Project 1: Focus Group Discussion

In studio our class was split up into groups of 4 where we had a focus group discussion about each others posters while the designer was unable to comment. As a result of the discussion of my posters it was evident that there were a number of issues. Firstly it was commented that the blue curve in the background was too dominant. It was suggested that the shape of the container be improved am move it away from a rectangular form. Another point made was that the context poster could be incorporated into the first poster which would allow me to make greater use of the 4 poster limit. As a result of the discussions i was able to make not of these recommendations and alter the posters.

Product lifecycle analysis

On the 6th of August in our studio class myself and a group of other students set out to disassemble a domestic iron and assess its components with the intention to improve its lifetime and ability to be disassembled and recycled. In today's society consumers are constantly wanting the latest and greatest products and as a result they are prone to throwing away still functioning products. These products mostly end up in landfill as they are difficult to disassemble and reprocess. Throughout the process of dismantling the iron we discovered just how many parts go into a single appliance and the vast range of materials that are used. As designers we have an ethical responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of the products we design so it was very interesting to explore the ways in which other designers create products and to observe the material choices them make. After 30 minutes we had disassembled thee iron and grouped the materials. We were unable to separate one part due to the ultrasonic welding that had been used in the manufacturing process. After grouping the materials it was evident that we could significantly reduce the different types of plastics being used. Our focus was on the ability to redesign the iron with just 2 plastics (PP and Bakelite). Our group learnt a lot about the make up of domestic products and how easily these products could be converted into more environmentally friendly products allowing them to be disassembled with ease. 

Project 2: Peer comments

Mikee Ronquillo
Lukas Cubirka
Seb Gregory
Dale Wakeham
Bec Womersley

Project 2: PSS - Eco Lunch

Eco lunch is a sustainable solution to the issue of employees skipping lunch due to tight time frames. Studies have found that a large proportion of employees have a tendency to skip Lunch breaks on a regular basis as they do not have time to leave the office to buy lunch.  Eco lunch is compact unit which offers a range of different herbs, salad greens and dressings for employees to consume for lunch. Eco lunch addresses the worrying environmental issues of take away food packing waste. The product service system which Eco lunch offers is sustainable and encouraging of ethical social behaviours.

The product service system begins with the Eco lunch Company who germinate a variety of lettuce greens in the innovative Eco lunch pods. As shown in poster 4, seeds are sown directly into the pods into a mixture of perlite and vermiculite. The pods are lined with a layer of geotechnical fabric then a piece of agricultural grade Rockwool is inserted into the bottom and the perlite mix is then added on top to fill the pods to the top. Covering the mixture is another sheet of geotechnical fabric which has a number of small holes for the seeds to be sown into. The pods remain upright throughout the period of germination as to let the roots take hold. After the seeds are sown each pod is watered a substantial amount to allow the Rockwool to fully absorb the water which acts as a constant water supply for the greens.

When the pods are one week from maturity they are delivered to the workplace and in replacement of used pods. The pods are placed in a sunny spot in the office where they will continue to grow until the pods in the vertical garden unit are ready to be replaced. The pods are turned on their side and slotted into the unit where the greens await consumption.

The Eco lunch system provides a range of organic salad dressings which perfectly accompany the salad greens. This system overcomes the barriers surrounding the time taken for lunch breaks as it eliminates the need to leave the office to grab a bite to eat which significantly reduces the time. Supplying employees with a free healthy lunch is a good way to improve work performance. Eco lunch assists in reducing the waste caused by take away food packaging. A study taken by Newstatesman revealed that only 50% of workers bring a packed lunch, meaning the remaining 50% either buy lunch or skip lunch all together.  Out of the 50% who do not pack lunch it was found that 48% leave the office to buy lunch. With almost one quarter of all workers purchasing lunch there is a significant amount of packaging waste being generated each day and Eco lunch is a sustainable alternative which can reduce this waste.

  

With the introduction of the Eco lunch system, workplaces can become more environmentally friendly and employee’s behaviours can be altered to become healthier and more productive.  Eco lunch offers a range of benefits and is an innovative addition to any workplace. 

Cormack packaging awards: Peer comments

Liz Grayburn
Melinda Kingsland
Stella Ho
Andrea Krakovask
Helen Holman

Cormack packaging awards: Patchy Pack

Current adhesive bandages are sold in cardboard boxes which the individually wrapped bandage is stored in until use. This type of packaging is insufficient for use in a portable application as the cardboard box becomes crushed and is susceptible to water damage. Patchy Pack, designed for use by children aged between 8 and 11, and their parents, is an innovative portable adhesive bandage dispenser which stores bandages in a sterile environment. The dispensing system allows users to easily tear off the required amount of bandages (Patchies) while holding the Patchy Pack in the other hand. Each bandage is individually wrapped in a unique ticket like pouch which assists users to open the pouch easily and allows the bandage to be easily accessed when inside the Patchy Pack case. The overall experience of using the Patchy Pack in enjoyable and allows children to interact with the product at a higher level than existing packaging designs.

Sustainable design approach is at the forefront of modern innovative product design. Patchy Pack has been designed through a sustainable approach, as it reduces the amount of packaging required for each lot of bandages. Current adhesive bandages, on average, are sold in packs of 20 and many bandages designed for this age group are smaller than adult bandages, however often require twice as many bandages to cover the injury. Patchy Pack’s refill system allows rolls of bandages to be sold with a clear recyclable plastic film and a small stick on label. This packaging system significantly reduces the amount of ink required to print conventional bandage packaging and also allows the bandages to be packed tightly on the roll which takes up less room than conventional designs. The Patchy Pack case is 100% recyclable so it can be recycled at its end of life.

The Patchy Pack is ideal for use at children’s sporting games to patch up any small cuts and scratches. The Pack can also be used as a replacement for existing bandage packages at home and it is compact enough to be kept in a parent’s bag for any time an injury occurs. Overall the Patchy pack system is an innovative addition to the adhesive bandage market and offers a supreme packaging and storage alternative to conventional products. 

Cormack packaging awards: Final Presentation

Cormack packaging awards: Concepts

Video reviews: The Lightbulb Conspiracy

The short film, The Lightbulb Conspiracy explores the development and implementation of planned obsolescence throughout the 1900’s and early twenty first century. This documentary style film closely follows the journey of design obsolescence and has many significant examples right from the first light globes through to Apple’s IPod. The underlying message of the film is the impact which planned obsolescence is having on the environment, with millions of tonnes consumer good waste entering landfill and dump sites. The film portrays the throw away lifestyle of the western world and aims at educating designers and the general public about the push to move away from planned obsolescence.

The introduction of Thomas Edison’s lightbulb in 1881 was one of the greatest inventions of the 1800’s. However, his lightbulb lasted a significantly long period of time before the need for replacement. This saw a downturn in consumer need and there begun the thinking behind planned obsolescence. The creation of the world wide cult, Phoebus was the beginning of planned obsolescence, where manufactures would fix the life of the product in order to increase consumer need. This behaviour at the time was not seen as unethical but through the industrial revolution more and more consumers began shopping for fun not need which created massive amounts of consumer good waste due to consumer’s throw away lifestyle. As more and more products reached their end of life people began to witness the environmental impacts of their behaviours. Anti-growth societies were created and took on Ghandi’s vision, ‘the world is big enough to satisfy everyone’s needs but will always be too small to satisfy individual greed’. As seen in the video, thousands of tonnes of waste goods were being shipped to Ghana where their natural environment was being destroyed. As modern day designers we can reflect on the past and acknowledge the wrong doings of designers of the twentieth century. A more recent example of planned obsolescence was the release of Apple’s first IPod with an obsolete battery in order to maintain consumer demand. As a result of this immoral conduct they were sued and forced to fix the problems they created. Of recent times Apple has increased their market share by producing more products to complement their range while morally producing quality products.

In order to design sustainably and construct eco-friendly products, planned obsolescence must be eradicated and designers must find new ways to develop products while maintaining consumer demand. There are an abundance of new technologies, materials and processes which aid designers in producing such products.

Video reviews: An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth is an eye opening educational presentation about global warming and the impact which humans have of the world. Directed by Davis Guggenheim and presented by Al Gore, himself, the film uses scientific data and estimates to convey his message in order to educate the audience of the dangers which lie ahead if we continue going about our current way of life. Released in 2006, the film became a major talking point in the media and right across the globe which has since attracted more media articles and reviews than any other film. Gore builds his argument with measured data and makes predictions which shock the audience, making them aware of this ‘moral issue’. As designers we have a major role in striving to reduce the environmental impact of consumer goods and design products to assist in the lowering of Co2 levels.

Gore describes global warming as not a political responsibility but as a moral responsibility. It is not up to the governments to implement changes but it is up to the individual person to act morally and reduce their individual carbon emissions. As designers we are the creators of such consumer products which shape the way people live their lives and by designing sustainably we can alter the consumer’s habits and offer eco-friendly alternatives. As presented by Gore, there have been moves to design more sustainable automobiles which significantly reduce emissions. Car manufactures such as Toyota Honda are prime examples of this were as Ford and General Motors have done near nothing to address these issues and remain as some of the biggest carbon contributors. Not only is sustainable design about reducing the emissions given off by the product but, using smart materials designing to use as little material as possible. Using cleaner sources of energy to manufacture the goods we design and designing products which promote and rely on the use of clean energies are just some of the ways designers can shape the future and work towards a cleaner environment.

This moving film is a great step towards reducing the amount of emissions which enter the earth’s atmosphere every year. Al Gore advocates the significantly important issues of global warming and educates the audience as to how they can help to reduce their personal carbon footprint through the use of energy saving appliances and striving t become more sustainable. The  design industry plays a big part in contributing to global emissions and has the power and moral responsibility to act upon this issue through the use of sustainable design.

Video reviews: How it's Made & Giving Packaging New Life

Current packaging manufacturing and recycling process are at an all-time high in eco friendliness. Industrial designers have moral responsibilities to minimise the impact of packaging on the environment and create innovative ways to package products in a way which uses less material to perform the same function if not outperform current functions. Through the use of such videos as How it’s made: Packaging and Giving Packaging a New Life  industrial designers are able to gain an insight into the process involved in producing and recycling packaging and thus design to maximise efficiency and minimise environmental impact.

The mini-series How it’s made: Packaging looks at the various production methods of packaging and enables the viewer to gain a full insight into the entire production process from raw material to finished product. Specifically looking at the tetrapak episode, the video explains how this innovative pack allows products to remain unrefrigerated for up to one year; while at the same time the pack is 100 percent recyclable.  The lamination process to form the outer shell of the pack incorporates three different materials; plastic, paper and foil. While these three distinctly different materials are used they are able to be separated and recycled with no waste entering landfill which is a great triumph in the packaging industry.

At the other end of the packaging lifecycle, Giving Packaging New Life explains in detail how packaging at its end of life is recycled to for new almost virgin material which is used to make more packaging. Everything from paper to plastics and metals are recycled and reproduced which minimises the energy consumption of that of creating new packaging from scratch. The episodes of this series focus on the recycling process in Germany and are a prime example of the recycling with the worlds first automatic sorting plant in Anderten which reduces the cost of convetional sorting methods by as much as 50 percent. Sorting is a critical process in recycling packaging as it allows different materials and material types to be identified and grouped in order to return them to pure granular form. This example from Germany expresses the innovation in technology and design showing that packaging has a promising ecofriendly future.

Both video series allow designers and the general public to gain knowledge into the packaging industry and allow them to improve their designs and behaviours to assist in the process of creating new and recycled packaging. Through implementing the use of the latest technologies, industry is able to work more efficiently, gathering larger quantities of used packaging, reprocessing used packaging and reproducing packaging with higher quantities of recycled materials.

Fountain smartPOUR

The 'Fountain smartPOUR' has been innovatively designed to minimise the 'glugging effect' which occurs when decanting the sauce. The key benefits of this design are; the vent, the ergonomically design handles, and positioning of the opening. The design features a vent which allows air to enter the bottle while pouring out the sauce. This allows for an even flow and a more control ed flow. The bottle features two handles which have been ergonomically designed to make it easier to carry when transporting the bottle and to make it easier to hold and control when pouring and decanting. The opening has been offset hard to one side to minimise the mess caused by run off. This design decision also allows for easy pouring when pouring into other vessels.

The cons associated with this design include; it is hard to stack multiple bottles on top of each other due to the angled top handle and due to the volume of sauce within each bottle it could be difficult to pour when the bottle is full. Through a range of sketches i have been able to refine the design of the 'Fountain smartPOUR' sauce bottle. I have displayed a refined sketcth which communicates my improvement to the design. My improvement include, repositioning the opening, repositioning the top handle, and repositioning the vent.

In my refined sketches i have positioned the opening at a fourty five degree angle to the rest of the bottle. This slight repositioning would make it much easier for the consumer to pour out full bottles of sauce as the bottle wouldn't need to be tilted a much which would reduce the amount of strength needed to pour out the sauce, thus increasing the quantity control and flow control. I have also reshaped the top handle to bring the overall from of the bottle into a rectangular shape allowing it to be stacked more easily. By reshaping the handle i have been able to allow the vent to flow through the hollow handle which allows air to reach the main body of sauce more efficiently then the current design. Through running the vent through the handle more sauce can be fitted into the bottle and a larger volume of sauce can reach the opening, increasing flow efficiency. The overall form of the bottle has taken on a more organic form in my refined design. This change adds for to the bottle which increases aesthetics and allows the sauce to flow more freely inside the bottle. The reshaping of the bottle remains within the external dimensions of the bottle so that it doesn't not effect the ability to store the bottle in minimal space.

Overall my refined sketch of the 'Fountain smartPOUR' sauce bottle include some slight changes to the design which would benefit the consumer in a variety of ways.

Project 2 - 6 pack packaging

The final design behind the six pack of TNT energy drinks reflects that of the packaging of TNT dynamite as it represents the outer crate in which TNT dynamite is stored and transported in. This is to resemble the energy contained within the product and to exaggerate the power of the product. The packaging incorporates innovative design in the way in which the cans are displayed and removed from the carton. The pack combines function within a compact, portable, durable and versatile design.

Project 1 - Letter Holder

The final design for this project is a multipurpose desk top holder. The product is constructed with sheet aluminium and is folded into its final form without the use of any fasteners. Positioned on the desk top of a home office, this product is used for a number of different functions; holding letters, bills awaiting payment, notes, memos, cards and photographs. The product encompasses a highly angular aesthetic form both when in use and when not in use.

Uniquely formed through folding sheet aluminium, this product is novel, enhances the ‘state of the art’ design and shows awareness of other designs and their place in material culture. The final product is constructed using .5mm sheet aluminium. Through the use of powder coating, the product has been given an up market, office quality which allows the product to fit in with its surrounding environment while also creating a focal point within the environment.

The desk top holder is available in a range of different colours all of which are finished with a powder coated surface. The product is constructed using .5mm light weight aluminium and is thus, more cost effective than using a thicker material and easier to manufacture, saving on labour costs. Although .5 mm material has been used, the shape of the holder strengthens the material and the uniquely designed shaped feet ensure the product does not tip over while under a standard load.

This product encompasses a range of different qualities including, ease of use and safety. As the design of the product is very angular, the sharp points have all been rounded to a 1mm radius to ensure the product is safe to use and does not scratch the surface which it is placed on.

Overall this unique desk top holder meets the project brief and has a range of different innovative qualities. Through the use of bending and folding sheet aluminium a highly aesthetic and functional product has been produced.

Peer Comments

http://z3330189.blogspot.com/
http://z3333129.blogspot.com/
http://zen-industrialdesign.blogspot.com/
http://xavmancini.blogspot.com/
http://ikeemays13.blogspot.com/

Hero shot

Project 2: rationale & poster

Rationale

The Key Zester

Unlocking that citrus flavour has taken an all new eco friendly twist. The Key Zester is made from anodized aluminium keys which were on their way to landfill after being incorrectly cut at Bunnings Warehouse , along with plastic irrigation piping off cuts sourced from Green Life Landscaping.

Manufacturing The Key Zester began with sourcing the keys. Bunnings were more than happy to supply me with their miss cut keys as I was diverting them from landfill and as Bunnings strives to reduce their environmental impact. The keys were sourced from two stores and were a mix of steel and anodized aluminium. On average across NSW alone approximately 7000 keys are incorrectly cut and end up in landfill. Once the keys were sourced they were sorted into two groups, being the steel and aluminium. As the keys would be coming in contact with citric acid I undertook some tests which saw lemon and orange zest placed onto both steel and aluminium keys for 24 hours. After observing the keys, it was clear that the citric acid had had an affect on the steel keys and not the aluminium keys. This result concluded with the use of the coloured aluminium keys. the aluminium keys were considerably lighter than the steel keys which was a great advantage over the steel keys as weight was a major concern with the design.

A small hole was then drilled into the tip of each key. Using stainless steel wire, two different sized rings were formed and the smaller was threaded through the drilled holes in 28 keys. The irrigation pipe sourced from Green Life Landscaping was off cuts from multiple jobs. There was no use for this piping as the lengths were to small and previously had been thrown in the garbage, contributing to landfill. The piping was sterilised then cut into 10mm lengths then threaded onto the larger wire ring between each key. the piping acts as a spacer between the keys.

The steel keys which were not used in the manufacturing of this product can be crafted into a range of other products including coasters and candle holders.

Overall The Key Zester is an elegant sculpturally formed product which evokes a high level of sophistication and a highly perceived market value. This product has greatly reduced the amount of house keys which enter landfill each year and has minimal impact on the environment throughout the manufacturing process. The Key Zester is perfectly sized to fit the palm of the users hand making it easy to hold and use. As all of the materials used in this product are non corrosive and rust resistant it can be washed easily and is dishwasher safe. The Key Zester is an excellent example of how products which are essentially waste can be upcycled and crafted into objects of practical utility and sophisticated elegance.

Video review: Design for Life

Through out the six episodes of Pilippe Starck's Design for Life we are given an insight to Starcks design world. Starck describes himself as a door to creativity, the future and vision. His philosophy is based around how good design speaks of life and how it affects life. He invites armature designers to apply for the chance to work with his design agency. Starck selects twelve applicants and teaches them how they should be questioning everything, every design decision in a product and how their design decisions affect everyone in the future. The fundamental thing which he teaches the applicants is that they are now part of a school of creativity not design and to speak less of design and more about things around us.

In project one the idea behind the project is to recognise how there are too many designs and that we should be thinking about how they are useful and sustainable. Starck believes in demographic design, designing for everyone. 'It is about creating objects that benefit everyone through value, are sustainable and function'. The most important thing that Starck wants in design is sustainability. Throughout project two Starck encourages the applicants to learn about people. 'They need to immerse themselves into the environments of other people to understand there behaviours. Project three sees Starck take a different approach and he decides to give them a generic task to test and develop their way of thinking. He wants the students to learn that his briefs are very broad as for them to be creative and not design. It is crucial that we experience and understand the needs of the people as designers. For Philippe Starck it is important to know every aspect of your design.

Getting inspiration for a design project can come from unusual or normal things, for example, plants nature or living. When it comes to technique it should be kept in mind that simple can be better. At this stage Starck has narrowed down the applicants to four and throughout the fifth episode we learn that as a designer you should always stick with the final idea and always be prepared to change them for an easier manufacturing process. We are given an insight into marketing and the applicants are taught that in order for products to succeed it needs to have a strong branding and marketing statergy. It can be seen through the emotional development of the applicants that there will be struggles and disappointments. They are constantly put down but through all the criticism, it is a learning curve to see who will win.

Starck has again refined the number of applicants, now down to two. The competition is based on the success and development of their projects to result in a winner. Philippe Starck continues to give advice and wisdom about design. The series ended with one applicant being awarded the winner due to her ambition to succeed whilst fulfilling the requirements of the brief.

Comments: Project 1

Alex Lord: http://http://3332091.blogspot.com/
Stella Ho: http://http://stellaanddesign.blogspot.com/
Daihyun Jang: http://http://3331203.blogspot.com/
Aryetta Pazpini: http://http://z3333129.blogspot.com/
Andrew Lee: http://http://elementofhiphop.blogspot.com/

Experience Enrichment

Pleasure Analysis

Context of use

Rationale