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Swarup M S | swarupmyalil@gmail.com
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Primary School Furniture for Municipal Schools
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Guide P Rama Krishna Rao
Sponsor National Institute of Design
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Keywords bench-desk combo;ergonomic analysis;municipal schools;Prison Inc
This project involved introducing design interventions in the furniture manufacturing facilities at the Sabarmati Central Prison, Ahmedabad and providing good quality furniture to schools run by Ahmedabad Municipality. The furniture would be designed at the industry workshop within the prison; Prison Inc is a registered corporation of the Gujarat jail industry which works towards the rehabilitation of prisoners.
An overall study of the prison industry was later narrowed down to a study on the furniture workshop in there. This study helped gain a better understanding about the inmates, the machinery, the infrastructure, and the kind of projects undertaken in the industry within the prison. In the next stage, an extensive study was made on the overall municipal school system; the study was later narrowed to a few selected schools. The objective of this study was to understand the operations, the existing facilities, the children and their characteristics in municipal schools.
Different concepts were made for the design of a floor seating and two designs for a bench-desk combo. Ergonomic analysis was done to make the design user-friendly. Prototypes of these concepts were also made. This project helped understand the design process and the various elements that are either directly or indirectly involved to it. While catering to the requirements of municipal schools by designing their classroom furniture, the project also helped expand the knowledge of prisoners working at the prison workshop about the importance of form, aesthetics, and finish in addition to the basic functionality of the furniture.
Interactions with municipal school children, officials of the school board, inmates of the Sabarmati central prison and the authorities there were extremely thought-provoking. These interactions enhance design sensibilities and were inspiring enough to contribute to society more meaningfully. |
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