Peer Comments - Project 3

Hyo-Ju Cho
Angela Lam
Mitchell Lockley
Lucinda Waters
Emily Soares

Project 3 - Upcycling Unwanteds

For this project coming up with an idea of what to make from unwanted materials was difficult, finding the right material or a way to use that material was a challenge.

For my product I used discarded cable labels used in the electrical engineering industry. These labels are used to identify different cables run through a wired system [think along the lines of a train system] and are checked and relabeled at least once a year with the old labels having to be thrown out if they are not up to standard.

The geometric and aesthetic quality of the material allowed me to play with the form to an extent, but the simplicity in the geometry led me to construct squares to form interlocking sides. the capacity of this new form to move slightly without breaking apart [so long as not on of the tags is loose] lends itself well to a fruit bowl. As a result I decided to construct a fruit bowl from the cable labels.

The final result is eye catching as the back surface of the labels shines with a jewel like quality and a traditional woven pattern. With the original etching visible on the inside of the fruit bowl, this product still shows where it originates from and due to the fact that there is little known about wher eteh material is sourced, it can become a talking point.

Richard Seymour & Dick Powell - Designing Dream Machines

Designing Dream Machines gives an insight into the inner workings of an industrial design company, exhibiting the design process from start to finish. Both Seymour and Powell talk about the various stages involved in the whole design process in order to obtain a successful design.

The video highlights that communication is essential - between the designer and the client and also between fellow designers. There is also a focus on drawing, stressing that although computer aided drawings and modelling programs can show what the finished product would ideally look like, hand drawings showcase the first formation of ideas and show a different feel that cannot be captured in computer aided drawings.

Seymour and Powell give good pieces of advise for any industrial design student, helping with the understanding of exactly why communication is such an important aspect of design as well as the design itself.


*Photo Seymour & Powell, Design Council, http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/DCImages/About%20Design/Resources%20for%20teachers%20and%20students/Teaching%20and%20learning%20resources%20for%20schools/R_Seymour_&_D_Powell_Med.jpg

Project 2 - Peer Comments

Greg Shar
Gleb Labazine
Gabriel Ly
Julia Xiao
Vivian Shao

Project Two -Postal Presents

For this project I wanted to do something a little left of centre [considering how my polypropylene and acrylic was being used] and as a result I thought of a messenger bag - or more the deconstruction of the bag. I had this idea after looking over the slides Mar had shown us [having taken note of the dress and 2 second tent]. Initially I had thought about making a Chinese checker set but that idea fell through when I realised how many small fiddly bits there were going to be.

The design of my bag is simple, much like any other sling bag. However I thought of the more simplistic ways material could be joined together and came up with an eyelet and rope system that allowed the seams to be hidden or shown [depending on how you wish to lace it up]. The material is cotton drill, ensuring that there is no stretch in the material making it more durable. I made this with practicality in mind, so it could be an object that could be used again and again.