Designing Dream Machines

This video was particually interesting, highlighting , for me, the importance of the design process and showing through how two top British designers Richmond Semore and Dick Powel and gone around and made the bleek everyday objects into wild masterpieces that anyone would evy to have.

The video showed a good example of brainstorming for a kitchen appliance first, a kettle and food processing unit. And not just any kitchen applience either, as through their brainstorming and thinking, ruled out some commom problems that appear in most other machines of this kind. Things like making the machine easier to clean, such as the mixing bowl, and giving it an organic shape so that it doesnt look like it should be hidden in a cupboard straight after use.

While Richmond Semore and Dick Powel's idea's and industrial design solutions are a number of steps above standard, what i really do take from the video is importance for designing for a market, that i changing, and will continue to change with their needs and desires and to be sucessful as a designer one should thouoghly understand their market.

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

This video was a real eye opener. Although I have been exposed ideas such as comsumer products made to break for the sake of newer models being resold again, the whole linear process of how the consumer is getting ripped off right at the start by this present system was interesting to hear. It presents a challenge for designers to design with the present process in mind; to kerb their designs around it and do things, as Annie says, for the people. She rounds her arguement quite well about how political and corprate powers have destroyed the planet and smaller sustainable communities to get to resourses for production exposing workers to toxic chemicals and how the products are then distributed as fast as possible so that consumers can come back for more, and in only 6 months!

From the 19 50's we as people have been getting unhappier by the year, and it all seems to point to the idea of consumerism. Marketing ventures set out to not just inform you of a new product but to convince you that you need it, even and especially if it isnt necessary. And as has been this build up of stuff that everyone has that has been making people unhappy. Clearly consumerism has to ultimately stop being at the levels they are at the moment. However, unfortunately, we've built up ourselves a society that relies so heavily on either the success of corporate factions for jobs and money or the products themselves so much, that it would take such an enormous gesture from a government power to turn the situation around that i doubt we'd see any significant turn around in even the next half decade.

In saying that goals to turn the idea of mass consumerism around can be achieved at a smaller level by controlling what a comunity has access to, ie to make the purchasing of 'healthy goods' (healthy to the system) easier to obtain, as one example.

The goals that Annie suggest are good, not sure if they'd have a big enough impact, but her message is definately a point that should b heard by everyone.

Memory Web

The 'Memory Web', inspired by Edra's wire chair, is a bent wire structure, giving the user a unique medium in which memories can be stored such as photos, notes, trinkets, momentos, or anything that jogs a memory of that special time. As a means of 3D scrap booking, the Memory Web attempts to steer away from the box enclosed structure of the very common shadow box offering greater interactivity and appeal to the object storing the memories. The design is as such that multiple Memory Webs can be placed together and still look like the same web.

The Memory Web is made to be hung on a wall; the objects are quite firmly kept between the areas where the wire presses on it self. It is made of one 20 metre piece of steel wire bent around, and spot welded in only a few key areas. The Memory Web is painted black and is the new classic contempory way for storing memories, that would otherwise be left under a bed or in a drawer to be gradually forgotten.

Bad Design - Bottle Lid

This is the sprind lid to a glass bottle. The problem with this design is that the metal wire that makes up the locking device can only be positioned on one side of the bottle. If either or both of the metal parts end up on the other side the lid cannot be closed and the user is left with an interesting puzzle to sort out from an object that wouldnt otherwise deserve a second glance. Adding to this confusion, the bottle is symetrical, and the fact that there are two sides wouldnt be obvious, as well as the lack of indication to suggest what the correct positioning should be, and without careful ajustment a user can potentially break the metal or bend it rendering the lid and the bottle vurtually useless for storing drinkable liquid.

NOTE: the fist two pictures show the lid in the correct position open and closed. The remaining pictures demonstrate how the lid cannot be closed when the metal parts come to be on the other side.

The Vinyl Wallet

Its the two piece vinyl wallet! In addition to all the other unique fashion wallets out there, theres a new one on the block. The user would recieve this in the mail fitting quite comfortably in its envelope, and put together their own wallet. Its construction is simple and the end result is a very useable, versatile and durable accessory that everyone has, and from showing it to a range of people has proven to be liked by both males females.

When designing this wallet, I wanted it to bear the common features of present wallets out there, remembering that people have their own set ways of organising their wallets and would find a new wallet to be more appealing if it satisfied current needs. Based on the way the 2 fold wallet, I included a long space for notes, a pouch for coins and slots for cards and four corner cut outs to display an ID card, in place of a window. The 2 pieces allow for different colour co-ordinations to personalise the wallet and the vinyl material leaves ample potential for materials to be printed on with various designs/patterns etc.

After weaving 4 and a half strips through the wallet, it is complete, and the end result is a rather attractive, neat looking item to make a suitable gift for both guys and girls in the typical youthful range.

Project One - Rationale

Presenting the Slide N Glide! The new cutting knife to go with every pen, for every student pencilcase. The Slide N Glide is a redesigned cutting knife, to visually conform to the stationary in a pencilcase. Gone are days where you had to carry around a tool. The Slide N Glide is sleek with smooth edges and specifically flat and round at the cutting end to help the user cut at right angles into a material. From noticing how other stationary pieces like pens, pencils and even compasses are all available in different colours so to is the Slide N Glide. With the packaging the knife would come with 4 blades and 5 different colours to cover the slider track. This gives the user the option of what colour they want to use allowing them to personalise their new piece of stationary. The Slide N Glide is designed to take away the bulk of ordinary cutting knives that are already on the market to present to the user more everyday anytime usuable item to detract from the heavier metal and industrial-like language that other cutting knives on the market have. Overall the Slide N Glide is the friendlier more attractable option with all the same functions of a regular cutting knife.

Project One - Slide N Glide Cutting Knfe