trying to say. This was true in the process of naming Mobile Refuge. We knew we wanted to refer to the piece's ability to be moved and the fact it was acting as a shelter.  We intend for the piece to be used either in a time of disaster as a place for displaced people to sleep or as something homeless shelters can distribute to provide a place to sleep. We really feel Mobile Refuge hits the nail on the head, so to speak, in capturing our intended use(s) for the piece and we're very excited about it!  I've also included the project description below.

Mobile piece
This installation was approached from the mindset of reuse and regeneration. How can a discarded couch provide an essential shelter need for homeless persons and displaced people through natural and
man made disasters? The sturdy materials found inside a couch make a place for living in homes; can it also be a place for living on the streets? Can it be mass produced and stacked and released for emergency assistance? What modifications can make a couch into a strong, weather- resistant, comfortable space for a person?

Upon removing the outer layers of material, we discovered a highly reinforced frame built to survive much longer than the fabric cover. The frame elements were rearranged to create a more concise unit, serving a similar purpose to the original furniture. However, it is adjustable to each use: seat, covered bed, and movable storage unit. A cover protects the owner and his or her stored possessions from the elements. Using materials from two couches with new fasteners and added wheels, the once-stationary couch becomes a mobile, multi-functional unit. This unit can either be used by a single owner on a day-to-day basis as a home or can be distributed in times of disaster as a temporary shelter.

Stationary piece
This was derived form the sleeper portion of the sleeper sofa. The sturdy steel frame will be attached to a wall. It will serve as a bench during the day and transform into a canopy for someone to sleep beneath during the night.  The users of this piece could/would be different on a daily basis. The other mobile design piece could be 'parked' beneath this second stationary piece to give a person more warmth or protection on a cold or rainy night. Also several of these stationary pieces could be placed around the city to benefit everyone.

Couched Constructions: Work Day 6

This past Saturday, we purchased most of our materials and got to work testing and finalizing assembly ideas. Here are some details of the piece starting to come together.

First, we painted the roof component (and will do the same for the rest of the frame) to give the piece a cohesive feel.

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Then, we made a reinforced piece to hold the hinged side of the roof to the frame. The added height will give the user more usable space inside.

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Finally, we tested the wheel components and began cutting the blocks we will use to attach the wheels.

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Couched Constructions: Details

Saturday's trip to the hardware store allowed us to develop more details of the project. Of the various wheel types available, we considered lawnmower wheels and large casters.

Lawnmower Wheels:
- fixed motion (don't pivot)
- large 6-8" (good for rough terrain)
- cheap
- will need axles (2 or 4)
- each can hold 50-60 pounds

Large Casters:
- full range of motion (easier to pull cart)
- 5" diameter
- more expensive but better quality (no plastic)
- easy attachment (no axles, just screws)
- each can hold 350 pounds

Here are some details of the hardware needed for the wheels, including potential axles for fixed wheels and a diagram of how casters might attach to the existing frame.

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Other items we looked at were hinges for the moving awning/top piece that would open during the day, close partially for sleeping, and close completely for transit of the unit. Two or three door hinges would make a smoothly functioning awning with extra wood to create more sleeping space. There will need to be a handle to pull the unit, and a piece of tube or pipe with one of the tarp strips threaded through it would attach easily to the base. The goal for the handle is ease of motion and comfort for the person pulling the unit.



Finally, we looked at paint, which would give the unit a cohesive and finished look. All of these details, along with the cushion pieces that will be sewn into one mattress-type cushion will help complete the piece.

Couched Constructions: Research and Design Day 2

Saturday Becca and I ventured to the hardware store to see what we could find to complete design one. We were looking for hinges, wheels, and paint primarily.  We were able to find some good options (Becca will be posting some sketches) and think we may have figured out some more details.  After our research shopping trip, we headed back to the workshop and tried to figure out if the items we selected would fit with the pieces we have recovered from the couches. Our biggest concern of the day was wheels and how to attach them. We decided to layer wood onto each corner to reinforce a surface to attach large caster wheels to. The following pictures show how the layered pieces will fit with a sketch of the base of the caster.

We also were able to work with more of the materials we had salvaged from the couch to sort out more of the details of how a sleeping mattress could be constructed for comfort of the user. The leather seat cushions from couch one are actually made up of a thick piece of foam topped with a thin one. We removed the thick piece from the leather pouch. Then we took two of the modified cushions and placed them on top of the frame. The third cushion was folded in half to create a pillow. We plan to sew all these pieces together to create one mattress with a built in pillow. I demonstrate below what it would look like when someone was using it, for reference I am 5'-8"tall. It's actually very comfortable and I almost wanted to go ahead and take a nap! One concern we have at this point is if anyone taller were to make use of this they may not be able to stretch out fully. The surface is rather wide, however, and there should be enough room for most people to at least curl up like I am in the third picture below.

One other modification we may need to make is to place an additional piece of wood on the edge of the frame where the hinge connecting the top piece will be installed.  This will create more room inside for someone to rest comfortably now that a cushion has been added to the base.

We decided the large piece of leather could be used to cover the frame and provide some privacy, protection, and insulation to the piece. The first picture below shows how that may begin to work: the smooth piece that was the back of the couch will cover the top/roof of the frame. The cushion pouches will create a wall when the frame is open in the sleeping position and will also create storage for the user to keep their possessions. They will be accessible from the inside of the frame only to ensure the safety of their belongings. When the frame is closed the storage pouches will tuck inside the frame for additional protection and safe keeping. The rest of the following pictures depict the layers of how this design is going to be constructed. 

One last issue we talked about was how to keep the frame open and secure while someone is inside. We decided that we could somehow insert wood supports in between the storage pouches that would swing out to support the roof and give some rigidity to the storage wall. We still need to figure out how they would attach and 'buckle-in' to the base but here are the first ideas:

After realizing how much it is going to take to get this portion of the installation up and running we have some questions about how realistic it will be to get the other design to work in time for the show.  We may use this piece as the main idea and use the second design as more of a conceptual piece or just show it in picture form.