Designing New Furniture for Roundhouse Museum

Kids Kabin members from Cowgate have been working with North Tyne Youth and Designers from Northumbria Uni to create a new set of furniture for the Roundhouse Museum in Rochester. 

Part of the Making History project, the furniture designs were inspired by things our young participants had seen or found on a visit to Bremenium, a local Roman Fort, with Redesdale Archaeology Group (RAG). 

Matthew, NTY member ‘Our table made it into the exhibition!' He was delighted that their cardboard table made it into “real life”’

Firstly, young people built their ideas from cardboard boxes, and explained what each piece was for. Researchers from Northumbria then turned these into finished pieces, built in plywood. Each piece also features carved oak panels, designed by the young people. These individual pieces were all based on Roman themes and finds on the digs they had done. The final products were designed with children in mind, with a low-height table and a ‘tunnel’ and hidey holes that would spark the curiosity of young people. 

Henry Collingham, Senior Research Fellow at Northumbria School of Design, said “I love making work this way, the furniture pieces are so unique and fit for purpose. I would never have come up with these ideas myself, it’s gorgeous to see the museum through young people’s eyes and bring their ideas to life!” 

Leila’s original idea, for an angled display cabinet. 

The finished piece, featuring a carving of ‘King Greg’ and a floral background, designed by Bronwyn, 11 and Faith, 10.

Members from each group got together to unveil and celebrate the young people’s hard work on the project and see how it’s all come together.  

Catherine Coats from North Tyne Youth said, "North Tyne Youth and Kids Kabin have had the opportunity to come together, this has led them to form new connections with young people living  in areas very different to their daily surroundings. There has been an eagerness form the NTY Young People to get together with Kids Kabin to have fun and be creative together. The young people connecting and working together happened over the duration of the project, taking part together in a variety of activities, the project being extended was a bonus as it gave more opportunities for them to build on these connections.

Being in the Roundhouse and having an image on the wall of a coin, and the person who found the coin there to tell the story, that was magic - and inspiring for the Young People.” 

The group outside the Roundhouse Museum in Rochester

North Tyne Youth, the Youth Work Team and Young People are looking forward to an ongoing connection, friendship and opportunities to get together with the partners in this project.

The young people’s furniture is on permanent display at The Roundhouse Museum, so if you’re in the area make sure you pay a visit and go to see their inspiring work!