Earthquake-Resistant School Desk

Structural reinforcement of schools that are not earthquake-resistant can save lives, but many at-risk countries lack the necessary resources. As an interim solution, students are trained to take cover under desks—yet standard classroom desks often provide inadequate protection. To address this, a specially designed desk was developed to shield students during earthquakes and to create “rescue tunnels” for emergency teams.

The project began as a graduation project in the Department of Industrial Design at Bezalel, later evolving into a commercial initiative and eventually becoming an international non-profit endeavor. After two years of research and development in Israel, the desk was tested at the Structural Engineering Institute of the University of Padua in Italy, receiving a professional report validating its life-saving effectiveness in a wide range of collapse scenarios. Since then, the desk has won design awards, been exhibited globally, and was acquired for the permanent collection of MoMA in New York.

Over the years, and as part of a strategy to distribute the desk to the communities most in need, a method was developed for implementing the desk in high-risk countries. This effort involved collaboration with NGOs, local manufacturers, government agencies ,engineering firms, and academic institutions. A comprehensive training system was created, including illustrated manuals, support for sourcing production materials, welding jig construction, training of engineers for safety testing, and facilitation between local governments and manufacturers.

A multi-phase project was successfully completed in Bhutan (2016-2018), while a similar project in Haiti was initiated but suspended due to political instability. Since 2023, a large-scale development and implementation program is underway in Nepal, focusing on high-risk areas in the western part of the country.

The international engineering firm ARUP created a digital simulator for the project, which in 2025 enabled the development of a new primary school desk model, the addition of side protections, and an expanded range of materials.

The Earthquake-Resistant Desk project is a collaboration between the RDFD Group at Bezalel, co-inventor Arthur Brutter, GHI – Geohazards International, NSET – National Society for Earthquake Technology–Nepal, ARUP International, and academic institutions, government ministries, and local authorities in Bhutan, Haiti, and Nepal.