Kids Bench

Kids Bench is a flexible piece of furniture that can be assembled in three different ways. This multifunctional furniture was the first step towards a new development of the adjacent playground area of a school for disabled kids in Krautheim/ Klepsau, Germany.

As the overall concept for a cheap but steady progress was based on active participation by teachers, parents and the community several realisation workshops with small interventions were planned. These workshops were supposed to bring the different parties together and give them a common goal to work on.

For a first get together a flexible toy furniture was designed that could be used both inside and outside the school building. The wooden bench consists of only four parts that can be assembled in three ways to form different seatings. A horizontal and an angular bench, such as a canvas chair are the main composition possibilities. Still the object offers various more ways of sitting, lying and playing with it and challenges the creativity of the kids who use it.

March 2007     Germany Primary School Krautheim/ Klepsau Christine Baumgartner, Manuel Kretzer