CLIVE Stools

Oxford Brookes University

Old student beds get new lease of life as part of large accommodation refurbishment

Small wooden stool with a slatted seat and curved legs, on a plain white background.
Stacked light-colored wooden chairs with curved legs on a white background.

In 2022, as part of a large refurbishment project at Oxford Brookes University, five housing blocks were demolished, and the contents of 250 student bedrooms were deemed waste. What initially seemed like a huge amount of perfectly good material waiting to be sent to landfill, was turned around into a circular story with the involvement of Christoph Studio.  

The uniformity of the furniture across the student rooms proved to be an advantage in this case. With identical items in each room, the materials were predictable in terms of dimensions, appearance, and quality and allowed for a reliable and consistent pool of resources to work with. 

A bed with a loose blue mattress on a wooden frame against a white wall and blue carpeted floor.
A small, simple bedroom with a single bed and a mattress, a wooden desk, a black ergonomic office chair, a wooden three-drawer bedside table with a small desk lamp, a window in the sloped ceiling, a small wall-mounted shelf, and a trash bin.

After initial studying of the materials available and creating a whole range of prototypes for review with university staff, Christoph Studio was commissioned to create new seating for the main campus and for the newly built student accommodations.

Re-using the beautifully curved and laminated bed leg components, led to the design of a stackable, light-weight yet sturdy stool, dubbed the CLIVE stool named after the student accommodation Clive Booth student village.  

Disorganized pile of wooden chairs and small tables in a room with blue flooring and a window with a blue curtain.
Three wooden furniture pieces, including a rectangular frame, a small chair with a slatted seat, and a bentwood coat hanger.

Using sharp rotary blades to remove old lacquer and stains from the materials reveals the fresh layer of beautiful Beech wood underneath, which is then sanded and re-finished with a natural hard wax oil. The joinery used to connect all components is called a Mortice and Tenon and is a highly rigid joinery method, to endure the everyday impact of student use and abuse.  

“It has been amazing to see our old student beds getting saved and cleverly reused for new stools. This is effective and impactful. Working with Christoph has been a joy and seeing his drive to make refurbishment projects environmentally friendlier is extremely well received amongst students and staff. ”
— Peter Thompson, Head of Space Planning, Oxford Brookes University
Interior of a modern café or deli with a counter on the right labeled 'The Deli', a row of wooden stools along a blue counter on the left, and a display case with baked goods and snacks in the background. A person in a dark shirt and apron is working behind the counter.
Nine wooden stools arranged in a row in front of a long countertop in a modern, institutional space with a large whiteboard or display on the wall behind.
Two wooden chairs with flat slatted seats and curved armrests, positioned next to a light-colored table on a weathered wooden deck.
Multiple wooden chairs with curved armrests and slatted seats arranged on a concrete floor in a warehouse or workshop.
A wooden stool with a woven top sits on a worn concrete floor. Part of another wooden furniture piece is visible in the top left corner.
Multiple wooden planters stacked in a room near a window with blue curtains.
Stacked light-colored wooden chairs with curved legs on a white background.
Three people standing in an office or classroom holding wooden chairs.

The CLIVE Stool is also available in the shop.

Shop