For most of us, it’s easy to scooch our chair forwards to a table, or slide it backwards to get up. But French architect Carlos Barba has observed that task is difficult for the elderly or disabled. He thus designed this Walking Chair, which uses simple physics to ease the task.
As a demonstration, here’s a person with an injured foot trying it:
“The Walking Chair is an invention that allows a person to move to a table without getting up, thanks to a tilting mechanism activated by rotating the armrests. Designed for the elderly or people with reduced mobility, it promotes independence and activity.
“The prototype uses spruce and recycled wood and can be adapted to existing chairs, contributing to the circular economy and waste recovery. This product is simple to manufacture and accessible to everyone.”
Barba worked up the prototypes with the assistance of carpenter Sacha Teillac. The chair was exhibited at last year’s Paris Design Week, but at press time Barba had announced no production plans.