Storage Unit for Outsider's Collective
This storage unit was specifically designed and built to fit the needs of the Outsider's Collective , a community art space for individuals of all abilities. Through user research, ideation, prototyping, and material research we optimized for vertical space and created a vertical storage unit. At 10 feet tall the unit features a pulley system that lifts a a shelf to store canvases operated by a winch. When in storage the shelf sits at the top of the frame allowing for additional storage space below as shown.
Process
Our task was to build an industrial scale item that would be beneficial to the Outsider's Collective. We visited the space multiple times speaking with the founders, instructors, helpers, and artists. We observed the way the users used the space and documented our findings.
Along with the founders we decided to focus on fixing the problem of long term storage. We noticed there was a lot of vertical room but a lack of wall space for storage. There are lots of finished pieces on canvases left behind maybe to be collected at another time or to be repurposed.
Ideation
Prototypes
Materials
We researched different pulley methods, as we needed to bear the weight of the canvases and the shelf, lock at the top and be easy to use. We decided the use multiple pulleys with cable that we crimp into one cable that gets fed into a manually operated winch.
We built our frame out of T slotted Aluminum rails. It is 10 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide. Our shelf is made out of 3/4'' plywood. We assembled the full product and tested it before disassembling in order to transport it to the Outsider's Collective where we secured it to the wall.
Final Product
Final design
We installed the finished prototype in the Outsider's Collective
In collaboration with Anna Finkelstein, Andrew Marks, Rebecca Rosen, and Anya Schmitz.
The project was fully collaborative, I was involved in all the building and decision making. As the only non-engineering student, I spent more time on the ideation, documentation, and assembling.