Recently, I dug up an old application, GTK Radiant. It’s an application used for creating videogame maps. Specifically, I used Radiant for making maps of the 12 year-old Quake 3 Arena. Oddly enough, I still think the feel of Q3A is better than most first person shooters even today. But that’s beside the point. I’m making a desk. When I sat down to think about what I was going to make, I really wanted to create something more complex and fancy than I had done in the past. Thus, the use of GTK Radiant as a fast and familiar 3D modeling agent to get my idea from paper to screen to start planning.

In 2006, I created a 22 foot “suspended” work-bench style computer desk, with space for my audio-production equipment, nerd gadgets, etc… and then some. But it wasn’t a desk as much as it was a simple workbench of my wares.

Now, it’s 2011 and time for a little upgrade:

The floating piece in the center is a simple lid, to cover the keyboard and mouse. It’s to be flush with the top of the desk. This will allow me to use the space for stuff when I’m not using the computer. If you look a bit closer, you’ll notice a dark sliver on the underside of the desk (to the right) of  the keyboard area. This is for lid storage, and will also allow for it to be used as a slide-out piece if needed.

The sloped bit there on the left is for my 12-channel Mackie. Love that thing, it’s been in storage for too long.

The above image illustrates the keyboard section a bit better. You’ll also notice a trench of sorts running elevated along the back. This will house a 3 to 4 foot powerstrip. Cables will run up under the gaps at the bottom of the elevated housing. I’m not a huge fan of cables all over the place, nor do I like them being hard to get to. Also, having them on top of the desk gives me a small shelf across the back for speakers or whatever, as it will have a door attached to the top, attached with hinges.

Since most “paper inboxes” at office stores look like crap, I decided that integrating one into the desk is the best way to go about it. I tend to keep actionable paper-items from the post in them, so it needs to be pronounced in the workspace so, in my infinite wisdom, I don’t forget. This image also displays my hard-on for symmetry.

04.21.11 • posted in: Creativity