My name is MaKayla Koon and I am a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Spanish. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from UK in December of 2023, I began working full time at Omni Architects here in Lexington, Kentucky where I am taking a year to work and gain valuable, real-world experience at a firm prior to continuing my graduate studies in Fall of 2025.
Fluidity Within Rigidity was my final project for ARC 499 Topics in Architecture: Furniture Workshop, which I took last fall through the College of Design. My professor, Jill Leckner, prompted my classmates and I to pick a furniture typology to research, such as case goods, seating, or accent furniture. Leveraging our research, we were to design and fabricate our own full-scale piece of furniture. I decided to explore case goods design, hoping to create a piece that could serve both an aesthetic as well as functional purpose.
To begin the design process, I thought through the conceptual qualities I wanted my cabinet to have. I knew I wanted it to be used for display and storage as well as be easily adaptable to function as a coffee bar, entry table, etc. Once I thought through these big picture ideas, I began thinking about the designed aesthetic goals. These goals included adjustable shelving, contrasting materiality, and implementing a concept of semi transparency via a single sliding door. After brainstorming these big picture ideas, I began the real design work. Inspired by mid-century modern design, I leaned into streamlined forms, natural materials, and maximizing functionality. After a series of sketches (shown below) I chose which design to pursue.
Once the first round of design was done, fabrication began. For midterm, we were to fabricate half-scale models of our furniture pieces, thinking through how we would actually build the full-size versions of them. This included thinking through the joinery and fabrication techniques we would be using (see below).
After modeling my prototype on the computer, I was ready to begin fabrication. Using the CNC machine to cut out my cabinet faces from plywood, I mocked up my half scale cabinet (see below).
Following our midterm, my professor attained some reclaimed hardwood from the Campus Wood Program for our class to use. Taking advantage of this great opportunity and the availability of quality materials, I pivoted from CNC plywood fabrication to more traditional woodworking techniques working with walnut hardwood. This involved taking the processed wood from its rough natural state to usable boards to then be glued, joined, and finished into my cabinet as it is today. Below are some process pictures.
Following the semester, my professor encouraged my peers and I to submit our projects to the national Design Emphasis Student Furniture Competition held in Atlanta, Georgia at the International Woodworking Fair (IWF). After two rounds of review by a panel of judges, my cabinet was selected as a finalist for the competition. At the end of July, my cabinet and I went to Atlanta to be judged against other finalists. It was an invaluable experience and amazing honor to be considered alongside such talented designers.
Overall, my time designing, fabricating, and sharing my cabinet has been an exceptional experience and it has given me some great opportunities. My professor and the support of the College of Design Fabrication Lab Workers were invaluable throughout the entire process and I am very thankful for all of their help and encouragement.