737 and 707 Rolling Files:

The inspiration for the 737 and 707 carts comes from the carts used to serve food and beverages on airplanes, in particular, those of the 60s and 70s era air travel. Built for function almost exclusively, these carts had an aesthetic and proportion like no other furniture or similar equipment (tall, narrow, and long).

The 737 cart is modeled after these unusual, but oddly familiar, porportions, creating a rolling file that efficiently uses space, doubles as a counter-top, and is reminiscent of airline travel. Some of the features of this design include the following:

The bar cart versions of these carts have been prototyped, including more shelves, flat shelves, and glass racks underneath.

 

The 707 carts use the same materials and construction but mimic the more traditional proportion of office rolling files. The features are almost identical, though the 707 carts cannot be used as a wet car or counter top since their height is significantly lower than the 737 model. However, the 707 carts are designed to fit easily under traditional desks.

Construction of both series of carts is very simple, owing to the formation of the cart box from a simple, single sheet of perforated metal (either stainless steel or aluminum). Framing, slide rails, door hinges, and wheels are easily soldered onto this box. The doors are varied with one being solid while the other being perforated, allowing customers to create patterns by alternating them front-to-back. Manufacturing should be simple and quick since the pat and materials are few and the manufacturing processes are simple and well-understood.

PDF plans

Designed by Nathan Shedroff and Walter Craven of Blank + Cables in San Francisco.

2000

 

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