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Kadist Reading Room 2011

I was commissioned by Joseph del Pesco, director of the Kadist Art Foundation's San Francisco space, to design and fabricate furniture for their Reading Room, a program that featured a growing collection of international art publications made available to the public. In addition to displaying up to a hundred publications for browsing, the Kadist Reading Room also provided coffee and a place to sit, read, and converse. Because the space is small with limited storage, and used for multiple functions the furniture had to be compact and easy to rearrange and store.

I designed a set of lean-to displays and a collapsible A-frame for the publications, and a set of tables and benches with scissoring legs that folded flat. I decided to juxtapose those forms with materials I associated with traditional libraries: hardwood, upholstery, and brass fittings. The original design also called for folding chairs and braided rugs that were never realized.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_01.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Sketch-up model.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_02.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

A-frame publications display in foreground; lean-to display in background. Light fixtures designed by Tom Dixon.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_09.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

A-frame publications display.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_10.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Detail of A-frame publications display.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_03.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Scissor table and bench in foreground; lean-to publications display in background. Light fixtures designed by Tom Dixon.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_07.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Lean-to publications display.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_08.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Detail of lean-to publications display.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_04.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Overview of the reading room with visitors.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_05.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Visitors exploring the publications.

 
https://scottoliverworks.com:443/files/gimgs/th-19_kadist_reading_room_web_06.jpg
Kadist Reading Room

Detail of scissor bench. Cushion upholstery designed by Alexander Girard.