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IsokonLive projectFurniture

The Port

A portable device stand with storage, developed with Isokon for the daily ritual of setting up and packing away a workspace in small shared homes.

The Port in birch plywood, photographed in the studio on a white background
Problem
In small shared homes a workspace is set up and packed away every day, and devices, keyboards and cables have nowhere to live.
Approach
Researched Isokon’s bent-ply heritage and workshop, iterated storage layouts in sketches and CAD, then tested full-size prototypes with real devices.
Outcome
Aeroply formed around a plywood core, holding laptops and tablets at 25° and rotating upright to store keyboards, cables and devices.
Role
Designer & maker
Timeline
Live project
Team
Isokon
Tools
Sketching, CAD, Rendering, Card prototyping

Skills

  • Field research
  • Ergonomics
  • Prototyping
  • User testing
  • Technical drawing

Phases

  1. 01Research
  2. 02Ideate
  3. 03Prototype
  4. 04Test
  5. 05Refine

01 / Research

Learning from Isokon’s bent plywood.

Studying Isokon pieces such as the Donkey, and visiting their manufacturing workshop, showed how bent ply creates strong, continuous forms that also store things.

  • Isokon bent-ply side table with shelves
  • The Isokon Donkey bookcase holding books
  • Isokon armchair with bent-ply side storage
  • Bent-ply pieces on the workshop floor
  • Plywood chairs and a stool in the workshop
  • CNC-cut plywood sheets in the workshop
  • A bent-ply lounge chair beside stacked formers
  • Isokon long chair in a living room

02 / Ideation

Sketching storage, then testing it in CAD.

Sketches explored how one folded surface could hold a device and store accessories. CAD iterations compared shelves, dividers and handle cut-outs.

Line sketches of folded device stand concepts
  • CAD iteration 1 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 2 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 3 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 4 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 5 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 6 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 7 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 8 of the stand’s storage layout
  • CAD iteration 9 of the stand’s storage layout

03 / Prototypes

Full-size prototypes in card.

Developmental prototypes at 1:1 tested how much the form could store, and where the device lip should sit.

The most resolved card prototype with handle cut-out
  • Early card prototype with a single divider
  • Card prototype with a rolled device lip
  • Card prototype with a shelf and short lip
  • Card prototype with a deeper shelf

04 / User testing

Testing with real devices and real hands.

People used it with a drawing tablet, a laptop and keyboard, and an iPad, then carried it packed. I iterated on function and ergonomics after each round.

  • Drawing on a pen tablet resting on the stand
  • Typing on a keyboard with a laptop on the stand
  • Carrying the packed stand, and an iPad resting on it

05 / Technical

One continuous form, dimensioned.

Technical drawing
Plan, side, front and isometric drawings of The Port with dimensions
Working angle
25°
Working angle
Footprint
318 × 300 mm
Footprint
Height when working
149 mm
Height when working
  • Render of The Port in its working orientation
  • Render of The Port in its upright storage orientation

Final CAD renders, working and upright.

06 / Outcome

Work flat, store upright, carry anywhere.

  • The Port lying flat with a keyboard, mouse and charger stored inside

    Working: devices rest at 25°

  • The Port standing upright with a keyboard stored inside

    Stored: rotated upright

  • Carrying The Port down the street by its handle

    Carried: everything packed in one

A laptop on The Port in birch plywood on a desk by a window

In use: birch plywood at the desk.

  1. 01

    Aeroply over plywood

    Flexible aeroply is formed around a plywood core, in the spirit of Isokon’s bent ply.

  2. 02

    A 25° working angle

    Supports a wide range of laptops and tablets at a comfortable angle.

  3. 03

    Rotates to store

    Turned upright, it stands vertically and holds keyboards, cables and devices.