Design For Us – Furniture for wellbeing
Design For Us is a company owned by Kristina Sahlqvist and Pamela Lindgren. We have been working together with HDK School of Design and Crafts and brain researchers from Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The unique interdisciplinary body of research and its conclusions reveals the hefty impact that the hospital environment has on the speed of recovery and improved sense of wellbeing.
The project was initiated by the hospital's Department of Rehabilitation who stipulated that enriched environment presented in different contexts has a significant impact on the patients rehabilitation. We have therefore worked in a concept of re-design and new experimental ideas.
At present, the collaborative study has resulted in two chairs which have been re-designed to create rocking chairs which incorporate heating pads and storage for canes and walking aids. A third chair features two wheels to aid short-distance movement. There is also a soft-edged table for interaction, a brace of smart textiles which include controls for the alarm, music volume, mp3 players…
Furniture and product design: Kristina Sahlqvist Architect SIR / MSA and Pamela Lindgren Designer MFA / SVID, Design for Us. Smart Textiles, collaboration with Lena Berglin and Siw Eriksson, Swedish Quintex AB. Photography, collaboration with Sarah Cooper and Nina Gorfer, Studio SEEK. Doctors and specialists, collaboration with Michael Nilsson, Director of Research at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
Furniture and product design: Kristina Sahlqvist Architect SIR / MSA and Pamela Lindgren Designer MFA / SVID, Design for Us. Smart Textiles, collaboration with Lena Berglin and Siw Eriksson, Swedish Quintex AB. Photography, collaboration with Sarah Cooper and Nina Gorfer, Studio SEEK. Doctors and specialists, collaboration with Michael Nilsson, Director of Research at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
ROCKING CHAIR
We have re-designed three conference chairs from the hospital department 623, Neuro Rehab, Högsbo. The aim has been to experiment with ways to conserve, re-use and development of existing furniture at a hospital department, give them a new value, new content and a new feature from a life cycle and re-design perspective. There is value in using and maintaining the hospital's furniture as a memory carrier of the time lag.
The three conference chairs have been manufactured in Kinnarp in the nineties and are designed by Sture Eng and Kjell North. We have re-designed two of the chairs into rocking chairs with the addition of runners in bamboo tree and with arm support in leather covered metal. On one of these chairs, we also have made a cane / crutch holder to make it easier for visitors with a cane / crutch. On the third chair we have added two wheels in the existing front legs to simplify movement and to more easily be able to help those who have movement restrictions to come in under a table.
"When I was six, my grandmother Johanna already was very old. My best memory of her is when she asks me to take her walking stick and swing her rocking chair. It was a very special and cherished moment when I as a little girl managed to give my old grandmother well-being and enjoyment of rocking her in her rocking chair - just her and me. As a tribute to her, we have developed one of the old, existing conference chairs in the department 623 to a rocking chair with new arm support, new rocking runners and cane holder. The chair has a new removable cover and a pillow with heat in smart textile technology, "Kristina Sahlqvist.
We have re-designed three conference chairs from the hospital department 623, Neuro Rehab, Högsbo. The aim has been to experiment with ways to conserve, re-use and development of existing furniture at a hospital department, give them a new value, new content and a new feature from a life cycle and re-design perspective. There is value in using and maintaining the hospital's furniture as a memory carrier of the time lag.
The three conference chairs have been manufactured in Kinnarp in the nineties and are designed by Sture Eng and Kjell North. We have re-designed two of the chairs into rocking chairs with the addition of runners in bamboo tree and with arm support in leather covered metal. On one of these chairs, we also have made a cane / crutch holder to make it easier for visitors with a cane / crutch. On the third chair we have added two wheels in the existing front legs to simplify movement and to more easily be able to help those who have movement restrictions to come in under a table.
"When I was six, my grandmother Johanna already was very old. My best memory of her is when she asks me to take her walking stick and swing her rocking chair. It was a very special and cherished moment when I as a little girl managed to give my old grandmother well-being and enjoyment of rocking her in her rocking chair - just her and me. As a tribute to her, we have developed one of the old, existing conference chairs in the department 623 to a rocking chair with new arm support, new rocking runners and cane holder. The chair has a new removable cover and a pillow with heat in smart textile technology, "Kristina Sahlqvist.
TEXTILE BLANKET AND MUFF
At a hospital visit there are situations you have to deal with where you may feel worried, scared or tense at that time were in need of a warming blanket. Against this background, we have worked with in various ways to provide heat in addition to a traditional blanket or quilt.
By creating a fabric that generates heat by interacting with new technology / smart textiles, we hope to meet patients' needs in different situations. The material is bamboo fiber in combination with smart textiles.
At a hospital visit there are situations you have to deal with where you may feel worried, scared or tense at that time were in need of a warming blanket. Against this background, we have worked with in various ways to provide heat in addition to a traditional blanket or quilt.
By creating a fabric that generates heat by interacting with new technology / smart textiles, we hope to meet patients' needs in different situations. The material is bamboo fiber in combination with smart textiles.
Hood is a garment that is a support for music enjoyment and with the help of smart textiles may develop heat. In the developed model the user are using a mobile phone in combination with an MP3 player which is included in the garment. It provides opportunities to create music and playlists for different occasions, such as exercise and rest. The MP3 player is knitted on the left side of the hood model and is connected to a wireless headset. With the help of new technology and smart textiles the hood can develop heat. The material is wool, combined with smart textiles.
BRACELET IN SMART TEXTILES
For the convenience of the patient during the hospital stay, we have designed a model of a bracelet in smart textile for the patient's personal use. The bracelet is a wireless “controller” to be used on the patient's arm with the following functions, alarm, light, sound and music experience. The bracelet interacts wirelessly with a music device in the form of a mobile phone or an MP3 player combined with wireless headphones. We have used a variety of smart textiles technology, chromatic colors in combination with textile printing that change color when they come into contact with heat and pressure-sensitive textiles.
Considerate Design at Gothenburg Opera Monday, November 15 2010. Design for Us exibition Courage, Power and Joy.
For the convenience of the patient during the hospital stay, we have designed a model of a bracelet in smart textile for the patient's personal use. The bracelet is a wireless “controller” to be used on the patient's arm with the following functions, alarm, light, sound and music experience. The bracelet interacts wirelessly with a music device in the form of a mobile phone or an MP3 player combined with wireless headphones. We have used a variety of smart textiles technology, chromatic colors in combination with textile printing that change color when they come into contact with heat and pressure-sensitive textiles.
Considerate Design at Gothenburg Opera Monday, November 15 2010. Design for Us exibition Courage, Power and Joy.
