Objects for Atheists, LKBP

Objects for Atheists is a furniture research project which synthesizes a historical study of religious aesthetics with an ethnographic study of contemporary atheist groups. The resulting furniture, LKBP, pictured,  presents an inversion of aesthetic function; the drawers are evident from the front, yet the shelves are hidden.

The furniture is constructed from sustainably harvested bamboo with dovetail joinery, with no nails nor screws and very little glue. Four industrial strength spherical castors allow movement across the floor in all directions, so it can be rotated easily away from the wall to access the hidden bookshelf, or used free-standing as a movable partition. Drawer opening is friction-less, made possible by a novel rail and groove system from special polymers, in a very small containment space between the drawer and the case.

The design can be fully or partially disassembled for repair, and was inspired by historical furniture making techniques. It is designed with the intention to be durable and with all the technical elements required to be functioning for  a very long time.

Materials: two tone natural and heat compressed bamboo, copper knobs, polymer rails and steel bearings

The research thesis which inspired this furniture can be downloaded here.