klaus geiger converts apple power mac G5s into contemporary furniture

klaus geiger converts apple power mac G5s into contemporary furniture
all images courtesy of klaus geiger

the aluminum case design of the ‘apple G5 power mac’ was revolutionary. with its smooth aluminum chassis, it announced itself as the first 64-bit PC at steve jobs’ 2003 keynote presentation. nearly ten years of production ended with a non-updateable system software. as a creative who was working with these machines from the beginning to the end, it was impossible for klaus geiger to put them in the garbage. eventually, he decided to give them a second life through a project called ‘benchmarc’.

two G5 power mac cases with wooden board 

all of the electronic parts that contributed to their original technological purposes were completely removed and substituted with a horizontal or a vertical drawer depending on use. for each piece geiger utilizes the existing surface language of the housing to an advantage. in order form a bench, a seat made of solid wood engages the void between the handles. by shaping the panel with a filleted edge, the legibility of the components as one unified construct is increased. for the container, two bodies are stacked together to function as movable storage units beneath a glass tabletop. geiger sees the potential to upcycle these remnants into other furnishings, combining the cases into modular structural systems.

view of an open horizontal drawer

bench and container

side view

two versions

front view of the short bench

the cases have been hollowed out

the wood follows the filleted edge of the body

bench detail 

conference table

rendering of office furniture possiblities

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.