Auto-Pilot: A Sinuous, Practical Desk

Material Furniture’s “Knock-Down/Drag-Out” line premiered at the 2003 ICFF, and the company’s sinuous Auto-Pilot Desk is a fresh addition to this very practical collection.

Christopher Douglas designed the Auto-Pilot with room in mind. “I couldn’t find a good full-sized desk anywhere,” he says. “You know, one that could accommodate a monitor, lamp, printer, and paper on its surface. Those that I saw all looked like big, uncomfortable slabs. So, inspired by those slot-together dinosaurs, I came up with this one.”

Auto-Pilot is constructed of maple (in a clear or dark walnut finish) with a laminate insert desktop, available in white or three snappy colors. The piece features an adjustable keyboard tray with room for a mouse, and its back edge provides a multi-purpose handle. “You can use the handle for transporting the desk, but it also holds all those annoying computer cords,” Douglas says.

The creative leg construction lends strength and stability to the desk. “The legs’ configuration mirrors the design of a suspension bridge,” continues Douglas. “The legs are canted inward against a yoke-shaped bridge. This makes the Auto-Pilot really strong, and there are no middle legs to get in the way. You just see nice curves,” he says with a smile.