Polycarbonate table that transforms into an emergency shelter
Thom Faulders and Anna Rainer designed the Undercover Table to provide protection and supplies to building occupants during an earthquake. Adaptable to other natural and man-made disasters, the table rests compact and compressed during everyday usage, yet is designed to spring into action when necessary. Providing a safe haven amidst unpredictable chaos, the tanks within the Undercover Table are designed to efficiently deliver their comfort and emergency supplies as one dives underneath.
The Undercover Table represents the discovery of a use for what is generally considered non-productive space; the table relies on the zone below its surface for its functional and aesthetic significance. The oblong shape of the storage tanks is derived from the residual space between a sitter’s knees and the underside of the table top. Clearly visible from above through the translucent polycarbonate surface, the brightly colored tanks are wrapped in protective bands and provide a blurred and vibrant pattern which is highly visible during a disaster.
The perforated protective bands disengage from the tanks to be reconnected and stuffed with foraged soft items to form cushions for reclining and sleeping. Designed with maximum flexibility in mind, these bands may also be used as clothing wraps, slings, or handbags. In addition, the tabletop may be disengaged from the frame to become a stretcher with handholds.
Contact: Faulders Studio, Berkeley, California, USA.
For more information, see Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment
