Paediatric Chair / Co-creation
Co-creative design process for Design without Borders (Norway)
18-month project comissioned by Design without Borders (Norway).
Worked alongside other designers and Disabled wheelchair technicians in
Guatemala (Transitions Foundation) to develop a new pediatric wheelchair
adapted for children with special needs in Developing countries.
Capacity building workshops with technicians were ran, ranging from
basic sketching/idedation, to technical drawing, to CAD Drawing. The
team of designers aimed to create knowledge transfer to the local NGO
through research exercises and activities.
After extensive market research, a team effort of sketching an ideation lead to
over 200 sketches/ideas.After the initial ideation, Juan Carlos took the collective
sketching effort into basic 3d models, in an effort to emphasize to the workshop's
technicians the importance of technology and visualization tools.
Ideas from different team members were combined into over a dozen different
wheelchair variations.The final pre-production prototypes feature a tilt-in-space
reclining mechanism, ideal for children with cerebral palsy and other conditions
where posture change and weight transfer throghout the day is vital.
Made out of carbon steel and utilizing bicycle components, these
wheelchairs are rugged, and easy to maintain and repair. They are also
built with simple hand tools and standard welding processes.
The contoured seats maintain correct posture for the child, keeping
the back straight and the legs parallel to each other.The upholstery is
made with traditional, hand-woven mayan textiles from Guatemala.
This model was featured in the "Design without Borders" exposition,
at the Design and Architecture Foundation of Norway center in
Oslo, Norway - October 2012.
Pilot production has begun in Guatemala, by the Transitions
Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to aid disabled
Guatemalans in need.
