The KlaRUCH growing chimney for living
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
The KlaRUCH is one piece of furniture that contains all the necessary equipment in a child's room and grows with it. It includes a safe play area on a raised platform, a climbing wall, a sleeping area, a study area, as well as storage space for clothes and books. It effectively uses the entire height of the room, thanks to which it takes up a minimal floor plan dimension and is therefore placeable in any space. During the child's life, it adapts to his needs by simple (reversible) modifications.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
The main intention in the design of The KlaRUCH growing chimney for living was to meet the requirement for variability of its placement. Thanks to its compact shape, this furniture can be placed against the wall as well as in the free space, which also gives the possibility of applying a climbing wall. The individual segments of which it is composed represent a complete room equipment for one member of the household with whom he can grow. Thanks to simple and reversible modifications, it is possible to vary three variants of use:
A - room for toddlers and preschoolers,
B - room for students,
C - a room that will create a sufficient background for an adult and his young family when visiting the parents' house.
The space of a low bed for a small child can be easily transformed into a living space for a rest and relaxation in the form of a sofa. The desk also has two worktop positions, so it can serve as a children's desk for creative work, as well as a full-fledged desk. The raised space serving as a (double) bed at a later age can be used as an additional safe play area in childhood, so that from the child's point of view and the requirements for sufficient play space, it does not take up any square meters in the room. Of course, there are also open and closed storage spaces present in all variants of this Growing chimney. At the same time, the fundamental idea in the design was to ensure Montessori requirements for the healthy psychomotor development of its inhabitants. The design of the handles and patents for opening the storage space was adapted to this, as well as the height accessibility of the bed for children. This idea is supported by the playfulness of the concept - a climbing wall and a ladder leading to a raised platform. The KlaRUCH growing chimney itself thus creates various nooks and crannies in the room - either in its own cube or in its surrounding space.
Key objectives for sustainability
The main purpose of the design of The KlaRUCH growing chimney is its sustainability. It is ensured mainly by modifiability during its use. Thanks to the minimalist and timeless design, the room furnished with this living chimney does not have to be re-furnished with new furniture when its user grows from a child to an adolescent. It will provide for the needs of the occupant from an early age to adulthood, when the room can only have the function of a guest room.
Thanks to its compactness, it also saves material and the environment. It has a simple construction, the supporting elements consist of wooden beams and columns. The other construction is made of beech plywood, so its production is characterized by a low ecological footprint. At the same time, The KlaRUCH growing chimney consists of prefabricated elements, so it is variable and can be disassembled and moved at any time.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The KlaRUCH growing chimney for living is characterized by a clean minimalist and timeless design that can be placed in any interior. With its material and color simplicity and naturalness, it intentionally does not force too infantile motives on the child. As a result, the child is forced to develop his imagination. During the game, it forms an "undescribed spatial board". The room furnished with a living chimney will be clean, tidy, pleasant, simple and functional. The individual elements in it have their exact place and their meaning, so they lead the child to responsibility.
The room is always adapted to the needs of its user and brings him a suitable background for everyday activities or developing his creativity. This allows the child to explore their surroundings and safely learn independence. Sufficient play space is essential for a child, which is ensured by a play area on a raised platform in the case of The KlaRUCH growing chimney for living. Thanks to this, 100% of the floor area can be used for play.
The work table is at a lower level and the mattress of the baby bed is placed just above floor level so that the baby bed is always available. The storage spaces have adapted handles so that the child can reach and be able to make full use of the space. The raised platform is used as a bed in the next stages of furniture (Variant B). The grate of the cot is raised and serves as a sofa / couch for relaxation. The work table is also raised to a height suitable for a classic desk. In variant C, it is assumed that the original occupant of The KlaRUCH growing chimney already has his own family and the room is used as a guest room. Then a double bed is placed on a raised platform and the couch is returned to the lowered position to place a cot for the next generation of users.
Key objectives for inclusion
At present, the topic of sustainability is also entering the lifestyle and way of living. People are trying to live more sustainably and less invasively towards our natural environment. It is to these efforts that the KlaRUCH growing chimney responds, as it represents, thanks to its variability and modifiability, a growing piece of furniture that can meet the requirements for room equipment of all ages - so it has a very long service life.
The materials used for realisation are characterized by a low ecological footprint. In addition to this ecological aspect, it also responds to the currently very popular educational direction of Montessori, which is increasingly sought after and applied to children's room equipment. The design of such interiors is characterized by natural materials and moderate color, which supports the imagination of the child user. The KlaRUCH growing chimney is dimensioned for a minimalist way of life - every square meter is carefully considered and has its meaning and function. With its solution and size, the wardrobe supports the idea of slow fashion and a "capsule wardrobe" - not emphasizing the quantity of clothing, but quality. At the same time, it leads the child to more moderate material values, as all the necessary things are concentrated on a relatively small floor area and it is therefore necessary to keep them in order and in an acceptable amount.
Innovative character
The main innovative benefit of the KlaRUCH residential chimney is the connection between the themes of sustainability, ecology, minimalist way of life and Montessori principles. These themes all met in a non-violent way, and thanks to the current design, compactness and variability, they can appeal to a wide group of people dealing with the first family living together and the equipment of a children's room. In one piece of furniture there is all the necessary equipment of a children's room, which is very easily modified into a room for an adolescent, or even an adult coming to visit with his young family.
The fundamental benefit of this piece of furniture is also its complete shape and volume. Thanks to this, it stands out both in a smaller room of a housing estate in a position attached to the wall, as well as in a larger room of a family house in a central position, where the added value is the possibility of fitting climbing holds on a free side wall.
