Description

The design of the Work Desk was inspired by the systems furniture I used at a firm where I previously worked. I wanted to see if I could adapt the modular and flexible aspects of the systems furniture into a shop built piece that had the warmth and quality of solid wood construction (in this case, American Beech). My goals were that it be modular and able to be reconfigured into several different layouts, that it was easy to assemble and disassemble, and that it could be packed flat for easy shipping. I chose to use plastic laminate instead of wood for the top for it's durability, ease of cleaning, and bright, uniform appearance.  The desk is composed of just three basic parts: the top, the apron, and the legs. Using simple bolted connections and pre-drilled holes, the desk is able to be configured into any number of layouts: straight runs, L-shape, U-shape, etc. Holes in the apron that are not needed for the desired configuration are concealed with wood plugs. These plugs can be easily knocked out if the configuration changes. It's hard to know if you will meet your design goals until the work is finished. In this case I think I succeeded in creating a work desk that is functional, flexible, durable, and attractive.