All work 06 / 12 Academic / Furniture — 2017

Echo-Box

A wall-mounted, felt-paneled phone booth for The Ohio State University library, built as a full wood-and-felt appearance model.

Role
Industrial Designer
Timeline
2017
Context
Ohio State class project
Process
Sketching, cardboard mock-ups, wood-and-felt appearance model
Discipline
Furniture
Outcome
Full-size appearance model
Echo-Box, cover image
01

Overview

Students at Ohio State were leaving the library for bathrooms and stairwells to take phone calls, which the university saw as a safety risk.

Starting from profiles of students and library staff, I worked through thumbnail sketches and many cardboard mock-ups. Echo-Box takes its form from acoustic sound panels: a wall-mounted, faceted canopy of triangular felt panels on a wood frame, with a fold-down seat for sitting or standing calls. I built a full appearance model in wood and felt.

Problem
Students left the library for bathrooms and stairwells to take phone calls — a safety risk.
Process
User profiles → thumbnail sketches → cardboard mock-ups → acoustic-panel concept → appearance model.
Outcome
A wall-mounted felt-paneled booth with a fold-down seat, built in wood and felt.
02

Problem and users

Librarians identified that people couldn’t take or make phone calls in the library; students were rushing to bathrooms and stairwells instead.

The problem
Fig. 01The problem
Ideal users — a senior, a staff member, a sophomore
Fig. 02Ideal users — a senior, a staff member, a sophomore
03

Thumbnails and mock-ups

Thumbnail sketches and many quick cardboard mock-ups.

Thumbnails and initial mock-ups
Fig. 03Thumbnails and initial mock-ups
04

Concept

Inspiration came from the visual and functional aesthetics of acoustic sound panels, made of sound-absorbing material.

The concept — mock-up, prototype, structure
Fig. 04The concept — mock-up, prototype, structure
Echo-Box concept — stiffened felt, wood frame, seat, wall mount
Fig. 05Echo-Box concept — stiffened felt, wood frame, seat, wall mount
Booth in use — sitting and standing
Fig. 06Booth in use — sitting and standing
05

Appearance model

A full appearance model in wood and felt.

Echo-Box — library phone booth
Fig. 07Echo-Box — library phone booth
Appearance model — wood and felt
Fig. 08Appearance model — wood and felt
Appearance model — panels and fold-down seat
Fig. 09Appearance model — panels and fold-down seat
06

Outcome

Built as a full appearance model in wood and felt.