Treasuring Time

For this project I decided to look at treasuring time from a parents perspective. Especially from a young age keepsakes are collected and treasured as a child grows up. I drew inspiration from things like bronzed baby boots and plaster casting of hands to create my treasuring product.

The idea is that this product once purchased has a pre-paid life of 5 uses. This would be a baby shower gift to the parents. Once in possession of the present it is up to the parent when to use it. To use the gift all the parent has to do is scan or photocopy the child's hand or feet and send it to the manufacturer. The idea being that once the scan is received an impression or relief can be made from the material of your choice and sent back to you.
After the products life has come to an end, the user will have a visually chronological view of their child's growth.

Designing Dream Machines

This videos main message was the importance of the designers role in a design firm when breathing life into an idea within a client based relationship. It deatils the roles that the design takes on such as researching and analysis existing products in the market to nurturing and developing ideas and creating a prototype.

This video also highlights the industry concept of client satisfaction. To be successful in design, designers must produce products that are the culmination of good design elements, relevant to the time and the needs/requirements of clients. Client satisfaction is just as crucial as good design. As it is impossible to know exactly how a client will react to a design, constant communication between designer and client is essential throughout the design process. To avoid ultimate disaster, communication should constantly take place.

The video shows the design process from the initial exposure of the problem through the stages of finding a solution, then developing a way of communicating the elements of good design in that solution and finally to manufacturing.

Bad Design : Sunbeam Quantum 4 Slice Chrome Toaster

The Sunbeam 'Quantum 4 Slice Chrome Toaster' is a quality toaster with a robust build and reliable toasting cycle.It features; four deep bread slots, cool touch body, electronic browning control dial, high -lift lever, frozen bread setting, cancel button, removable crumb tray AND self-centering EXTRA wide toasting slots.

"It truly is the flag ship of the mid-budget toaster fleet" - Chris Bull

However, although the 'Quantum' delivers nearly perfect toast almost everytime, I still feel it could perform at its maximum capabilities with a few minor adjustments.
For example - One of the Quantums main selling points is its "Cool Touch" shell. Which works perfectly fine but does not serve a direct purpose. I mean who ever needs to pick up the toaster 1. when its on 2....by its sides 3.?

The real issue when dealing with the hazards of toast is the capture and extraction of said toast from the toaster once it has been toasted. The center strip of the Quantum is is a 15mm wide divider constructed of stainless steel. I feel Aluminum would have been a better option as it retains heat a lot less than steel.

The second danger within the extraction procedure is the so called high lift lever. Due to the 'Quantums' deep toasting slots the design also includes a so called high lift lever, which in truth is a high cut bread lever. Meaning that it does not compensate for the standard square of mighty whitey wonder bread and leaves the user with a burnt set of fingers and the need to invert the toaster to reclaim their toast.

Postal Presents

For this project I designed the "Floating Net Lamp Shade". The form of the lamp evolved throughout the project, as i drew inspiration from the shape of gum nuts and antique nautical lamps .When assembled the lamp shade casts shadows around the room reminiscent of a net or spider web. The lamp was cut with a laser cutter from 3 sheets of 3mm A4 MDF. I designed this product for a more technically inclined user as assembly requires some skill.

Annie Leonard: The Story of Stuff

That's alot of information in 20 minutes. Annie Leonard describes the system and processes that anyone involved in consumer goods has somewhat of a role in the materials economy. This is described as a linear system on a finite planet, where there are limitations in the cycle and thus problems appear. We are exploiting the environment -- undermining the variability for people to live and running out of resources fast.
Other important problems described include the release of chemicals and toxic materials. There are thousands of synthetic chemicals which can result in huge impact on physical and mental health; such chemicals are used in manufacture to make new products. However what goes in must come out and thus those chemicals may still remain in the product after manufacture.

I believe the major message in this movie is that consumerism now undermines fundamental, moral, humanitarian values. This consumerism offers no consideration to the detrimental effects it has on the environment and users well being. Money is power, and the corporations providing our products hold all the power. Governments put in place to monitor and sustain the well being of people are hierarchically lower, hence consumerist domination.
Monotonous advertising constantly tells users to upgrade using fear tactics. The fear of being left behind, or inferior to peers who do sport the most cutting edge products is a mechanism used to discard the old and sell the new. The result is further harmful production and manufacture, and more waste.

PROJECT ONE : Bread Clip Peg

Product

The Bread Clip Peg

Purpose

To hang clothes and other assorted garments.

Target Market

18-25 Inner City student

Design Features
The peg clip is a solid easy to us peg. It is virtually indestructible and weather proof and offers the user a greater sense of individuality while in the privacy of their own home.




Physical:The Peg clip has a solid and durable form.
Psychological:The secondary function of a familiar object gives the user a sense of individuality.
Ideological:Aimed to be manufactured from recyclable materials the product gives the user a greater sense of achievement.
Social:The clips uses the association of its primary function in its aid, as its new form becomes a focal point or discussion.

Design 08

Modern Times: Modernism in Australia

Bo Ema Espresso Machine - 1967

Bo Ema was first produced in Alexandria, Sydney in 1956 less than a decade after Achille Gaggia created the definitive espresso technology.

The new machines create the first espresso craze during the 1950's often sporting flamboyant designs.






Inspired! Design Across Time

Droog Design - Chest of Draws
-title"you can't lay down your money"

Droog is an enterprise based in Amsterdam and set up in 1993 as a statement on design. Droog operate worldwide together with partners, clients and manufacturers, designers, artists and architects in all areas of design. Working from a mentality that is close to human, our products each tell a story about themes such as: memories, nostalgia, re-use, craftsmanship and nature.




EcoLogic: Creating a Sustainable Future

-New Bogie, wheel track & switch
Developed by Arthur Bishop , this project by analysing the pro's and con's of the railways. His four patented innovations enabled a fleet of nine person vehicles to travel 120kph, climb steep slopes in and out of off- line stations, and negotiat tight bends. They could carry thousands of people each hour and attract commuters away from cars. Austrans has lower capital and operating costs than heavy rail systems. It could be fully operational within three years.