Ella Westlund is a Swedish product & furniture designer aiming to create a better living environment for everyone through inclusive design. Having worked with and been around people with disabilities her whole life she has witnessed the lack of well designed products that are created with disabilities in mind. During her final year at Beckmans college of design Ella set out to create inclusive furniture that does not sacrifice aesthetics. She is currently using her design education to create specialized products that really can make a change and not only help people through function but also lift their spirits through design.
Project: Be a part of
“My sister has Down’s syndrome so I know how important it is to be able to exchange experiences with other people. And so I have created a space where families of people with functional variations can share their experiences and support each other.
While my sister has been growing up our family has been able to visit Korallen which is a centre for stimulating the senses in which children with functional variations and their families can spend time together in a secure setting. The centre provides opportunities for playing, experiencing, communicating and just being. As an attendant, as a leader at LSS camps and in encounters with my sister’s friends and their families, I have come to realize how important it is for family members to be able to talk to others in a similar situation. I know that these meetings can have a positive influence on the lives of both families and for those with functional variations. This has resulted in my designing a sofa for Korallen which is intended to let us look each other in the eye. It can be used, for example, by a child’s parents when they have not had time to talk to each other for a long period, or by two people who don’t know each other but who can meet in a safe environment. The gap in the middle of the sofa makes it possible for children sitting in a wheelchair to be surrounded by their loved ones. I believe that, with a sofa that radiates security, I can help people to help each other. “