Chris Richard, Jarrah Desk (Student Awards 2018)

I used a combination of traditional and modern techniques to build a strong, durable and beautiful heirloom desk. So the desk reflects its place of origin I made it from native Australian hardwoods incorporating the jarrah boards that were given to me by my Grandparents. The desk can be broken down into smaller components to be moved, which is important as it weighs 120kg. I designed the desk using CAD featuring the properties of eucalypts from the grain pattern to the leaf shape handles on the drawers, creating a modern yet timeless piece of furniture. The desk is much bigger than my current desk and will be more comfortable to use because of the design features and research I undertook into ergonomics. A key feature is the functionality of the pedestals, each with four dovetail drawers of varying sizes. The side panels are a post and rail construction using 36 mortise and tenon joins with half laps on the stiles. I enjoyed using CNC to produce an inlay that accentuates the desk’s design, and accessing it at a local Makerspace was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the local maker community. I turned a pen, complementing the desk and tying the project together. Year 12, Carlingford High School, NSW. Teacher: Alex Stewart

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