Project 4 - Postal Presents: Tea Candle Holders

The assignment was to design a product which could be sent in a C4 envelope and sent to someone who could use it. Not only just use it once, but reuse it over and over.

The Tea Candle holders are stylish and versatile. They are made out of 3mm stainless steel so they have durability and can be used both indoors and outdoors. The slits in the steel are small and keep the light low to add atmosphere.

The holders are easy to put together and take apart and are easy to clean. All that is needed is a tea candle to go inside.

The holders come in 2 C4 sheets and the pieces pop right out. The remaining sheet can be recycled so there is no waste.

Project 3 - Treasuring Time: Bowling Score

The idea behind my design was for the user to be able to record their highest 10 pin bowling score as well as their last played game so they can see if they have improved over time.

As well as having this, there is a mini bowling alley on top for people to play around with. I have kept to the red and white bowling colours. Magnets are placed over the numbers to show the scores.

Video Reflections 5 - Annie Leonard: The Story Of Stuff

Annie brings the point across that everything we do in life makes an impact on the earth. As designers we are responsible for everyday products which use the manufacturing techniques which cause the problems as shown in the video.

Annie reveals to us the facts about a products life cycle from manufacturing to waste. Some of the statistics given about America are quite shocking. Although people already know that recycling needs to be done, they probably don't realise that the recycling part is only a tiny part of the life cycle and the manufacturing part is a major contributor to the current environmental problems.

Manufacturing companies need to find other solutions for materials instead of ravaging countries for their resources. They should look at sustainable development such as paper forests etc... Landfills need to be removed and more recyclable materials need to be developed while phasing out current toxic and harmful materials.

Project 1 - Experience Enrichment: Hand Tool Design

Wallets are essential part of everyday life and are an accessory of ourselves. Some men have different wallets for different occasions or clothing/fashion.

It is theoretically the male version of a handbag. You don’t leave the house without it and it has to go with what you’re wearing.

Although many wallets made out of leather and similar materials can go with anything, they are very generic and nearly everyone has a leather wallet or has owned one at some stage.

My idea stems from a business card holder type wallet made out of metal. Money clips are usually made out of metal, but these are meant for notes and not for cards etc.. Some are designed for cards, but it does not cover it wholly and leaves the magnetic strip bare for scratching of keys amongst other things.

I wanted something small and functional but big enough to hold cards and notes. It had to fit snugly in pockets be lightweight so as not to weigh down pockets and attractive enough to be worn with smart casual, classy clothing. If this was to be used on going out occasions and not just as a general everyday wallet, the suitable flexibility would be for a minimum of three cards ( Drivers licence, credit card, debit card).

The ideal material used would be stainless steel. It is strong, light, pliable and rust proof. It can also be anodized so any colour could be put onto it as well as rainbow styles.



















Technical Drawing













Target Market

Video Reflections 4 - Paul Bennett: Design Is In The Details

Paul Bennett explains the realisation that to design something, all you have to do is look around. Something so simple can turn into something so grand.

Viewing the environment around you can define how a product is developed and eventually produced. Some of the famous things in the world that came about were from observing the area around them. Sesame Street came about from a mother seeing her daughter in front of the telly watching the test card waiting for the programs to start. Velcro was developed because a man walking his dog got his socks covered in burs. The reflectors 'cats eyes' on the road came about because the inventor saw the reflection of a cats eye while driving.

For a Minnesota hospital design, staff were asked their opinions on what their patient experiences were and what they thought could be done in the hospital to make it more personal and accommodating.

By giving the staff the chance to give input into the design, a more personal approach was used and helped give the hospital the much more accommodating feel that was needed.

Another example of this is the device for the hospital. The client originally wanted a device which would have a two hand touch input method. After watching the medical procedure taking place they found that the one thing the nurses did was hold the hand of the patient. After seeing this they decided that the device would have to have one handed input instead.
This is a prime example of a product being designed by viewing and taking in the environment.

The water pump in Kenya was created by researching the material limitations, production and needs of the indigenous population. This enabled the pump to be produced locally and easily.

All of these things show that all we have to do to develop an idea is to look around us and take in the environment and go from there.

Task 3: Product Sketching

'Lockheed Lounge': Marc Newson: 1988-90
















'Crossed Blades' Maquette: Alexander Colder: 1966






















'Wrino': Walter Peter Wright

Video Reflections 3 - Yves Behar: Creating Objects That Tell Stories

Yves Behar has a saying "Design brings stories to life". Yves is a major designer in industrial design and has global products to his name.

His approach is simple yet effective. Although he designs his products to be beautiful and sexy they are also designed to arouse curiosity and to make the user interact and feel a part of it.
This is seen with his award winning design "Jawbone". A bluetooth headset for mobile phones, which sits on top of the upper jawbone on the surface of the skin. The way it sits in the ear is angled so it looks as if it could be about to penetrate into the skin and connect with you, becoming a part of you. Yves and the design team felt that products which go on our faces are not just normal gadgetry but become accessories therefore needing to be designed differently, and must be a thing of beauty. It also has voice recognition in it which cancels out environmental noises so it is just you being heard in the microphone, again being just you and the headset. The headset has no buttons which keeps it clean and blemish free. All you have to do to use it is touch the surface, just like touching your skin. When on the user it evokes a feeling which says 'this is a part of me', sitting naturally and effortlessly in the ear.

The leaf lamp is designed to be used as a normal light, a work light and a super bright light. With the consumer only having to slide their finger across the base to change the brightness.

The XO Laptop for OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) is shown in a photo being carried on the head of a student in Nigeria. In Nigeria a person carries their most precious items on thier head.
This is telling the story that it's design and functionality has become a major part in the students life and is something that must be with them. Another story about the laptop is Yves had to take back the XO Laptop from his nephew and a few months later on returning, his nephew had made a paper copy of the laptop. It had become a part of his life and he felt he needed it.
This shows that something designed with human interaction and feelings in mind can become a necessity for someone.

Even something as simple as water is being used in design as shown with the 'Y water' bottle. People don't tend to drink enough water and are focussing on sugary soft drinks. One of the designers working with Yves wanted to get his children to drink more water so he designed abottle which would be interactive with them. The bottles not only look funky and touchable but they can be used to build things when clipped together.

Yves design philosophy is shown throughout all of his products and is one which should be shared by everyone. Designing products to be viewed, admired, talked about and used.