For our Collaborative Design Studio discipline we built LIANA, a nature-inspired play structure that reimagines traditional playground design for primary school children. You can read about the fabrication process here, and the installation process here.
During our conceptual design stages we built a 1:1 scale prototype, using 17 planks out of the 137 that the final design displayed.
Recycling materials is a fundamental aspect of a sustainable mindset, so I decided to keep the prototype and transform it into something else later in the year. About two months later, I finally found the time to work on my plan. The prototype was in poor condition, with several exposed iron rods, a rough finish, and it wouldn’t stand on its own. It took me three Saturday afternoons to sand it and make it more structurally stable by adding more screws.
After sanding, I applied some leftover varnish from CORA, last year’s Final Thesis Design prototype. Two layers were applied: Fondo and Sol Lasur. Each layer dried under the sun for a day. Since we also used this varnish on LIANA, I already knew the right amount of paint to use on each plank.
The most difficult challenge was moving the structure. To protect it from the weather, I brought it inside the Green Fab Lab after working on it. It weighs around 60 to 80 kg and requires at least two people to move. This process was repeated at least five times, always on weekends, when we have time to work on personal projects.
For the final part, I repurposed some leftover stumps from the Secondary School Group of our Collaborative Design Studio discipline. After cutting them into two different sizes, I followed the same process: sanding and applying the varnish. Two holes were drilled in each stump to support the transversal iron bar, which serves as the bench’s central core. The front stump is shorter to facilitate moving in and out of the bench, while the rear stump is taller for design purposes and… as a cup holder!
Tools used during the process: sanders, chop saw, band saw, cordless reciprocating saw, screwdriver.
From the beginning, I intended to create a sunbathing chair for one person to lie down on. I decided to place it in the back patio, one of my favorite places to spend time at Valldaura Labs, framed by a rectangular-shaped metal fence, where it’s possible to lie down and enjoy both sides of the terrace’s views. I think the final positioning turned out quite well!
