Central Saint MartinsThe new building at Central Saint Martins, University of the Art London, a comparatively new site has been morphing over the last years to accommodate an ever increasing number of students and exploring the maximum utilisation of space within the building, where space represents valuable teaching resource. This projects objective was to find suitable flexible and fitting furniture that could accommodate these changing and universal needs throughout the college. It was decided that the 9x bridges joining the East and West wings could be used as flexible extended student work areas and provide very necessary areas over and above the teaching studio spaces.

This furniture project started initially over 10 years ago with a commission from BA Product Design department to design a new desk or table for the BA Product Design students as the students were wearing out current off the shelf furniture in very little time, mainly destroying the tops with model making equipment. Furniture designer Rock Galpin was commissioned with a brief to design a desk that in some way catered for the wear issues, whilst at the same time could be flat packed quickly to accommodate space for the student degree shows each year, and also had to be economically priced.

The main feature of the design is the use of a simple clamping mechanism which allows very economical, off-the-shelf boards with no fixings to be simply clamped to the table by the frame in situ. This very feature allows not only the table to collapse easily and efficiently to store but for both sides of the table top to be used giving twice the longevity of use. It also means that tops can be changed, upgraded or replaced very simply and onsite.

Frem won the manufacturing contract over a number of highly regarded competitors as the new manufacturer for the existing design, and working closely with designer Rock Galpin, to produce 36 tables and 72 benches located on seven of the bridges and two of the studios throughout the University.

As an extension to the original brief for this project the client specified the tables and benches to be bolt down furniture so that the tables remained always in their designated areas and in a very useable layout. In developing a simple and effective colour coded foot bracket, Frem working with Rock Galpin designed and developed a bracket that made installation fast and efficient. The client required variety in the table tops, so options of lacquered birch faced plywood to melamine faced MDF in 3 colours were explored with matching or contrasting sub frame colours, visible at the ends. It is also possible for the desks to be supplied with a simple integrated cable management tray system for computer work places.

“I am sitting at one of the balcony tables and think they are wonderful - simple but strangely ethereal in the half light. Everyone is commenting on them happily. Please pass my thanks on to the other members of the design team. Thanks so much.”

Professor Jeremy TillHead of Central Saint MartinsPro Vice-Chancellor: University of the Arts London

www.frem.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1604 756567 Fax: +44 (0)1604 586980 Email: sales@frem.co.ukHead Office: Concept House, Upton Valley Way East, Pineham Business Park, Northampton, England, NN4 9EF.

furniture and storage

Central Saint Martins

www.frem.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1604 756567 Fax: +44 (0)1604 586980 Email: sales@frem.co.ukHead Office: Concept House, Upton Valley Way East, Pineham Business Park, Northampton, England, NN4 9EF.

furniture and storage