Earthquake-resilient Classroom Table

The ‘Earthquake-Resilient Classroom Table’ (or E.R.C.T for short) is the final product output for a Master’s degree in Design Innovation (specializing in Industrial Design). It represents a culmination of extensive inquiry, conceptualization and product development undertaken in parallel with a written thesis and its design process was informed by intensive research conducted with children and school staff.

Created specifically for use in contemporary New Zealand primary school classrooms, the E.R.C.T seeks to mitigate the negative impacts of earthquakes by providing a means of increased physical protection in seismic events and by facilitating earthquake safety education according to established practices employed in national schools. As well as the inclusion of ‘crumple zones’ to absorb heavy impacts, the full-scale prototype has been integrated with other innovative features such as instructional graphic imagery and quake-triggered LED lighting. These features are intended to pre-emptively foster earthquake resilience amongst schoolchildren and to reinforce their awareness and understanding of the Drop, Cover, Hold safety procedure.

The E.R.C.T has been systematically designed not only to positively augment these earthquake-related functions, but also to be appropriate for day-to-day use in any New Zealand primary school classroom by fulfilling basic utilities such as the ability to accommodate both large and small group sizes, and suitability for use in a wide range of classroom activities. The tabletop and steel frame can be easily separated for storage, relocation, maintenance, or replacement of individual components as necessary. Multiple frames can also be stacked together when the tabletops are detached.

[2016-2017, Victoria University of Wellington]

Thesis Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10063/6783