Postal Presents

i wanted to design a jewellery holder that was more interesting than the generic bar forms and too literal tree forms on the market at the moment. however, i still wanted it to be easy for the recipient to assemble, which is why i streamlined it to two main forms repeated. also i believe the shape of the pieces allow for intuitive assembly, as the slots that connect the parts have obvious matches. because of the multiple arms, more jewellery can be fitted onto this than other holders i have tried in the past.

Reflections: the story of stuff

i  used to get incredibly fired up about this kind of stuff, a regular little highschool activist =P. theres a magazine i used to read called the new internationalist about exploitation and all the stories you never seem to hear about through the regular media.

this video helped remind me about the important things, namely:

we as designers have an INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ROLE.

we can EFFECT CHANGE.

design objects of WORTH and SIGNIFICANCE.

actively reduce EXPLOITATION and POLLUTION through the CHOICES WE MAKE.

(just as an aside, in addition to the information presented on dioxins and other substances found in consumer products, i have a book at home called the chemical maze which lists all the additives found in our food by name and number. its really quite scary how much of what we eat is banned in various countries overseas because its just so darn poisonous and detrimental to our health.)

the statistic i found most disturbing was that in north america, only 1% of consumer goods are still being used 6 months after their purchase date.

lets do something about that. lets reduce the amount of landfill, the number of harmful chemicals used in production, the exploitation of workers in third world countries who have little choice in the matter. lets create change and work towards a sustainable future.

Pictures to supplement poster

4 PLEASURES ANALYSIS (not visible on poster):

PHYSICAL - ergonomic handle for parent - ergonomic wing handles for baby - rounded, friendly shape

SOCIAL - educational tool, increased interraction at meal times between parent and baby while at the same time encouraging learning and independence

IDEOLOGICAL - safe for children, communicated through the large, fun, friendly shape - no choking hazard - bright colours child friendly

PSYCHOLOGICAL - turns dinner into a game, rather than a chore - fun, bright, happy, baby more willing to cooperate because its an extended playtime with a toy easy and comfortable for them to use

RATIONALE

in designing for young families, i wanted a product that enriched the experience of both parent and baby, and i believe this tool does exactly that. to the child, the brightly coloured spoon is simply a toy aeroplane - but to the parent, it represents a means of actively fostering independence and teaching children to not only feed themselves, but to also enjoy mealtimes and encourage healthy eating habits. the ergonomic form is designed to meet the needs of both parent and baby. the tail of the plane is fashioned into a handle that fits comfortably even in larger hands. the wings are a form similar to the handle of a rattle, and provide a comfortable grip for the child. these elements allow the child to hold the spoon while the parent is still ableto gently steer with the rear handle. also, the fact that there are two handholds positioned like handlebars for the child makes it far easier for them to manipulate and manage the tool on their own when they are able, as opposed to an ordinary spoon. 

Reflections: Paul Bennett

I really, really enjoyed this video. Bennett provided much food for thought.

Particularly inspiring was his work with a hospital wanting to know what their patients experience was. Filming a dull plasterboard ceiling was definitely a response empathetic to the true patient experience, and would have been quite sobering for the client. it led to some lovely, creative solutions, such as installing a mirror onto wheelchairs so the patient can interact more fully with the nurse, and installing a white board wall in the room for family and friends to record personal messages.

the idea that people subconsciously design their own experiences on a daily basis was also very accurate - wrapping teabag strings around cuphandles, using a variety of writing implements and utensils as makeshift hair clips, assuming permission when disposing rubbish simply because a precedent has been set - these are all things i have done myself, and i daresay countless others have done before me.

what i gained from bennetts talk is that often the most innovative ideas are the most simple, the ones right under your nose. we need to design with empathy, observe our surroundings and see things afresh from anothers perspective. in bennetts words, "blinkered vision equals blinkered solutions."

Reflections: Yves Behar

according to behar, a designers work is never done.

he aims to bring values to design, and believes that these values create some semblance of a soul for the design, and by extension, the company the design is intended for.

with the jawbone headset, behar tried to streamline the technological aspects to make it as humanistic and beautiful as possible - for if something is not beautiful, it does not belong on your face.

i thought behar had some lovely ideas, about the role visual cues play in peoples interactions with design, such as in his work with new york condom dispensers, and the need to create from the inside out, but perhaps my favourite idea of his was to design a system of symmetrical drinking bottles that doubled as a stackable construction game, encouraging childrens enjoyment of a healthy new beverage.

behar believes that by shaping values in design and taking a more humanistic approach, we may  one day be able to shape and change the world - what a nice thought.

Powerhouse museum sketches

this was the lightway window and lighting system, designed by damian savio. during the day, it looks like any regular window. however, it uses OLEDs to absorb solar energy, so at night it serves a second function as a light source. i thought it was a practical design for sustainable living.

michael hirst chair, designed by clement meadmore.

this chair was in production from 1959 to 1965, with plastic coated steel as its primary material.

i found it difficult to choose just one item to sketch in the second exhibition, it ended up being a tie between this chair, another meadmore chair, and breuers wassily chair (ka

ndinsky is a personal hero).

i went with this one because meadmore is a designer i haven't encountered before, and i loved the curved lines of his designs. this

 chair reminded me of a teardrop suspended in mid air, its contours traced by lines of wire. it looked so inviting, the juxtaposition of the rigid wire w a rounded shape. 

for m

e, there was also a bit of nostalgia attached to it - at my parents house in tamworth, my mother has a hanging cane chair very similar in structure.

i have always liked marc newsons designs.

the embryo chair was designed in 1988 - the same year i was born. this design is twenty years old, yet it still looks fresh and futuristic. i suppose thats what earnt it its place in the inspired exhibition, its still an incredibly successful and relevant design. again, it was hard to choose just one thing, considering droog and gehry's wiggle chair were also on display.

this is the Vermitech worm farm. with both parents avid gardeners, and my dad enjoying the odd spot of fishing, there was always a worm farm around when i was growing up, so i guess this is a choice influenced in part by that.

however, what i really like about the vermitech system is that they build much larger models which use worms to treat human sewerage and waste from piggeries. vermitech have developed an ecologically friendly solution to the problem of waste disposal. imagine if this idea was embraced on a large scale, each city having its own worm sewerage treatment system? perhaps it may not be enough to treat all sewerage in major cities, but surely it would reduce the number of unpleasant surprises in the ocean, and deal with the problem of waste disposal, and there'd also be organic matter as a result that could be used on crops or as compost in parks and gardens.