Peer Comments

Doug Cusack
http://dougcusack-ides1031.blogspot.com/2011/10/project-two-upcycled-utility-box.html?showComment=1318900882407#c4628366507791750440

Ginny Kwok
http://ginnykwok.blogspot.com/2011/10/glamour.html?showComment=1318912660699#c3368943205326171580


CAI MIN(Stephanie)
http://lovedbyee.blogspot.com/2011/10/xxx.html?showComment=1318913274190#c5858780098012892063

Cherrie Fillisia
http://cf-indesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/project-2-upcycled-utility.html?showComment=1318913526855#c6816573193276564338

Luke Messina
http://idesluke.blogspot.com/2011/10/project-2-upcycled-recycling.html?showComment=1318913895090#c1928164886906927984

Project 2-Upcycled Utility

 Rationale:

The aim of this project is to come up with an elegant mood lamp made out of advertising posters producing less waste as possible. When I research what makes a good lamp, it came up with good lamp shades and the light it produces. Lamp can gives the extra touch in decorations and it’s really important especially in interior design.

My solution is to come up with an elegant design of upcycled advertising poster that emphasizes on the characteristics of the materials itself. The materials are manipulated by a little folding and arrangements so that it produces an elegant, intelligent design that will not only be good for the decorations but also produces good lighting for indoor purposes.

I firstly did some prototypes for my lampshades on normal paper, however, I encountered some problem as the real material of the poster does not react like paper, it’s more stiff and therefore it does not look as flowing as I would like to be. 

After trying different concepts, I established my final design using similar concept as I did on paper. With a little folding technique and some arrangements based on one point of the circle, I finally created a lampshade that is made of 18 rectangular shapes strips and joined them using brass fasteners. This design was inspired again by my design philosophy of creating a product that is simple and yet aesthetically beautiful. 

Another advantage of my lamp is that it produces 0% waste, so the whole poster can be used and therefore it’s sustainably very good. Pinning techniques was used to add extra details and decorations of the lamp shade. This patterns will gives feminine, elegant touch while at the same time allowing the radiance of the light to flow towards outside the lampshade. 

My only improvement would be to try making a better pattern that will therefore produces more interesting shadows.

Project 2-Upcycled Utility-Assembly Instructions

Assembly Instructions:
Inside the package:
-Plastic sections x 18
-Brass fasteners x 18
-Lightning Assembly x1
-Circle Acrylic piece x 1

1.  Begin with attaching two plastic sections and use brass fastener to fasten it. 

2.  Repeat steps until all the plastic sections are joined around a circle (Leave the first and last piece unattached), leave it a side.

3.  Take the acrylic piece and lightning assembly, attach the acrylic piece to lightning assembly

4. Now take the plastic sections and put it on top around the acrylic piece. Use the last brass fasteners to join the opened sections. And fasten the top part of the lightning assembly.

5. Finally, install a light bulb, and the lamp is ready to be used. 

Video Reflection- WHAT is design

Bill Moggridge in this video addresses the question of ‘what is design?'. He conveys some examples of good and bad design as well as the process that involve around design. I personally like when he quotes that design is not simply to make a product looks appealing or beautiful but every products are the result of design. Having said that, it means that everyone who produce an products (not only products in our mind, but also the people like IT manager who makes the comoputer system, they are also a designer.

Another points that i agree on him is when he said that the people couldn't recognize good design until he take a look at the bad one as well. He conveys it through the example of bad designed remote controls in which the designer put complicated details which bring confussion for the users.

Human-centered design is again highlighted but this time it is not only interpreted as a design that focuses on the user experience but it is also about the sustainability of it. These days people has become more and more care about environment and thus, we as designers are reminded to think carefully what is the effect of our design on earth.

This video is very important to designers, especially industrial designers, as it shows how advanced technology has become and how design is following the trend by incorporating technology into design. Also, it reminds industrial designers that they need to design products that are useful and accessible (reasonably priced) to the society, which makes lives easier.

Peer Comments- Project 1

Oskar Carabez
http://ocarabezides1031.blogspot.com/

Christine Liang
http://mad-attic.blogspot.com/

Rainbow Tam
http://rainbow-tam.blogspot.com/

Oun Vimolpatranon
http://vimooun.blogspot.com/

Kosuke Fujisawa
http://kosukedesign2011.blogspot.com/

Project 1- Experience Enrichment

RATIONALE:

The aim of this project is to design an everyday hand tool into a more pleasurable one which enriches the user’s experience when using it. There are so many hand tools in the society nowadays and whisk is one of the kitchen utensils that are frequently used in the kitchen.  Balloon whisk is the most common whisk used in the kitchen and my aim is to enrich the experience of whisking using this kind of whisk.

My solution was to come up with a simple design of a balloon whisk with raised base feature which enables the whisk to be placed on the table with its head staying off countertop for surface contaminated whisking. This feature may also allow the whisk to be stored on the kitchen table when it’s not used. Another advantage of this higher base is that it can be used as a hook towards the bowl when it’s rested after whisking. Its sleek design will be aesthetically appealing and therefore the user can use this whisk as the kitchen ornament. I decided to keep the shape of the balloon loop as it does provide the best whisking results as it produces best aeration while whisking. Its curve shape is best suited for mixing in bowls as their curved edges conform to a bowl's concave sides. The stainless steel are used for this whisk because it reacts well with most of the ingredients (eggs, cream, gravies) and therefore produces stable foam, its material is also not easily corroded and resistant to temperature changes. 

The main challenge to this design is to design the handle that will ergonomically suit every hand shape. Finally I made a decision to make a smaller round shape near the whisk and a bigger round shape at the tip of the handle because these features will help transferring the weight and pressure into the user’s palm of their hand and therefore it reduces stress while whisking. I am impressed with this handle design because I have tested it with few people and they agree that this feature makes the experience of whisking more pleasurable. The materials used for the handle is plastic because of its lightness and its soft texture and comfortable grip will also enrich the whisking experience.

  I always wanted to design a product that is simple and yet aesthetically appealing while at the same time allowing it to perform its best essential function. I am confident that my whisk design has achieved this and its features have added a more pleasurable experience as it fulfills physiological, psychological, social, and ideological properties. 

poster of Hero shot

 

Video Reflection: Annie Leonard-The story of stuff

Most of us don't know how the system really works, because no one teaches us about it. All we know is that we're using too much resources, and it's running out. (Although in the past decade we have been taught of recycling).

I absolutely agree with Annie's statement we don't know how much resources we use a day, how many people in this system paid with their future because they're forced to, etc. What's worst is that advertisements tell us that we're "wrong", except that they're the ones who's at fault for only showing us the shopping part, and not the extraction and production parts.

Also the national happiness fact that it has been declining is an interesting one. My father told me before about his childhood, and it sounds VERY different from my childhood. I didn't think about it very much, but now I know the reason why - because we choose stuff over families and friends. Some people think that stuffs can make them happy. May be. But not as happy as those without stuffs, surprisingly. Take the example of poor people, sometimes they look happier than we do. Why? Because those people have strong bonds between themselves.

Moreover, it kind of makes me feel guilty when she says, "... these (industrial) designers are so opened about it. They actually discussed how fast can they make stuff break but still leaves the consumer have enough faith in the product to go buy another one". But I realized that I am not them, so I don't have to feel guilty. And what I need to do is change this "System of Crisis".

Product Sketches

My design Career

I want to be a designer because I love exploring new ideas and thinking of how to create a better life and experience for living. I always passionate to design things, playing around with paper, and other materials since I was little and my parents told me that I am such a creative kid because I can imagine transforming simple materials into something useful and beautiful. As I finished high school, my parents didn’t prefer me to do deign though, being born with the Asian parents they wanted me to do something like engineering or science because they think that it would be easier to get a job in that area so they wanted me to do IT before because I was also good at it. But when I studied IT I really didn’t enjoy it and it was really frustrating because I had to do something that I don’t enjoy. So then I told my parents that I want to be a designer instead, before my parents asked me to think twice and finally they let me. I have chosen to study in UNSW because at first UNSW is very popular in my country (Indonesia) so everyone who comes from Indonesia always wanted to get into this university. I have this pride to be a UNSW student and as I looked through the handbook, I think industrial design is the most suitable design I should do. I always love buying products, and a good product really brings pleasure for the users and that is why I want to be a product designer because I want to bring the new innovation to the society in which may improve their life experience. Looking at past designers who have been successful, it really motivates me to do better from times to times because I want to follow their career and I want to show it to show it my parents that I can have my career in design. I can’t imagine my future for this moment yet, If God’s willing I would love to work as an industrial designer but then I might also learn other design (graphic or web) design and see what opportunities that comes up. Many people told me that an industrial designer would also make a lot of money, it is true in one sense but it is really not what drives me to be an industrial designer. I chose industrial design also because it has varieties of things that we can learn as well such as marketing, how to do research and statistics which will also support my design career and these subjects are the subject I love as well. I hope that I can do my best in this course and pass the course with satisfactory results.

Design Confusion - Hot and Cold tap

Video Reflection- David Kelley on TED > Human Centred Design

In the video Kelley talked about human centered design - design which takes into consideration human's behaviours and personalities. Therefore, design now has a broader definition which includes the environment and services in it.

He introduced a few designs that I've never seen and heard before, but the most interesting one was the high-tech Prada shop in New York. Careful thoughts of how to serve customers better was really evident in the design. Other examples - the Science Museum in London with its interactive walls, defibrillator, cubicle, e-magazine, Spyfish and the water recycling system, are all human-centered designs, which some of it we may have heard of, but may not have realized that it's made for the consumer to be closer to design, and that consumers are invited to relate with it.

This video is very important to designers, especially industrial designers, as it shows how advanced technology has become and how design is following the trend by incorporating technology into design. Also, it reminds industrial designers that they need to design products that are useful and accessible (reasonably priced) to the society, which makes lives easier.

Design Excellence- SMRT Body Spanner

Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy | Video on TED.com

Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy | Video on TED.com

My reflection:

In this video, Don Norman conveys a good views of how design of a product should consider its beauty, functionality as well as how it can creates story for the people who use it. This video gives me an insights of how a product can be attractive and innovative eventhough it doesn't function to what we expected.

Norman expresses that the emotion of the users plays a very important role to the success of its design. We as users are often affected by our subconscious feeling that cleverly set by the designers. Though it is not a new concept, as a designer, this is very helpful thing to be always reminded that we should design a product that creates happy and emotional attach to the users as it fits better to the society.

The example that Norman shows in his video about the table tennis table that are projected (so that it looks like an aquarium) conveys a real fact that people care more about the fun and pleasant experience that the products can create rather than its normal functionality, because as we can see, it is surely not a good way of playing table tennis but people loves it because it creates pleasant experience in an unusual way. but on the other hand, i am personally not persuaded because as a user i would feel the lacking of design which then lower the sense of fun and emotional pleasure.

Moreover, Norman's video has encouraged me to be a designer that consider small details and how to creatively improve every small elements to create a fun, pleasant, and innovative products. His argument of how pleasant things can work better reminds me of how apple company has a very simple design, however its success shows that people love the experience that the apple products can create.

As an industrial designer, it will be good if we are not neglecting this truth, but instead use this fact to help us improve the design of products that already exist in society.

At the end, Human emotions(subconscious mind, behavioural, reflective behaviour) shows that the reason why people buy the products is to fulfill their needs in wanting to control different situations and feelings.
For example: people wants to buy a potato masher, so that they can mash their potatoes easily. moreover, people want a good design and comfortable handle for their potato masher. Because not only, they want to have control on things, the users also want a sense of pride and belonging that may not be consciously felt by them but there's always small voice at their head telling these things.

Finally, there are so many strange designs that we as normal human may not be understand why the designers design it, but the stories and concept behind all designs can change the whole design. In the end, people accept the stories behind a design.

I love paper quiling

Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. The paper is wound around a quill to create a basic coil shape. The paper is glued at the tip and the coil shaped, these shaped coils are arranged to form flowers, leaves, and various ornamental patterns similar to ironwork.

it's becoming my new hobby i guess and from this simple technique we can make so many nice things including cards, scrapbooks =)

Wood Digital Radio

yeayy my last project for this semester! thank God i finish it...it was such a tiring and yet interesting journey of cutting, sanding, painting, sanding and sanding and sanding experience ;)

so here's my radio =D

;0and here is the mess we made! hehe the evidence of us working hard ;)

finally, Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Visiting Power House museum

It was a coincidence i guess, coz i actually went to Powerhouse museum on the weekend before uni started and when i was given the design passport to do, i was like" yes, i've done 1 dot point!"

so yeah i went there on the 5th March 2011 and it was a pleasant experience i guess since this is my first time visiting museum in Australia in my 4 years of staying here.

I saw many interesting things there, like the evolution of various products from time to times, the old replica of old Australian transportation such as old central stations and also past technologies and how it's tranforming into an innovative products which successfully attracts the society.

i also saw some of the innovative designer's project such as Ettore Sottsass carlton cabinet

it's such a pity i forgot to bring camera :s so i can only tell the story....sorry guys! i might visit powerhouse museum again and take heaps of pictures there

Our Spin storyboard

The ideas of our storyboard of spinning Mr. blob!

Design Passport

Here is the picture of my design passports....

I hope i can be as good as Piranesi...

This is my nearly finished Piranesi drawing...it was a really challenging project especially for me, since i am not good at drawing...but i did try hard and quite proud of it eventhough i know other people can do soo much better than mine...

i was actually quite enjoying the whole process except to draw the outlines structure of how the image is going to be. since i know i wouldn't be able to draw the right perspective, i decided to turn the piece into a picture book

so here is my FINAL piranesi drawing...

Design History final poster

It's 2am in the morning, and i think this is going to be my last blog update for today...*it's been a loonggg day! will update the rest tomorrow =D *oh actually later today!

Here is my poster for my first design history project...i call it "the i-classic"

ciaoooo!

Structure and Surface

Freshly made with blue foam and cardboards

Spin!

Spinning round round round round and round...

my head was spinning also, when doing this project!

what you'll see is some spinning images we've selected for the presentation and my drawing part for the story board of "spinning mr. blob"!

and the story board: basically i just drawed the toilet scene and the slide tower....where the Mr. blob going to be spinned around and round and round *reminds me of the song called Dynamite!

Martin Place and Environs projects

This is the photos of Martin Place and as i promised before, i posted my postcards photos here below...

Water fountain texture

Here are my postcards:

Left: the tree was made with paper quiling technique
right: normal skecthing (to fit the group theme)

3D postcard: the idea came because i want to make the shopping arcade tunnel to look real.
so i use thick foam core to make the relief.