Wildlife Secondary Research

Plants grow inside Maxim Scherbakov's marble Sputnik-5 table

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This table that has the plants coming out from its centre is designed by Maxim Scherbakov. The main components from which the table is made are metal wire structure, marble and an oak shelf. It is named after the Soviet satellite which was the first satellite which took plants to space and returned back safely. In this design, the plants come out from the centre out of the pyramid shaped structure. The pyramid is designed to protect the plants from things like books and cups which are kept on the table. It looks like the plant is coming out straight from the marble, after penetrating it. I really like that concept. The mix of really hard and strong materials with soft and delicate plants looks really nice. The 2 different types of materials compliment each other. 

My design tastes are usually towards the minimalistic and simple things thats why I really like this piece. The sleek look the furniture piece is giving is also what I admire. I think mixing furniture with plants is really nice as it looks like we are mixing life itself with non-living objects. The person using the table might also feel fresh and happy being next to a plant when they are using the table. In fact, I think this furniture piece should definitely be in the Chelsea Physic Garden. 

 

Florian Wegenast designs furniture that creates "temporary gardens" in small spaces

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Florian Wegenast has designed furniture which allows plant holders to be fit in the furniture. He wanted to create 'temporary gardens' by maximising the use of space in small homes. His range of furniture varies from stools, benches and tables and each of them allow the users to store the plants. This is how he thought he could cater to the needs of people living in houses which do not have gardens. 

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Wegenast says "My aim with this open-design plant furniture series is to encourage people to start utilising this design as a tool, and create new interactions between humans, plants and the home." I agree with this as I too think that due to a lot of urbanisation, some people have less or no interaction with plants on a daily basis. This situation has a lot of down sides to it as well. I researched on 'MONQ.com' and found out about the effects of plants on human beings. 

I learnt that if a human being is near plants, the person has a better mood and a better psyche. Studies have also shown that when people are around plants, they tend to be more attentive and they focus better on their work. There was an experiment in which people were put into 2 room, one with Plants and the other room was colourful. The results showed that the people were more carefree, playful, affectionate and friendly in the room in which the plants were kept.

All these studies show that plants have a great impact on humans and thus I really like this furniture piece as it has been designed in such a way that plants and humans could always be together. I love the design of the stool as it looks nice as well and it doesn't take up too much space. The idea of making these products for small houses works perfectly. The use of materials (plywood and terrazzo) is also nice as they are eco-friendly. Another interesting thing about Florian's design is that the furniture pieces have cuts and holes in them and thus allow the consumer to assemble and dismantle without the use of glue or screws. This makes it easier for the consumer and more likely for them to buy the products. 

 

Marc Thorpe reimagines garden vine to create steel table

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Marc Thorpe shows a range of tables inspired by leaves and stems. The tables are made from powder-coated welded steel rods for the stems and laser cut bent steel plates for the leaves. The irony in this piece is that it depicts the most delicate thing but is made out of something so strong. 

The reason I like this piece is because of its simplicity and smoothness. It's not a piece which is very complicated or very innovative. It offers 3 different places to keep your stuff. This table could be used as a side table for various rooms. The colour could be made better, I think 1 colour makes it look dull. The shape and the form is what I like as well.

 

The Grab watering can by Stine Aas

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These watering cans are a part of a collection introduced by the brand Northern. The cans have been designed by a designer called Stine Aas. The product is made of 2 cylinders joining at the bottom and then going their separate ways. As I was thinking about researching about watering cans, I saw these. 

I really liked these cans in the first glance as the colour comes out really well. My first look got me attracted to them only because of the colour. Another thing that I really like is the shape and form of the cans. They look very neat and very modern. The watering cans usually have a big ugly handle to them but since the cylinder isn't very broad, this watering can can be easily held directly by the hand. These cans are beautiful in comparison to the ones the gardeners use. In my opinion, the above cans can be used at home or in very small gardens on terraces of houses. As they are not very large, they won't be of much use to the gardeners but they will look very nice and give an aesthetic look at home. 

Vessel

The item I have been given is the 'balloon'

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A balloon is a bag which is inflatable and can be tied at the neck and is used as a children's toy or for celebrations. Balloons come in many different colours thus they are used in celebrations to colour up the place and mood. They can be made of many different materials like rubber, latex, polishloroprene, metabolised plastic etc for different gases like helium, nitrogen, oxygen etc.

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Some other uses of balloons are -

Meteorology - A balloon called sounding balloon is a balloon which carries some interments up in the atmosphere which help send back information about atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity etc

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Medical Treatment- Balloons are also used in the medical field. There are some catheters which help doctors enlarge a narrow space in the body. Like this, balloons are used in angioplasty. 

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Military- In the olden days, balloons were also used in military. They allowed the warriors to get a 'bird's view' and thus attack better. The concept of the hot air balloons is similar to this one. Balloons made possible that humans could elevate themselves. These balloons allowed people to gather information from a high point in the sky and allowed troops to have a strong advantage.

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Transportation- Since the hot air balloons were discovered way back in time, people used to use them for transportation purposes as well. The hot air allows the balloon to go up in the air. The cargo can be put in the basket which is attached to the balloon and then the cool air can help the balloon to come back on the ground. 

Fun- Nowadays, hot air balloons are also used for entertainment purposes. People ride on it to see good views from the sky which they haven't seen before. 


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Water Balloons- Water balloons are balloons which are filled with water instead of air. They are easily broken if thrown with a little force. These balloons are used on an Indian festival, Holi. Water balloons are also used for playing and entertainment, and they are a lot of fun.

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Used in Art - Balloon modelling is something which is used in art and design. Balloons are bent and tied to form shapes and structures. They are used for playing as well. By adding texture, they can look very real as well. These types of balloons are used in kids parties sometimes. 

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Why does the balloon pop when poked/burst?
The balloon pops as when any sharp surface pinches it, there is a tiny hole made in the surface of the rubber. The hole lets the air come out at a high pressure as the air was trapped inside. Thus, the balloon makes a pop noise when it is burst.

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Balloons can be inflated via several methods. The easiest way is to blow in it with your mouth, which is what most people do. It is the easiest way although it may be a tiring way if a lot of balloons need to be inflated. In those cases, people use hand pumps for balloons or machines which vacuum and fill air in the balloons.

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How Balloons Are Made

Primary Research - Movement

Roll

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Bend 

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Rotate

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Push

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Wind

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Slide

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Drop

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Step

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Wave

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Pull

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Experience Secondary Research

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Wildlife Primary Research

Wildlife Primary Research

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Utility - Secondary Research

Origami Influenced Umbrella - Justin Nagelberg and Matthew Waldman

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Both the above designers have reimagined the shape and design of the umbrella by eliminating the metal structure and adding a flexible structure which can fold and unfold.

This umbrella is made from plastic panels and it eliminates all the parts which could easily be broken by wind and heavy rain. The open and close mechanism is in the handle. If you rotate the handle, the umbrella opens and vice-versa if you rotate in the opposite direction. It is made of 2 circular sheets which simultaneously expand and contract which allow the umbrella to open and close. 

I really like this umbrella as it is very minimalistic. It is only made of 1 material and is very strong. The folding technique used is great. The 2 plastic sheets help each other to unfold and fold. I like that there is no pokey metal wire which could hurt people in the eyes. 

 

Nendo's Squidgy Meji Cube 

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This is a silicon-covered resin block which fits an umbrella's top into it. It balances the umbrella vertically without any other support. 

This cube comes In a single piece as well as multiple. This concept is really interesting. I have never had a good place at home to keep an umbrella. Whenever it's raining and I come into my room, I keep my umbrella on the wall for sometime. That results in the wall getting wet. This is a great solution as is very minimalistic. It's a basic stand which can fit into any corner. If 1 umbrella is already put, the purpose of the product can be easily recognised, otherwise it's a bit difficult. The best part is that the water droplets will fall directly in this stand which can be emptied later on. 

 

Alex Ambridge

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Alex Ambridge is a product Designer who inspires my client. I researched about him and I found out that he is a London based Product-Designer. His Instagram says that all of this is his extra-curricular work and his idea of fun. I really like his technical drawings. The final outcome that he presents is  very holistic. On these design sheets, anyone can understand his ideas and what goes on in his head. I like how he has marked everything so as to give more satisfaction. The detailed drawings tell the consumer what the product is and the writings explain how the product works. I went through his Instagram page so I found out that he is a very creative product designer. Some of his ideas are very appealing and colourful although some are very basic and are already being used in the markets. 

 

Eero Aarnio is a Finnish interior designer who is known for his modern day furniture solutions

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By this kind of work, we get to know that he is playful and fun with his work. He likes to make objects which are not boring. 

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I find this lamp very fascinating. I love the idea to put the head a little below the top of the lamp. It gives a more modern and subtle look. I would also say that I like his style of making things as his products are not out there. They have a very natural look and smooth look. 

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I LOVE THESE! This is great. These lamps are designed for a smoke sauna. The lights are not very bright and have a very dim and low feel to them which is great because they suit the sauna environment. I love the smoothness they have. My type of design is minimalistic and that's why I really admire this style. The big light behind looks like Mickey Mouse's head and that's funny. 

Utility - Primary Research

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Designers working with casting - Vessel Research

Zhekai Zhang's 'Imperfect' Ceramics

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These are 'imperfect' ceramics made by Zhekai Zhang. By looking at these pieces over here, it can be thought that these are handmade. Zhang's intension was to do so.  He made a mould with one side made of fabric so that the ceramics get this 'unmoulded' look. His intension was to show that beauty is also there in imperfection. Zhang said that he used the fabric as the catalyst for the purpose of showing the unique and imperfection beauty bought by textile in mass production. 

Zhang began by adding a piece of fabric into the mould for casting so that when the slip was poured into it, the shape on the side of the fabric would be uneven and thus because of the unpredictability of the fabric folds, each of the ceramic pieces is unique. 

My opinion on this is that I love the contrast in the materials used. The imperfection looks very natural and normal in this scenario whereas sometimes the imperfections don't look great. It clearly looks the that designer has done these imperfections on purpose and not by mistake. Sometimes by looking at the photograph, it looks like the material used is fabric itself and it has been painted white (because the texture seems so real). The texture has been captured really well in the process of making these pieces. 

ETH Zurich Metal Facade 

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This is a metal facade made by the students of the digital fabrication course working with Mania Aghaei Meibodi. 

Deep Facade is a 6 metre high aluminium structure with metals looped like the brains cerebral Cortex. It's a bespoke structure and looks absolutely stunning. The intricate curves are so perfect and because its made with metal, it looks really beautiful. The structure looks very delicates because of its shapes and structure but is very strong. 

It was made by combing 2 techniques. The structure was first made in many moulds in which metal had to be cast. Then the metal was put in the different moulds resulting in many intricate metal shapes. The final step was to screw the different metal casts into one another to come up with this large and complicated yet beautiful structure.

UP Balloon Coffee Table by Duffy London

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This piece is as hard as it looks delicate. Its made from toughened glass, metal resin composite and toughened steel rods. Despite the materials, there is a feeling of weightlessness in this piece. This product comes in other coloured balloons as well. I personally like this red one as it's a more pop colour. The idea seems fantastic to me. The designer has played with the 'idea' of weight. I like the glossiness of the balloons. It looks like a metallic finish a little bit. I would certainly buy this table for a playful room. This table has a very different character to itself. Its a very playful, fun, happy kind of a table and very very interesting looking. 

Secondary Research - Movement

Drop - These chandeliers represent the 'drop' movement for this project. I found out about Tom Dixon in the Extension project and used these images there as well. I really like the fact that everything looks great in a very dark and monotone colour. 

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This is the work of Eva Hesse. In this , she wants to portray order and repetition. The work is conveying order and repetition as there is a precise mathematical sequence determining the space between each unit. On the other hand , it allows a touch of chaos as the cords which are hanging , hang down in an untruly tangle on the floor. This piece of art attracted me because it looks very basic and I wanted to know the reason behind it. After I read the note about it , I was fascinated by the depth in the thought which went into this. 

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This carpet looks very ordinary but has a very big reason to it being in Tate Modern. The flag is known as Flag I and it contains traces of blood , soil and other substances from the sites of murders which happened near the Northern borders of Mexico due to drug cartels. Over the years the carpet has developed a unique texture on it and it looks like stone from certain angles. I clicked it as it was related to 'fall' and also because of the texture and reason behind it. 

Wave - 

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Bridget Riley's 'To a Summer's Day 1980' is an acrylic on canvas. I admired this piece of art as it creates an optical mix in the eye , with as much interaction as possible between colours. Both warm and cold colours are used in this piece to create an effect which messes with the naked eye.

Tilt - 

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This is the work of Jesus Rafael Soto and is also related to optical disturbance. If you look at it from different angles , the eyes cannot make out the entire structure and also there is trouble understanding it. It looked very delicate and well balanced and that's why I liked it. 

Bend - 

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Work of Ivan Picelj. These metal reliefs are all the same colour but due to the bending they look different. The square pattern of curved elements gives the surface an optical rhythm, accentuated by colour and light effects. I like grayscale objects thus I loved the colour of the piece and also the way the light varies from place to place. 

Pull 

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Rotate -

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This is a really cool clock made by Maarten Baas. In this clock, 2 people are sweeping trash for 12 hours, indicating the time as they go for 12 hours. Its a really cool concept as Maarten Baas has combined design , art , technology and graphics. This idea of his shows us that nothing is meant to be in a particular defined way. Everything can be changed , everything can be redesigned. Its perfectly timed and very precise which makes it even more interesting. 

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This is the Schiphol clock made by Maarten Baas. In this clock , a man is seen painting the time minute by minute. The man paints and erases and repeats as time moves forward. Maarten Baas's clocks have really surprised me and I think that he has used amazing ideas for things like clocks. He has made the clocks look so intriguing that a person cannot not notice this kind of a clock. 

Roll -

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This is a structure made by Massimiliano Fuksas. Its used as a Music Theatre and Exhibition Hall in , Tbilisi , Georgia. It's a strong structure made with reinforced concrete and Steel. The glazing makes the reflections of light come out really well. I admire this structure because firstly , it's an incredible form. Its sleek , it looks modern and somewhat futuristic as well. Secondly , I love how they are a pair. 2 same structures together look even more amazing. To make something like this on such a big scale is also quite remarkable.