POP-UP REPAIR SHOP
CLIENT: Form&Seek, Wasserman Projects
LOCATION: DETROIT, MI
YEAR: 2020
Pop Up Repair Shop / Unlearning Studies is a two-part design-as-social-practice / design charrette combined into one installation piece. Pop-Up Repair Shop is a free furniture repair service that we offered to our surrounding communities. We put up flyers calling for people to send us photos of broken furniture that they would like to have repaired. We then selected seven pieces of furniture and surveyed each client on their desired functionality and aesthetics of the repaired piece. Thinking creatively about the memories and desires of every day objects, the interventions playfully reimagined the objects for the future. These photos show some of the repaired pieces throughout the process of transformation and after they’ve been returned to the owner’s homes.
Pop Up Repair Shop was exhibited at Never Normal, curated by Form&Seek at Wasserman Projects from September to December 2020.
Baby Angel Table for Eleni
Eleni found the small table among other furniture when they moved into their current house in Detroit. The piece needed repairs to the broken cross beam, loose joints, and a missing apron. The intricate carving subtracted a lot of useable area from the tabletop so we decided to introduce a flat floating shelf below by using the opening provided by the missing apron.
Jewel Desk for Heather, Diane, & Bisbee
Heather inherited the mid 1920’s desk from a friend who was returning to Spain. The piece needed repairs to the damaged top and legs, new hardware to replace the missing knobs, and a new finish. We applied a cerused ombre finish to the new oak top and painted pops of color to the wooden gems along the front and back.
Rockin’ Chair for Josh & Hailey
Josh and Hailey found the rocking chair in the basment of their new home six years ago. This Arts & Crafts chair needed the entire seat and back replaced and a new coat of wax. To give the rocking chair a new look that was fresh and a little radical, we selected a graphic fabric with neon yellow tacks and supported the back with contrasting webbing.
Grandpa’s Game Table for the Propson Family
The game table has been in this chess-loving family for over four generations and had recently received water damage along the intricately veneered wood surface.We cleaned, mathced, and replaced the damaged wood veneer, re-stained, polished the top surface and reattached the broken foot to the pedestal base of the table.
Curly Pew for Yulya & Reuben
Ruben and Yulya purchased the pew from Woodward Throwbacks a year ago with the hopes to re-stain and stabilize one of the loose legs. We stripped all the paint on the bench to expose the wood below and sealed it with a warm finish. Bright colors were applied to the warm finish. Bright colors were applied to the restructured sides. Seated alongside their dining room table the pew is already a family favorite.
Pink Velvet Couch for Grace
Grace inherited the pink couch when an ex moved out, complete with warm memories, a few torn cushions, and shredded fringe courtesy of their puppy. We sewed up the holes, restructured the webbing and springs below, and replaced the damaged trim with a contrasting burgundy to create an expressive touch to complement this graphic designer’s aesthetic.
TEAM
Elise Dechard, Kapish Cheema, Sophie Yan, Sarah Wondrak, Josué Fierro, Joy Wang, Wesley Camp, Olivia Holt
PRESS
https://www.sightunseen.com/2020/11/never-normal-wasserman-projects-cranbrook-academy-detroit/
