This project began with a deceptively simple question: how might we create a pediatric wheelchair that could be fabricated and maintained locally, without sacrificing clinical functionality or dignity for the child? Sponsored by Design Without Borders (Norway) and carried out in close collaboration with the Transitions Foundation of Guatemala, we developed a tilt-in-space pediatric wheelchair designed specifically for fabrication within Guatemala, using accessible materials and the workshop tools already in use at Transitions.

From the beginning, this was a co-creation project. Rather than designing in isolation, we facilitated a series of sketching and CAD workshops with Transitions’ technicians, many of whom are wheelchair users themselves. These sessions allowed us to share tools, exchange knowledge, and iterate on ideas together, ensuring that the final design reflected both clinical requirements and the lived experience of the people who would build, repair, and ultimately rely on the chair.

But building the chair was only half the story. To fully support Transitions’ model of community-based rehabilitation and vocational training, we also created a fully illustrated assembly and maintenance manual. This resource was designed to serve multiple purposes: as an instructional guide, a training tool for new fabricators, and a visual reference for therapists and caregivers. It uses simplified language, exploded diagrams, and locally relevant terminology to ensure accessibility across a wide range of reading and technical skill levels. Together, the chair and manual form a replicable design system, one that empowers Guatemalan makers to not only meet a local need but to own the knowledge behind the solution.