Blog Comments

http://ides2161yvonnesha.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/favum-new-kitchen-storage-experience.html

http://vindustriald.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/biodesign-pelapo.html?showComment=1332808537211#c7942029591071490608

http://tomloefler.posterous.com/

http://ttinging.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/project-one-bio-inspired-storage.html?showComment=1332809295052#c3700384247799285173

http://akiwei.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/model-project-one.html?showComment=1332809425239#c2897594064894982132

Proj 2.

Rationale

For this brief I had to develop a bio inspired domestic storage system by looking at how nature storage systems work. For my area of storage I focused on kitchen bench top storage. To do this I had to look into a range of different items that are commonly stored along the bench tops, these include spatulas, wooden spoons, vegetable such as onions, garlics, tomato’s as well as herbs and spices and salt and pepper. With so many different items being stored on kitchen bench tops I knew that my product would have to cater to at least a range of these items. By looking at how nature would store these sorts of items I came along a source of inspiration from an insect known as a lacewing, the insect goes about storing its eggs on the undersides of leaves from a thin strand of silk to protect them. This gave me the idea to create a storage unit that is elevated from the bench tops by hanging from the under sides of a kitchen cabinet. My concept consists of three hanging pod like forms, carrying on from the natural inspiration for a concept these shapes take on quite organic and natural forms. Each pod like piece holds a different kitchen item. The longest and thinnest pod stores wooden spoons, spatulas and ladles. The widest pod is for fruit and vegetables that can be stored out in the open, it will fit food such as onions, tomatoes and garlic. The smallest pod, which has two separated bowls, is for storing cooking salts and pepper or herbs of the users choice. The benefits of having an elevated storage system means in medium to high density living small kitchens will have increased bench space to work with. These hanging storage units are not only a functional item for the kitchen but are also meant to have decorative value. The final product will be made from clay as it gives the user the feel of preciousness and delicateness, as well as being aesthetically appealing for kitchen type environment. Clay also has the strong ability to absorb moisture, this benefits the storage of fruits, vegetable, herbs and spices by absorbing any excess moisture and keeping those items fresher for longer. Assembly is easy as the timber rests on hooks that have adhesive bottoms that stick directly onto the underside of a cabinet. If no area underneath a cabinet can be used for hanging these items the adhesive hooks can also be directly placed onto the wall. This product will be manufactured from clay using a slip casting method, this involves using a plaster cast for the clay to be to put into.

I have not uploaded my technical drawing as it has to be re submitted.

Truth

An Inconvenient Truth

This movie displays the nature in which humans interact with our environment and the problems it poses. Starring Al Gore he takes us through our polluting habits and the damage it is causing to the atmosphere and the overall warming affect it will have on the earth. He uses many examples of how human involvement has caused the melting of glaciers, warming of seas, increased flooding and drought and how all of these relate back to human interference. These are all due to humans increasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere through pollution and energy consumption.  Al Gore demonstrates how warming oceans have even caused storms to increase in intensity and how heat waves are becoming more and more prominent. Global warming effects are even being seen in natures natural life cycles with populations of birds that rely on certain worms to be born similar times are now being seen much earlier in the year. Developing nations as well as the USA are some of the highest contributors to Co2 emissions. Many have tried to pass global warming off as a theory rather than fact in the public limelight however global warming is scientifically recognized as fact and due to human involvement. Al Gore preaches at the end that we need to take a stand, we have the technologies and resources to reduce such emissions.  He places great importance on the fact that we must look to renewable resources and choices for the future to cut carbon emissions to zero. This incredibly relevant for industrial designers as they are the ones responsible for the production, manufacture and designs that are used on a major scale. Industrial designers need to think very hard before they take a product to the market on how they may reduce wastage, carbon emissions and how a product may in turn be recycled to be used again. In the 21^st century these are some of the most important factors that will go in our designs such as “how can we make this product from cradle to cradle” to breath new life into old, obsolescent products. After watching An Inconvenient Truth, as a designer I will be much more conscious about the materials, manufacturing processes and packaging I incorporate into my products as well as this recycling and the reuse of the products I design will also be a major factor. Al Gore for world president!!

Bill Moggridge: what is design

Bill Morridge talk on design is very influencial. He talks about the importance of design and that it can be found in  everything. He also talks about the importance of design in future generations. Bill starts out by stating that to create good designs we need to first be able to recognise bad design. There is also emphasis on the design porcess, and how it varies with each and every person and there personal situation. Bill talks about several factors involved with the process; constraints, synthesis, framing, ideation, envisioning, uncertainty, selection, visualisation, prototyping, education. He places emphasis on not using these factors as a step by step process rather taking all into account. To design succesfully Bill says you must put yourself in the consumers shoes. This involves knowing the customers needs and testing constantly with prototyping and sketching to communicate ideas successfully. Bill also expresses how expensive prototyping should only be invested in at the very final stages of the design process. An extremely important concept Bill puts forward is that design is changing and this is due to resource exhaustion. As products become more impotant in our every day lives, bill suggests that our products need to go one step further and be helpful rather than just looking pretty. After watching this talk I have found  a few main concepts that really connect with me as a new generation designer one of which being the design process. As a learning designer this is a concept I am slowly coming to grips with and am learning very quickly that to ensure good design this process can be forced or rushed. A lot of big companies I feel do not appreciate this process and continue to turn out bad design or just imitation of good design that has seen such a process. I feel that this process is an extremely necessary part of creating good, smart and considered design rather than some fancy looking product that doesn’t function well and is environmentally damaging. The other key concept in this video that will have a great impact up on my future career in design in fact all designers’ futures in the design industry is the issue of sustainability. As bill rightly says with diminishing resources we as designers will be forced to look at our own way of designing and use of materials and will be forced to head in a direction of minimal material usage and also material re-usage.

comments project two

http://ides1031alexanderjackson.blogspot.com/2011/10/upcycled-light-design.html?showComment=1318930110303#c2729435443345007880

http://mad-attic.blogspot.com/2011/10/upcycling-project-2.html?showComment=1318930276020#c6947360032844951258

http://edricides1122.blogspot.com/2011/10/upcycling-unwanteds.html?showComment=1318930406363#c3076650260415845789

http://2011jj.blogspot.com/2011/10/poject-2.html?showComment=1318930592199#c8694871184811167229

http://tomloefler.posterous.com/

Sketch (only one i could find leftover)

Project two: Upcycling

Shinto Lamp Rationale

Using mostly JCDecaux polypropylene posters, the Shinto lamp is prime example of an up cycled product. Shinto is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people, my product was deeply inspired by the shrines, temples and pagodas of Japan. Exhibiting a tapering like tower shape towards the peak of the lamp it resembles the traditional pagoda style architecture that can be seen in Japan today. The lamp itself also has a somewhat floral and leaf like structure providing an organic atmosphere. Through this product I have been able to explore the relationship between industrial design and ecological sustainability through the reuse of an otherwise useless end of life product and material to minimize waste generation. As well as using discarded polypropylene posters, I have also recycled another material in my design, for every 2 leaves in my design I have used two spacers to separate the next two, after using many other methods of spacing (including spacers fashioned from the posters) I found the I could reuse old water tubing that had holes or deficiencies in them, these function perfectly as they are the exact diameter needed to fit round the wiring of the lamp. The polypropylene posters and spacers have been up cycled into a flat packable, easily assembled lamp that would be affordable, sophisticated and elegant for the home user. As one entire poster (1800 x 1200) can be used to make one lamp much raw material has been diverted from becoming waste material and ending up in landfill. The Shape used is also quite versatile and can be flipped with ease to reveal the either side of the poster, allowing the user to have crisp, plain white light or an exciting and vibrant light covered with patterns from the original posters.