Urban Nomad

Final Model
The Urban Nomad is a disassemblable table that does not use screws or nails.

A furniture series designed to address moving issues encountered in a city environment.

Space is the primary concern since most halls and entrances are narrow while furniture pieces are often large and cumbersome. Thus the goal of the Urban Nomad project is to develop furniture that suits an urban nomadic life style.

The home rather then the furniture is portable.
Image "River boat home" by JinBao on Flickr.
The home is collapsible.
Cumbersome objects are of no consequence in rural locations.
Image "nomadas gujarat2" by llanosom on Flickr.
Possessions for a five-person family are few.
Image "Nomads, Burkina Faso" by themanwithsalthair on Flickr.
Possessions are few and light, making the travel faster and easier then if otherwise.
Image "The Nomads of Afghanistan" by SSG Wells on Flickr
Other then a tiny wooden table, the only objects that would resemble furniture are the heavy pillows that line the tent's rim.
Image "Life in a Turkish Nomad Tent at Ancient City Diocaesarea of Olba" by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com on Flickr.
Living nomadically doesn't mean that life is far from rich.
Image "Lovely Kyrgyz family" by nico3d on Flickr.
The American nomad of the late 20th Century.
Image "Old trailer park in East Potomac Park, 1960" by lreed7649 on Flickr.

Concept

Nomads are people who do not live permanently in one location. The word conjures up images of caravans traversing deserts or brightly painted Volkswagon buses parked along wooded roads. It is often perceived as a rural trait but but this couldn't be further from the truth.

Urban Nomad Urban Moving Difficulty of Urban Moving Stress of Urban Moving Urban Moving Difficulty of Urban Moving Urban Moving Urban Moving Urban Moving
Urban nomadism exists across the world for different reasons.
Image "Heavy cargo on a bicycle" by Stefan Bech on Flickr.
The possessions of urban nomads often far exceed that of rural nomads.
Image "New Living Room" by StubbyFingers on Flickr.
The biggest challenge of urban moving is avoiding damage.
Image "Broken cabinet" by cug on Flickr.
Some furniture pieces are too big to carry individually.
Image "Moving Day" by tamaleshuck on Flickr.
Sore muscles and/or lack of space in the vehicles results in abandoned furniture.
Image by RETTOCAMME on Flickr.
Sore muscles and/or lack of space in the vehicles results in abandoned furniture.
Image"The Couch, the Curb and the Hydrant" by See El Photo on Flickr.
Large objects have their own unique challenge for the stairs.
Image"TV on the Stairs" by BrinkofEmo on Flickr.
Large objects require coordination between multiple individuals.
Image"One carrel going down" by Kennedy Library on Flickr.
Large objects must often be flipped in order to fit them properly through doorways.
Image"A Tight Squeeze" by StubbyFingers on Flickr.

Urban nomadism exists and is a product of the modern transportation network. It is most prevalent among young adults who have not settled down. The majority move within a given city/area for reasons such as shifting priorities (neighborhood, distance from work or friends, etc) and changing living conditions (room-mate or neighbor issues, rent fluctuation, etc).

Development / Ideation

Given the functionalist nature of this project, the primary objective was to develop a modular system that makes moving smooth and easy.

The pieces must be light enough to carry by hand, small enough to fit through stairwells, and sturdy enough to survive a bumpy ride. ideally it should be easy to assemble and disassemble.

Rendered rhino model
Front view. Freshly assembled.
Back view. Freshly assembled.
In use in my apartment.

Prototypes

The first model was a bed frame that held itself together with halved joints. Legs were screwed onto the end piece of each frame. The frame was sturdy enough to function for several years.

Model #2 was a desk with integrated shelving. The design omitted screws in favor of finger joints. Shelves were designed with a concave front to facilitate easier access to bottom shelves.

Flaws found through use at home.
Quick sketch for formal revision.
Quick sketch of room placement.

Revision

Both models lacked sufficient bracing to prevent lateral wracking. Therefore, both were prone to leaning or shifting from side to side.

Finger joints were difficult to fit because router pocketing can only create rounded inside corners.

3/4" plywood had noticable warp over long distances and was thus an unsuitable material for construction or table surfaces.

In use at my apartment.
2 nooks in the back provide room for cables and a place for clamp-on lights to attach.
An urban nomad would likely live cheaply and thus space would be limited
An urban nomad would likely live cheaply and thus space would be limited

Final

The final model was redesigned with extra bracing and used fibreboard. Finger joints were removed in favor of slats to ease assembly and openings were cut in back to provide space for cables to pass through. In addition, two different bookshelves were designed. Each can be slotted to either side of the desk and face 4 different directions. All in all, the design provides a sturdy solid table that is moderately configurable and very easy to disassemble and move.