Need help designing an unusual bed/desk transformer

I don’t think this is really what you have in mind, but….

In college our dorm room had bunkbeds and two desks. What i did was to build a 4×4 frame….four legs with a horizontal frame on top. The top frame accepted both beds which put the lower bed in the air. Then each desk was moved under its respectivce bed. Essentailly you had a bed on top of each desk. I made it pre-built with bolts and two stretchers. So it went in the door, unfolded, stretchers were bolted on, done.

I’m thinking though you’re looking for a multi-tasker as opposed to a uni-tasker that is compact?

Another question that would directly affect the design is whether the “desk” has storage in it…basic drawers or strictly planks like a picnic table? If it doesn’t then the possibilities are wide open. Although, a lockable pencil type drawer to keep things like paper and pencils from falling out wouldn’t be too limiting.

-- arborial reconfiguration specialist

Wow. Your design sounds really interesting. Creative too. I love the prebuilt stretchers concept. Sounds simple too? I can’t quite picture it though. Any chance you could sketch it? You’re right, I was thinking multi-tasking, but uni-tasking space-saving is good too! We could give orphanages a few options to choose from. We can’t really send them ready made beds, we have to send them plans so they can build them on site. Which is why simple plans and easily found supplies is important.

As to your question about the desk, the ones they have do not have storage, they are literally plank seats and plank desk top, connected by a framework that holds the seat (which up to 4 students sit on, though they are only 4 feet long) and the desk top in place. Very streamlined and simple. Which is why I can see that a platform bed design could work. What if they just “nested” together to form a twin sized bed platform? Couldn’t it serve both purposes? But I’m not one to limit genius. I’m sure you can all come up with something even better than my first thought! Excited! Thanks for your input.

-- Celeste, Washington, www.ProjectThrive.org

I just posted photos of the desks at http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt317/CelesteofThrive Though the desks they use are good at using few materials to do the job, it doesn’t mean we have to go with that design. We’re innovating to make them do quadruple duty.

-- Celeste, Washington, www.ProjectThrive.org

This sounds like an interesting design challenge but I am not clear as to what you’re looking for. Maybe you could help define the problem a bit more. A few questions…
- do they use the same room for school and for sleeping?
- why do they need to transform from desk to bed?
- what do they use for bedding and desks now?
- does the room need to be cleared out for other activities?
- do these units need to roll away when not in use?
I’d love to help…

-- Mark Twain said it best, "There is no such thing as an accident but rather the unhappy confluence of poor decisions made by one or more parties."

A cheap and easy way would be too build 2 platforms of equal sizes, the bases could be about 17 inches tall with a top 19 1/2 X 75 (each one is half a standard single bed size) The top shold hang over the base on the ends and one side. One half would be the bench if you hinge the top of this unit there would be plenty of storage under this. Wheels could be added to make them easy too move. For the desk top you could use fold out legs 26 to 30 inches long depending on the height you wanted. Both units could be latched together and you have a bed.

-- JohnShackleford,North Carolina

here are some better pics to describe what I am talking about hope this helps.

-- JohnShackleford,North Carolina

Wow! It fits the criteria. Few materials, ease of construction and simplicity. Brilliant! Thanks! I’ve forwarded all of the proposals and have the two orphanage directors looking at them. I told them more could be coming. I’ll let you know how it goes. Exciting!

-- Celeste, Washington, www.ProjectThrive.org

I have been learning sketch-up here is what I got so far ,still have a lot to learn with the program

-- JohnShackleford,North Carolina