设计圈

橡胶课桌
Rubberized School Desks

在南非的Mdanstsane的学校里，教学设施十分匮乏，连办学最基础的课桌和凳子都紧缺。考虑到3所学校总共要容纳超过7000名学生，在有限的空间里，课桌的大小也是个重要因素。因此这个设计把课桌和椅子融为一体以节省空间，而制作课桌的材料则是回收利用的废旧橡胶。

橡胶十分耐用，经受得起在教室的环境下日复一日的使用。所以橡胶成了这个设计最理想的材料。甚至能经受住小偷的破坏，而他的重量也使得小偷无法搬动他。橡胶表面容易保养，使得他们还可以供以后的学生使用。

他有着3层单独的橡胶沾合到一起。最上面的一层是种坚固的橡胶，他用来保护下面的橡胶，同时提供一个坚固耐用的表面供学生们使用；中间一层也是种坚固的橡胶，他加强了课桌的刚度，承受使用者的重量；而最下面一层则是种柔软的橡胶，起到缓冲的作用。

每张课桌的边缘有着不同的颜色。目的是使沉闷的教室更加有活力，使教室里的气氛更加活跃以激发学生们的学习兴趣。

The schools in Mdantsane, South Africa are poorly equipped and lack basic facilities such as chairs and desks which are required to run the schools. With over 7000 students and only 3 schools, the volume of desks to the space available is another key factor to consider. For this reason the design is a combination of both a desk and chair. Each desk is formed from recycled rubber.

Rubber is very durable which will withstand the day to day usage of the desks in the classroom environment. This makes it an ideal material for the design. Due to the material durability it will help to withstand damage from potential thief’s and the weight of the material will also help to prevent thief’s from removing the desk. The rubber surface can be easily maintained, preserving the desks for future generations.

The desks are a combination of 3 separate rubber layers which are glued together. The base layer is a hard compound, which protects the underside of the desk/chair and also offers a durable surface for the user to work on. The core layer is again a hard rubber compound, which enhances the rigidity of the desk and supports the weight of the user. The final layer is a soft rubber compound, which acts as a cushion.

The designs each have individual color along the contour of the design. The idea is to brighten the currently dull classrooms and make the surrounding environment more appealing to the users creating a much more positive atmosphere within the classroom.