adjustable desk
Alex TimmerMilwaukee, WI
2022
This adjustable desk, inspired by the shifting geometries of an Erwin Hauer screen, transforms its visual composition as the user changes its height. Rather than treating adjustability as a purely functional feature, the design embraces motion as an aesthetic and spatial experience. As the desk rises or lowers, the layered elements slide past one another, revealing new alignments, overlaps, and shadow patterns. Throughout the day, the desk becomes a quietly dynamic object—its appearance never fixed, always responding to the user’s posture, task, and movement.
The desk is constructed from Baltic Birch plywood, chosen for its structural stability, fine grain, and ability to hold crisp, clean edges. The layered construction echoes the perforated continuity of Hauer’s sculptural screens, translating their fluid, interlocking logic into a functional piece of furniture. When the desk shifts height, these layers visually recombine, creating a series of evolving compositions that animate the workspace.