Wednesday 30 May 2012
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Sunday 27 May 2012
A Sense of Place
Public spaces requires special
attention in able to deliver rich public life experiences to the community.
Many of them are lacking in comfort to offer. The number of benches or rest
spots and the will of the individual to sit back, relax and communicate are
somehow underestimated. Designing public furniture is another approach to
enhance and renew public spaces and to give it a sense of place.
In the great western suburb of
Woodcroft, Lake Woodcroft Park is known public space with good image in social
enrichment particularly for family, teenagers, and older people. In spite of
that it is still exposed in crime like malicious damage of public property.
Lake Woodcroft is used by public from the area and neighbourhood suburbs.
The Slugrest bench offers the
public a comfortable rest and easy accessibility while promoting social
interaction between individuals. Its design delivers simple, elegant and quirky
aesthetic that harmoniously matches its surrounding and contributing to that
element of “sense of place”. Unique use of materials is promoted, with neowood
– plastic for the batten which is made of 70% recycled wood and cellulose
plastic and anodised aluminium for the frame which promotes environmental
awareness. It can be easily installed
and requires low maintenance against the weather and graffiti cleaning in
comparison to normal wood benches.
Thursday 24 May 2012
Thursday 17 May 2012
Who Killed the electric car?
“Who killed the electric car?” is a documentary that projects the life of the electric car as an alternative friendly solution in relation to that of normal petrol cars and its effects towards the environment and human being.
Electric car was created in the early 20th century and was phased out 100 years ago. It first appeared in California around the 90’s to 2006. However, business competitors competitively dropped the price of gas/petroleum powered internal combustion engine (ICE). ‘Dropping the price’ sounded pleasant for the ears but worsening problems cause by gas/petrol cars continue to rise like smog, child asthma, CO2 emission and global warming.
Several companies tried to design and produced alternative solutions to run the car using alternative power source like General Motor’s ‘SunRaycer’, which is a solar powered electric car. GM expanded the production several years after in small scale production. Electric vehicles continuous production cased arguments between the car companies, the government and the consumer. Electric vehicles leases and won some rights in able to continue the production. However, when the leases expire they immediately crushed the left over vehicles and removed the records of their existence. Of course, member of the government who commanded this action were members or former members of oil and car companies.
It is interesting how ‘some people’ would choose and promote unsustainable and harmful products and options for their own sake compromising the environment and its effect to humans. It is clearly portrayed in this documentary that the death of electric car is due to government and their connection towards the oil companies and not giving a chance to develop electric car further. Illustration of the use of alternative solution like solar powered cars to generate electricity is effective in reducing the carbon pollution. Designers must see this documentary in order to gain further knowledge about design and its relation towards the environment, government and consumers.
Monday 14 May 2012
Saturday 5 May 2012
Packaging Concept
This concept is different towards the other sandwich packaging. The design is fairly simple which compose of two parts the top cardboard cover and bottom wax paper. To open it, you just need to pull the top part while holding the bottom area and after that elderly arthritis sufferers in hospital can eat straight away without a hesitation that they can open the packaging easily and therefore theres no starvation and malnutrition. In spite of simple design the aim to keep the sandwich fresh and sealed remains within it.
concept
The social issue is elderly patients with arthritis starve and suffer malnutrition cause of food is now individually sealed/ packaged for safety purpose like sandwiches which is sealed in plastic in hospitals. For that reason elderly with arthritis struggle to open or even tear the packaging for sandwiches cause of arthritis. Furthermore, asking help from the nurses are not an option for these elderly patients.
My solution is to design a packaging that is simple yet enticing that showcase the food and easy to open for elderly patients yet sealed and protects the sandwich.
My first concept is a sandwich packaging that is made out of wax paper (also used for milks) and the unique lid which is made out of wood (maple or orange wood). Wood is scientifically known releases an antimicrobial qualities therefore it is safe to use it. The lid can be easily lift up without the use of too much force and it will serve as a plate for the sandwich. Every materials can be recyclable the compartment can be thrown away the bin straight away but I thought MAYBE the lid can be sent back the hospital kitchen or the supplier which will have a quality sanitation. At the wooden lid can be recycled at the end of its lifespan.
My second concept is sandwich packaging made out wax paper for fresher food. The packaging will be sealed by a paper wrap round the middle section were all the labels will be printed on. This paper can be easily slide out the box. The half part of the box can be easily lift up. And on the side of the packaging I allocated a two sauce compartments for patients choice and they can just push the bottom part of the sauce to take it out. Also without the sauce on the side compartment, elders can use that as a holder while eating the sandwich on the packaging.
The last concept will be made out of again wax paper. It is simple to open just slide the lid out and again the lid will serve as a mini plate for the patients.
All of the concepts are designed simple which is the aim and main idea to help the elderly arthritis sufferers patients in the hospital to use minimal strength/force. The packaging have simple yet designed innovatively throughout and with unique material choice. With this packaging not only the elderly will benefit but every patients in the hospital.
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Project2 Concept
Social problem: Easy pouring, control and handling of acrylic bottles for young-older adult artists
The design of this acrylic bottle/tetrapack? dispenser offers better handling for teenagers to older adults especially with special assistance involving arthritis/rheumatism. It has a handle where you can slip your hand in to hold and assist for easy squeezing of the paint. The shape of the packaging also helps for easy squeeze and drag motion from its bottom to top part where artists can maximize the use of paint especially when theres not much paint left instead of tipping and shaking the bottle repeatedly. The lid will be smaller and will involve a silicon valve cap for better dispensing control, again for maximizing the paint usage in comparison to the old packaging where paint sometimes burst when trying to dispense from the 1Liter bottle. With the 250 ml jar theres no scoop or spatula included and therefore involves tipping the jar and wasting paint with no control. In terms of storage it saves space with its shape, in addition artists can easily slip the paint into their storage or bags if needed for outdoor painting.
The design of this acrylic bottle/tetrapack? dispenser offers better handling for teenagers to older adults especially with special assistance involving arthritis/rheumatism. It has a handle where you can slip your hand in to hold and assist for easy squeezing of the paint. The shape of the packaging also helps for easy squeeze and drag motion from its bottom to top part where artists can maximize the use of paint especially when theres not much paint left instead of tipping and shaking the bottle repeatedly. The lid will be smaller and will involve a silicon valve cap for better dispensing control, again for maximizing the paint usage in comparison to the old packaging where paint sometimes burst when trying to dispense from the 1Liter bottle. With the 250 ml jar theres no scoop or spatula included and therefore involves tipping the jar and wasting paint with no control. In terms of storage it saves space with its shape, in addition artists can easily slip the paint into their storage or bags if needed for outdoor painting.
Monday 16 April 2012
How its made: Packaging and Giving packaging a new life
“How it’s made: Packaging” and “Giving Packaging a new
life” are both episodial documentaries
that deliver us crucial insights about recycling wastes like packaging as well
as how these different types of packaging are made. Also, in a stealth way,
these documentaries are trying to teach us to be more aware and conscious in
choosing materials for packing and its impacts in its end life.
The documentary ‘How it’s made: Packaging’ showed how a cardboard
boxes is made. They compose of 3 basic but crucial elements which are a wavy
sheet bonded in the middle of two separate liners or flat sheets to have a
strong foundation. This interest me, because cardboard boxes are tough but
manufacturers only used an ancient type of glue which is made out of starch and
water. Having said, this plays a great impact in recycling the cardboard. For
the reason being that being a paper-base product and with a natural
water-starch glue the process of dissolving and pulping would be more natural
in a way. This is also the same process used for paper recycling which is
showed in ‘Giving a packaging a new life’.
If manufacturers and designers wants a packaging material
that protects and for long shelf life, aluminium is always available as an
affordable choice. Aluminium cans like what is used for soft drink is one
example of protect and long life packaging. In the process of making this
aluminium can it’s amazing how aluminium sheets punched into a cylindrical pieces/moulds
to form a can. Water-based coating is applied into the can that serves as a
barrier between the material and the drink. This is done to avoid contamination
and taste the aluminium in the drink. This is evident from the ‘how its made’
documentary. In ‘Giving a packaging a new life’ it shows aluminium and plastic
excess from making a tetra pack can also be recycled for cement production.
Plastic bottles like PET are the most popular and widely
used throughout the world because is the easiest type of plastic to be
recycled. It is crucial to sort out the type of plastics before recycling in
order to achieve the best possible outcome.
It is very crucial for designers to think the type of
materials to use in making packaging. Correct decision from choosing the
material, process in making and consumer’s end process will affect the whole
world at the end. Having eco-friendly materials to make packaging have less
carbon footprints which is healthy for individuals and the environment. Lastly,
designers should not be insensitive in making decision and be more consciousness
for future living and earth’s preservation which I think is communicated in the
two documentaries How its made: Packaging and Giving packaging a new life.
Saturday 14 April 2012
Monday 26 March 2012
Sunday 25 March 2012
Studio 2 - Project One: BioInspired
BioInspired: Plant Storage (Herbs)
Design is one of the most
crucial things that people can contribute in to society. Biomimetic/biomorphic
designing is another stage where design is influenced by things in ecosystem.
It gave me a glimpse in to the heart of ecosystem from the simplest to the
complex stages that are happening around it. In this project, I have
accomplished to design a Herb Storage mimicking some of the features and
characteristics of vines. It is inspiring how designers can change a simple old
form of storage into something quirky and exciting.
A vine is a plant with a
growth habit of trailing and sometimes it refers to as stem runners. It has
this delicate, exotic and exaggerated looks when it’s in the ground, walls or
anything that they can climb into. Being inspired by this plant, this herb
storage offers these characteristics. It is consists of three parts the base,
stand and the individual planter that can be assembled or disassembled for
storage purpose. In terms of the stand, it mimics how the vines grow in a way
that user can add more branches to meet their preferred height of the storage.
On the other hand, the individual planter mimics the leaves of the vines and
the spiralling effect of it. User can also add more planters to plant more
herbs to meet their needs. The shape of the planter is an exaggerated form of
vine leaves and its twisting form. The dark olive green and anodised grey
symbolised natures stability and delicateness.
Adaptability into different
domestic landscapes like apartments, condominiums and houses is not a problem.
It can be easily place into small to high density living which lands under
space saving storage category.
Made out of recycled plastics,
this herb storage gives an eco-friendly product. In terms of the recycled
plastic, heat compression is the process use to melt the collected plastics
which is relatively easy to perform. Three moulds are made for injection
moulding. The finish product is sprayed by a soy-based sealant so factors such
as sun’s UV rays and water are not a big problem. Furthermore, using a recycled
plastic as the primary material, the product then is durable and contained less
harmful materials that will affect the environment and humans. Reusing recycled
plastics can also be recycled again in the end of its product life span.
Saturday 10 March 2012
An Inconvenient Truth
Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is a documentary that showcase the worsening issue of climate change and the arguments that this issue put towards the society. It also shows the increasing production and how Carbon dioxide and greenhouse affect the environment. These informations are not just personal thoughts but presented by evidences like legal documents and statistics. For present designers, consciousness will be a great impact in this issue.
The issue about the glaciers is one of the evidence of how worst climate change it is now. This is evident through Kenya's Mt. Kilimanjaro's 11,000 year old glacier which is rapidly melting and retreating. Al Gore pointed out that if this keeps happening, glaciers retreating from both Antarctic and Greenland, 20 foot rise in sea level would happen in some parts of America and Asia.
Al Gore's concern about our planet undoubtedly raised an immediate action from different parts of the world. World leaders as well as concern citizens should continue the act of humbleness towards our planet even from a simple use of recycling bins to promotion of paper bags instead of plastics.
This documentary I believe raises designer's thinking into another level. It challenges designers awareness about the materials that will be use in product design from packaging to finishing stages. Not everyone is fond of using sustainable or friendly materials. But as designers, we should also be aware that we are not just designing and making an impact towards the people but also towards the planet. To make a difference, ethical thinking should be consider in designing things so awareness towards our future can be performed that can either harm or preserve our planet.
The issue about the glaciers is one of the evidence of how worst climate change it is now. This is evident through Kenya's Mt. Kilimanjaro's 11,000 year old glacier which is rapidly melting and retreating. Al Gore pointed out that if this keeps happening, glaciers retreating from both Antarctic and Greenland, 20 foot rise in sea level would happen in some parts of America and Asia.
Al Gore's concern about our planet undoubtedly raised an immediate action from different parts of the world. World leaders as well as concern citizens should continue the act of humbleness towards our planet even from a simple use of recycling bins to promotion of paper bags instead of plastics.
This documentary I believe raises designer's thinking into another level. It challenges designers awareness about the materials that will be use in product design from packaging to finishing stages. Not everyone is fond of using sustainable or friendly materials. But as designers, we should also be aware that we are not just designing and making an impact towards the people but also towards the planet. To make a difference, ethical thinking should be consider in designing things so awareness towards our future can be performed that can either harm or preserve our planet.
Thursday 8 March 2012
Plant Storage Ideas/Concepts
The first idea is a plant storage inspired by a bird's claw. You can keep adding the storage in a line. The plant storage can be stored indoors were the claws like stand lays flat but grips its ground because of rubbery material. It can also be use for outdoors where you can cling the stand into branches of trees or even in fences and side windows.
The second idea is a plant storage inspired by a cactus. This storage is a free-form shape and can be put as one or in three parts. There will be pockets built in it in different sizes were you can plant the plants. The storage will be made out of brown sacks and can be filled up with soil or compost. When watering the plants , water will run down slowly to the next piece of sacks and to the last. The sack will keep the moisture inside and let the roots breath through it.
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