Experience City - 28/1/2020
When I reviewed my primary research. I realized that I missed an important part.
I enjoy walking. However, because I was walking alone at night, the unsettling feeling distracts me from fully experiencing the journey. This is actually a great starting point. I could design an app that helps people feel safer when they have to go out alone at night.
Experience City - 21/1/2020
Experience City - 21/1/2020
My research task is to walk for at least 2 hours and explore new places in the city. My journey starts at Archway and ends at Baker Street. I identified some pain points and some decision points. the main decision point is to choose the route: a route with interesting shops, a route that follows tube stations or the main road? The pain points are mostly concentrated at the beginning of the walk. I was worried about my phone being stolen or being stabbed by some random people. Furthermore, I had to check my phone constantly to see the direction but I still walked on the wrong path. I feel safer as I was closer to central London. The streets and buildings are cleaner. Signs that indicate my relative position also calm me down.
I like to explore a city by walking. In this way, I could notice small things in details and give me inspirations. I discovered some book stores and design shops along the way. I want to design an app that encourages people to walk in the city and discover more hidden places. I like the idea of hiking in the city. Instead of using a digital device, I could design physical signs on the streets to indicate directions.
Wildlife - 14/1/2020
Wildlife - 14/1/2020
I sketched some ideas. They looked like boxes with few round platforms. I did not like them because when I imagined making them, the structure seems fragile and the material is not used efficiently.
Inspired by an architectural structure made using raw sliced tree trunk, I wanted to use rods to construct. I like its irregularity. However, they are too thin, and it is difficult to cut them into slices. I decided to use plywood.
It is a brilliant way to assemble the pieces because there is no need to use glue or any extra tool.
Wildlife - 9/1/2020
I had an idea of designing a platform for eastern spotted doves to build nests. Eastern Spotted Doves are commonly seen in Southeast of China. The idea comes from my childhood experience. There used to be two eastern spotted doves live on the air conditioner outdoor unit outside our balcony. They built a nest and laid two eggs. Unfortunately, they were scared away because of the noise made by the air conditioner, leaving the eggs behind.
The lack of green space forces the birds to build nests on buildings. However, they usually choose wrong sites. It could disturb people's lives and destroyed their own living.
I wanted to design a platform that provides living space for eastern spotted dove.
Wildlife - 7/1/2020
I discovered a type of plants called epiphytes. They grow on the surface of other plants or objects. A staff told me that I could stick them on a piece of furniture using glue, and they can grow. This gave me an idea of a plant that grows on the edge of a table. The plant is part of the table. By inviting natural element indoor, nature becomes part of our life.
Utility - 2/12/2019
Utility - 2/12/2019
My first idea was a brush that is held steadily on a cylindrical holder. I realized that this was too boring. I looked up into more designers. There are two designers that particularly inspired me - Carl Clerkin and Sebastian Bergne. They both use the juxtaposition of two common objects to create fun products. For example, Carl Clerkin combines a bicycle wheel and an umbrella handle together to create Spinning in the Rain.
According to the designer, "I like the idea of the things that we live with having character and interacting beyond the physical." The objects he designed have narratives. I like how he gives everyday objects lives and encourages users to understand them. Objects become more than just things, but friends to users.
Then I saw wooden tops design by Fredericks and Mae. The spinning top has a long handle which I associated with the handle of a brush. The idea of combining a brush with a spinning top came to my mind. The design composes of two parts. The upper part is a brush, and the bottom is a spinning top. After wiping away the dust, put the brush inside the spinning top container. Play with it, because of the centrifugal force, the dust will come out of the brush and fall into the container.
Utility - 30/11/2019
Utility - 30/11/2019
I am not satisfied with the ideas that I come up for organizers, so I change the focus.
I went to Twentytwentyone to find some inspirations. I noticed that there are brushes that are designed for cleaning dust on computers. The idea of designing a brush for my client came to my mind. Can likes to keep a tidy and neat room. He cleans his room once a week. To me, this is very frequent. However, he does not enjoy cleaning. He just doesn't like dust. Then I started to think about designing a brush to put on a working desk. The brush can make the cleaning more enjoyable.
Utility - 29/11/2019
Utility - 28/11/2019
My client is Can. After talking, I summarized some points that could develop into a design.
He likes to keep his items organized and simple. It is obvious on the layout of the three objects. His wallet is thin and he only brings things that are necessary.
He likes to gather information from all disciplines, especially finance. This knowledge will eventually benefit his designs. The note sticker is used to record what he learned and noticed; The hardware can store digital resources; The wood stool that can hold newspapers shows that he likes to know what is happening around the world and always keeps pace with the times. He likes the combination of classics and modern (the printed newspaper is traditional). I am thinking about designing a tool to organize information, like a physical mind map.
Vessel - 24/11/2019
Vessel - 23/11/2019
Craftivist
I discovered craftivism. It is a more gentle and introvert way of political expression compare to street protests.
Sewing is embodied with concepts like female and domesticity. However, sewing in public now becomes a new way of political action. A group of people sit down and sew their comments on current issues. Then they fixed the piece of fabric they created on the streets. I like this way of protest and am willing to be a part of it. Sewing is a very concentrate process. It allows people to slow down and think. It is not that aggressive but still effective and solves problems.
I want to make a vessel that invites people to sew together in public and provides a chance to express their opinions.
https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/news/a-stitch-in-time-home-sewing-before-1900
Vessel - 18/11/2019
Vessel - 18/11/2019
A travel sewing kit is a very feminine object. During wartime, it was a personal object that soldiers carried to campaigns.
Movement - 12/11/2019
Movement - 12/11/2019
The actual height of the bench is close to the height of a table, around 60cm. People's feet are slightly above the ground when they sit on the bench so that they can enjoy bouncing on the "balloon".
The material I decided to use on the actual piece is Pvc material which is used to make yoga balls. It is stronger and has better sealing property.
Movement - 8/11/2019
Movement - 8/11/2019
I went to the workshop again. The model I made was not very successful. I shrank the holes and they become too small for the balloon to expand on both sides of the holes.
Movement - 4/11/2019
Movement - 4/11/2019
Ideas come up when I was making models, playing with materials and talking. Thoughts are more active while I am doing these things. Getting close to nature and being in a quiet place alone are inspirational to me. These are the situations where I can relax and think deep.
If using a piece of equipment in a workshop to describe myself, I would want to be a tweezer. It is a simple but necessary tool. It is like an extension of human hands. Tweezer can go into places where people cannot, and touch things that are too hot, too cold or disgusting. Furthermore, it gets things done quietly. My approach to interpreting the object is through its functionality and the way it works. Objects also have their emotional aspects. An object could refresh one's memory. It could be the memory of someone, someplace or childhood.
Sketching one idea in three minutes based on three ingredients. At the start, I was stuck. As we were doing more of the three minutes, my ideas flowed. This method could help me generate quick and creative ideas, but it needed a few rounds to produce ideas that I am satisfied with. The short time was putting me under stress. I was trying to seek out ideas from my past experience and research that I read. These fast ideas need to be reworked after.
It was fun playing with clay. I like its softness and flexibility. I need more inspirations.
Movement - 11/11/2019
Movement - 11/11/2019
I was advised to write more about myself. I was interested in designing fun products. I will research more on relevant designers:
Designs in 1960s, Alessi, Campana brothers
Experience City - 23/1/2020
I am not satisfied with my idea. There is a dilemma in my design. When the app encourages people to go to those hidden places, the places are no longer secret anymore. It goes against my original purpose. Furthermore, I do not want to force people to walk and find those places. it should be a natural and personal experience.
Therefore, I created a questionnaire to help me generate more ideas. Here are the questions:
- Do you enjoy walking? Why or why not?
- Any circumstances you would choose walk instead of other ways of traveling?
- What factors would you consider when choosing the route?
- What worries you when walking in cities like London?
I summarized some circumstances where people would choose to walk: enough time; beautiful scenery and interesting places along the way; when they are bored or in a good mood. The main purpose for them to walk is to relax from heavy work and have fun.
Furthermore, I read a few books about service design and research methods. They are brilliant methods but I do not know how to apply them to my project. Nevertheless, I found a diagram that helps to assess and develop experience, visualising my feelings throughout the journey.
Wildlife - 16/1/2020
Plywood works very well. In the first model, I did not leave enough space for building a nest. I added an extra piece of plywood.
After observing eastern spotted doves from building the nest to finally teaching baby birds to learn to fly. I realized that they need rods to rest. They are most comfortable when grabbing on branches. Therefore, I added rods to mimic branches.
I also thought about water collection. Extra water will flow down the flower pot after watering. It is possible to collect the water and use them as a water source for the birds. The idea needs refinement.
Wildlife - 11/1/2020
I did some research on eastern spotted doves. I found that there are many similar cases in the areas where I live. People there like to hang a shelf outside the window to place flower pots and grow plants. It becomes a perfect place for birds to build nests. The ceiling of the window can protect the birds from rain. The plants around become a mini forest for birds. I decided to design a flower pot with space for the birds to build a nest.
I had another idea which is giving flower pots arms and legs. Plants have life just like animals and human, but they cannot move. Therefore, it is difficult for us to have empathy for them. By adding limbs, plants can act like human, such as push and sit. It is easier for us to connect with them. I did not choose this idea because it does not have much space to develop further.
Utility - 3/12/2019
Utility - 3/12/2019
The realization of my idea is quite difficult. The spinning top container has to be big enough for the brush hair to spin. Furthermore, the method of combining the brush and the container is tricky. Initially, I wanted to design a round bottom for the brush, but then I found that it would disable the spinning top to spin. I changed the bottom to a square so that the brush can spin together with the spinning top without falling off. I had another idea which was applying the structure that combines the body of a water bottle and its cap. The connection is stronger this way but it is harder to make the model.
I made a sketch model to test my idea. It helped me to think what the shape of the spinning top and the brush could be. However, the process of making it using wood and foam is very different. .
I made a prototype using wood. The best way to make a spinning top is through lathe, but there isn't one in the workshop, so I carved the wood and polished it.
It's too time-consuming for me to make a brush myself, so I used fur instead. For the real product, brush with horsehair would be better because the hair is longer, which makes the dust easier to come out. Furthermore, the spinning top container has to be hollow so that the dust can fall into it.
Vessel - 25/11/2019
Vessel - 25/11/2019
Initially, I wanted to make a bag to hold sewing kits where people can bring them to the public and sew. It is a political action where people sew to make a statement and express their attitude towards issues like gender equality, climate change etc. There is a group of people doing this who called themselves craftivists. My tutor suggested that ceramic is not suitable for making a bag to carry around. I could instead make something like tableware to place in cafe or parks.
I did not make good use of the second slip casting day. I had a few ideas for my designs, but they were too complicated for slip casting. I spent most of the day breaking my models. Then I realized that I should develop my work based on the mould. Adding and subtracting on the basic models and turn them into models that fit with the function and concept. I made two models in a rush in the end, and one of them does not have a fine finish. I am a little worried about its look after firing.
Vessel - 19/11/2019
Vessel - 19/11/2019
The process of making can shape the form of the final product. The tableware in the Example Product section is designed by Benjamin Hubert. He elaborately emphasizes the raw seam details created in the slip casting process. I like how Hubert uses traces of manufacture as decorations to remind users of the traditional making process.
https://www.dezeen.com/2014/04/29/benjamin-hubert-seams-slip-cast-ceramic-tableware/
Movement - 7/11/2019
Movement - 7/11/2019
I came up with a new idea. The concept also changed a little. I was intrigued by a series of sofas designed by Schimmel & Schweikle. I like the combination of hard and soft material. I suddenly had the idea of a bouncing bench - putting a ballon-like structure inside a hard box. Part of the "balloon" comes out of the holes on the box. It is the area where people sit. The concept behind is that one's subtle action could influence others somehow. When a person sits on part of the "balloon", other parts of the "balloon" will be pushed out a little. People already seating on it can feel the slight change of their seat.
I went to the workshop. I chose to use plastic on the outside because I wanted to show the inner structure. I used balloons inside because of its special property - passing on the force. The final outcome was what I expected. I have to experiment more and decide the overall look of the bench.
Movement - 5/11/2019
Movement - 5/11/2019
I selected two ideas. The first one was inspired by an installation - Sea Things by Sam Jacob. The artist wanted to demonstrate "the threat ocean plastic poses to marine life" through this piece. I could design a chair inspired by ocean pollution. I had an idea of a chair made of transparent Pvc plastic. Inside is filled with water and plastic waste. However, the idea was not very practical. I developed more sketches with the same theme, but none of them is satisfactory to me. I tried to use waste plastic bottles to shape forms. They look quite cheap and too complicated, so I gave up this idea.
Another idea is a sharing chair. I was inspired by a collapsible light reflector designed by John Ritson. While I was making paper models to mimic the form of the reflector, I discovered an interesting mechanism of the structure I made - It swings. Then I had the idea of a sharing chair. It requires two people to sit on it together. I thought it looks a bit like a see-saw. I wanted to emphasize the idea of sharing and I added the seatback. The seatback can be selfish when people push it too far and the person seating behind is squeezed. A bench where people have to adjust the seatback for others. I was still not satisfied. It was too hard to operate.
Contextual Review
Contextual Review
Form follows material and function
Material and function are essential for my project development. This partially explains why I feel the three one-day projects were less successful than other projects. I need to build up the logic for my design. Only thinking about the aesthetic aspect was not inspirational for me. I knew I want to study product design before I started Foundation. I was not sure how I work and what is my style. This is what I need to find out throughout the course.
My approaches of developing ideas change over the seven weeks. At the beginning, I only focused on the function, and my idea directly jumped to the final outcome. In Explore It project, for example, washing fruits is a boring but necessary procedure before eating, so I thought about if there is a machine that can wash fruits automatically. Later I realized that this thinking process narrowed the space for developing more creative and interesting ideas. The design will eventually become a pure behavioural design, efficient but not aesthetically pleasing. In Illuminate project, I changed my approach. My initial idea was to create a structure that can reflect light and blur images of people, thus protecting privacy. I experimented with light by making sketch models. I built a structure that created a beautiful shadow. It consisted of several blocks, which reminded me of toys. Then I had the idea of designing a playful light where users can change the shape of shadow by changing the position of the blocks. I gave up my initial idea because it was unattainable at that point, and the blocks were clearly more attractive. I like thinking through making.
The developing of Structure and Surface project was a long journey. We were asked to make models in 15 minutes based on our research. Inspired by the appearance of mushroom I noticed in a park, I came up with an interesting structure. However, that did not help me to develop my idea further. I brainstormed ideas about what the structure can do, but I found the outcomes lack meanings and connotations. I was not satisfied. I realized that it was difficult for me to only think about the aesthetic aspect. Material matters in this project, so I focused on the study of materials. I went to the material library and I found sustainable mushroom materials grew by Ecovative Design. Then I discovered more designs that use mushroom materials and the capacity of decomposition of fungi. For example, a coffin that uses fungus to biodegrade the body. I was also inspired by the materials used to make water bottles along the human history. The contrast between artificial plastic and natural mushroom materials interested me. I came up with the idea of combing plastic (they stay in ground forever) and decomposable mushroom materials in a bin to increase people’s awareness of sustainability. Studying the form and shape is not sufficient for me to develop a project further. A design needs to have meaning and function.
When I was sketching the shape of the bin, my starting point was the meaning instead of the appearance. The appearance of my design changes as I make. Technology really helped. In this case, it was vacuum forming. My model consisted of two parts. It was like two trumpets where the narrow parts are connected together. Vacuum forming allowed me to make two identical trumpet shapes, which resulted in a symmetrical look on my final model. The two materials, mushroom and plastic, are very different in their texture. It added variety to the overall appearance. Technique of handling materials is an essential part of my design.
Material and function matters for my creative process. I like to analyse how material support the use and meaning, like the vase and the coffin that I studied for the Structure and Surface project. My major inspiration for Extension project was an artist - Donald Judd. I discovered him after I reviewed my final model for Illuminate project. The model’s form and style were quite similar to his works. I focused on his use of materials and how they enhance the appearance. I was more confident about being a product designer after realizing my way of working.
Shaina Garfield, Leaves, 2019
Frank Tjepkema and Janneke Hooymans, Shock Proof, 2006
Donald Judd, Untitled, 1969
Mushroom Material, Ecovative Design, 2015
Bibliography
Books
Alessi, A., 2001. Alessi: The Design Factory (academy Editions). Wiley.
Campana, F., 2010. Campana Brothers: Complete Works (so Far). Rizzoli Intl Pubns.
John., M., 2006. The Laws Of Simplicity. Mit Press.
Klanten, R., 2011. Lux: Lamps And Lights. Gestalten.
Norman, D., 2004. Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. Basic Books.
Norman, D., 1998. The Design of Everyday Things. Mit.
Ramakers, R. and Bakker, G., 1998. Droog Design. 1st ed. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.
Schouwenberg, L., 2003. Hella Jongerius. Phaidon Press.
Solanki, S., 2018. Why Materials Matter: Responsible Design For A Better World. Prestel.
Victionary, V., 2007. Simply Material: To Explore The Increasing Essentialness Of Materials With A Compilation Of Brilliant Ideas, And Craftsmanship (simply (victionary)). Victionary.
Visits
The Design Museum, Moving to Mars, until 23 February 2020
The Design Museum, Designer Maker User, Permanent display
Tate Modern, Olafur Eliasson In Real Life, 11 July 2019 – 5 January 2020
Tate Modern, Takis, 3 July – 27 October 2019
Victoria and Albert Museum, FOOD: Bigger than the Plate, 18 May 2019 – 20 October 2019
Other
dezeen. 2019. Shaina Garfield redesigns death with sustainable coffin. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/03/18/shaina-garfield-leaves-sustainable-coffin/. [Accessed 30 September 2019].
Film First. (2009). Objectified. [Online Video]. 2019. Available from: https://www.hustwit.com/objectified. [Accessed: 15 January 2020].
Contextual Studies W19 - 22/1/2020
The hero I choose is Vestre. It produces sustainable furniture for outdoor public spaces. I admire its design philosophy. The designers that work for the manufacture are taking actual actions to put sustainability into practice. For example, they invest in all-electric battery-powered trucks to cut emissions. These measures have higher initial cost, but they are really thinking about the long-term effect. Furthermore, the consider every aspect of producing a product, from materials choice to transportation to manufaction.
The villain I nominate is Philippe Starck. His designs are too stylish. For example, the juicer. It looks fancy, but it is useless in making juice. He is more like a celebrity than a designer who takes into account real users’ needs.
A good designer or company should consider and respond to the world. Good designs are meant to contribute to society.
My manifesto:
A good design is fun and enjoyable to use. They are always boring things to do in life, like washing dishes and cleaning the room. We cannot avoid doing it, but designers can make it more fun.
A good design is simple and easy to understand.
A good design is sustainable.
A good design can create empathy between users and objects.
A good design is contributive.
A good design can tell a story.
A good design can make you smile, think and wonder.
Contextual Studies W18 - 15/1/2020
Some improvements to made on my design sheets:
1. Add more annoations, especially on research page. Show what do you think and how other desingers works have inspired me.
2. More drawings and sketchings.
3. Keep the background of the final design clean. Correct the scale.
Contextual Studies W17 - 8/1/2020
Contextual Studies W17 - 8/1/2020
Sustainability to me is products that can last longer. Industries should not produce more items that will quickly end up in the landfill.
Avoid using plastic. Experimenting with new material. For example, using waste produced in industries to invent innovative materials.
Contextual Studies W14 - 3/12/2019
Contextual Studies W14 - 3/12/2019
Personal Statement Feedback
Contextual Studies W13 -27/11/2019
Contextual Studies W13 -27/11/2019
These are some possible futures we identified. Different scenarios alter the needs of users. It reminds me of a design that I saw in the Design Museum, part of Moving to Mars exhibition. A device that carries the smell of the earth. People will miss the earth when they are on Mars. The smell of rain, leaves and things that do not exist on Mars.
Contextual Studies W12 - 20/11/2019
Contextual Studies W12 - 20/11/2019
The item I looked into was toilets. The invention of flushing toilets largely improved the hygiene in a city. People used to throw their excrement directly onto the streets. The dirty living environment increases the chances of people getting ill and passing disease around. Flushing toilets later help enhance the sewerage system of cities like London. Japan was famous for its automatic washing toilet. The technology was based on the traditional flushing toilet. This agrees with what Margaret Attwood said: " Every age lives in a blend of technology so there's always older ones mixed in with newer ones".
I was looking at Alessi's design philosophy: to dream, to play and to satisfy, with the designer as lyric poet rather than storyteller...not a question of craft versus industry, but of craft with the help of machines. He emphasizes the cultural role of industrial designers. I agree with the idea. Designers should blur the boundaries between craft and mass-production. Form not only follows function but also fiction.
Contextual Studies W11 - 13/11/2019
Contextual Studies W11 - 13/11/2019
Users that I aimed at in previous projects are mostly middle-class adults. Users can be the starting point of a design, for example, left-handed. Most products we are using today are biased to right-handed users, like the mouse.
My movement project is a bench in public space. The bench is playful and fun. It is mainly aimed at young adults. They have the energy to bounce up and down on the bench, and more willing to make new friends. Young children can also enjoy under the supervision of adults.
People do not usually talk to strangers in public spaces. Sometimes people want to speak but don’t know where to start. This bench gives people a chance to start a conversation.
Here are some questions that I would ask the intended users to improve my design:
How do you feel sitting on it and interacting with others?
Is the space between you and the other person too small, too large or just right?
Contextual Studies W10 - 6/11/2019
Contextual Studies W10 - 6/11/2019
From the peer feedback, I realized that I explained my learning process thoroughly in my essay. My peers liked the direct opening where I stated that I wanted to study PDC. They also liked the artist that I mentioned in the conclusion.
When I read my essay again, I found many of my sentences are repeated. I should delete some sentences and make it briefer. Furthermore, I could incorporate more research into the main body.
I need more emotional express during my presentation. I felt uncomfortable reading my essay to the public.