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2016 / ABS – PLA / 3D print
Evolution of products.
This project is a summary of a study in which I examined how new age technology affects the interrelations of designer and machine, acknowledging that it is no longer a one-way controlling relationship.
In the next 20 years the way products are designed and manufactured will change more dramatically than it has in the last 2,000 years! /// Artificial Intelligence, coupled with 3D printing, demands the re-examination of the design process and its outcome. /// The designer’s role and position in this new environment and the new boundaries of product’s archetypes will probably become more evident with time, but the questions about them are already here.
These issues are discussed through a series of simulations and models of stools, which were chosen for being an ancient basic product on one hand and a symbol in the world of industrial design on the other. /// In this work I closely cooperated with SolidWorking’s INSPIRE software.
The current, new technology which enables us to plan and produce complex structures and imitate nature offers smarter and more efficient solutions in addition to spectacular aesthetics. /// How would biology shape products? Originally designed for engineers, INSPIRE is based on biological algorithms, it nibble at a given mass according to different forces, supports and materials, as defined by the user, and produces an outcome planned to achieve minimum mass and weight while keeping its maximum strength. The user can then scroll to determine the most desired topology.
Together we created over 200 models, from which a selection is presented in a catalogue in 2 categories:
A. The body of research (white models).
B. Impossible solutions – software bugs and models which are impossible to create in the physical world (black models) – thus creating the new boundaries of the profession.
the cozy chair
2015 / black iron / welding & powder coating / 32-31.5-76 cm
/ An Iron construction resembling a common basic chair.
/ The initial concept was the quite that a rigid, firm object offers, leading to the choice of iron and straight angles.
/ A seat plate may be added for functionality but it is better left naked.
/ The narrow space between the back legs of the horizontal part of the seat and legs of the back rest breaks the basic icon scheme and allows for gentleness within the hard cold construction.
/ A work of precision and proportions, which deals with the concept of fine product, stripped to the essential.
an electric kettle
2014 / polypropylene, rubber / injection molding / 19-19-27 cm
the concept was developed after close observation of the water heating process /// i wished to eliminate the need for a handle which stands out from the body and makes it harder to carry and pour by putting a load on the wrist /// eliminating the handle clearly defined the shape analyzing boundaries /// i was inspired by modern carafe and decanter as well as ancient vase.
/ safety challenge was overcome using a two layered neck, the external made of non-conductive material.
/ neck’s texture serves as an intuitive sign for the user that it is safe to touch.
/ adding a lid without compromising the design flow was another challenge, solved by burying it down the neck.
/ based on a hinge, the lid opens only when properly tilted.
a big stool
2013 / beech / wooden joints zero adhesives / 78-87-60 cm
a wood project based on the circular lock mechanism.
when i was 7 my family moved from a kibbutz to Jerusalem, the packing process made great impression on me /// – how fascinated i was with the way an almost flat cardboard can turn it into a box with no glue to contain anything at all! amazing/ other than realizing that there are no mosquitos in Jerusalem this was my greatest discovery at the time.
/// i aspired to minimize the number of parts comprising the stool /// similar to a triangle, 3 is the lowest number possible for a structure. it was then only natural to use a prism as the basic shape /// i strongly support inter-dependability – while all part are identical, non is functional alone; it is the collaboration of the three that makes the magic /// the inter-dependability of a group is a social sustainability principle which i wish to include in my designs.
/ the stool can be disassemble and reassembled for travel or storage
/ there are 2 versions of the stool, the ‘mature’ one (here), made of beech, allows sitting on a flat surface parallel to the floor.
/ the ‘younger’ version (next), made of OSB, offers three different positions, including a nest simulated sitting area.
stool (work in process)
2013 / OSB, MDF / 57-57-38 cm
a wood project based on the circular lock mechanism.
when i was 7 my family moved from a kibbutz to Jerusalem, the packing process made great impression on me /// – how fascinated i was with the way an almost flat cardboard can turn it into a box with no glue to contain anything at all! amazing/ other than realizing that there are no mosquitos in Jerusalem this was my greatest discovery at the time.
/// i aspired to minimize the number of parts comprising the stool /// similar to a triangle, 3 is the lowest number possible for a structure. it was then only natural to use a prism as the basic shape /// i strongly support inter-dependability – while all part are identical, non is functional alone; it is the collaboration of the three that makes the magic /// the inter-dependability of a group is a social sustainability principle which i wish to include in my designs.
/ the stool can be disassemble and reassembled for travel or storage
/ there are 2 versions of the stool, the ‘mature’ one (here), made of beech, allows sitting on a flat surface parallel to the floor.
/ the ‘younger’ version (next), made of OSB, offers three different positions, including a nest simulated sitting area.
brush & scoop set
2014 / acrylic glass, delrin (POM) stick, nylon filaments / laser cut / 19-24.5-4 (scoop)
In the gardens of the temples in Japan, sweeping away leaves is a meditative activity allowing internal contemplation and mental cleansing; once all leaves are collected, the head of the temple would spread them once more all around the garden /// brooms commonly used in South East Asia include rather long soft fibers, requiring the sweeper to do gentle, large and round movements for efficient sweeping. When visiting these areas I used to feel like I am dancing while sweeping the floor and almost immediately my mind would enter a meditative mode. A meditation in motion /// sometimes sweeping is best done with one’s eyes closed.
To me, this notion of product design which creates external action, which in turn causes an internal shift, is purely magical /// I tried to apply this same notion into a modern brush – the younger sister of the broom /// my design focus on the human body’s movements and sensations while using the brush.
/ A transparent, reflective material suggests the process is in fact internal.
/ Scoop is dark and shiny so dust gathered stands out – marking the passing of time.
/ The hair fibers are held in place by an internal rod – a simple, durable structure, which is exposed to the user through the transparent handle.
/ choosing soft, medium length filament enables the round movements and gentle use suitable for a brush.
/ A rather small diameter of the scoop’s grasping rod is signaling “handle with care”.
/ The grasping area of the brush is marked by scraping the end of the tube, thus giving it a matt finish which prevents the handle from slipping.
/ Simplicity in both elements guarantees easy production.
/ A clean visual was kept by using monochromatic color scheme, basic shapes (cylinder, box) and a limited variety of materials.
/ The materials chosen are inexpensive, easily produced but require gentle use.
self aware girls' helmet
2016 / fiberglass, polypropylene / INJECTION MOLDING
A helmet designed to target young feminine audience riding electric bicycle or other light motor bikes /// Designed in collaboration with a leading high school PTA which involved ongoing interviews with a number of youth girls throughout the design process /// Design is a result of academic studies of adolescence /// The main challenge was expressing the emphasis on empowering femininity through the design, which lead to powerful softness and finesse as the main message.
/ The color division, which draws a clear line between the front and the back sides result in two smaller, curvy, petal-like shaped parts, which contribute to the overall soft look, and also enables a non-conventional opening around the ear.
/ The wide incision in the back allows room for a ponytail and is also used for ventilation, thus eliminating the need for dedicated ventilation holes and creating smooth, elegant surfaces / The rounded curves and smooth surface resemble the female body.
/ The back downward shape along the nape imitates long hair and serves as additional protection.
/ The use of soft colors, thinner inner sponge and shorter visor enables a more gentle look. Matt finish was chosen for the same reason.
/ Helmet’s size is smaller than average, adaptable to better suit the head of a teenage female and allows comfort and safety. The thinner inner sponge reduces the product’s overall weight.
foldable headphones (horseshoe crab)
2014 / silicon, PVC, rubber / injection MOLDING, extrusion
earphones without a case: a bio-mimicry work /// design was inspired by the horseshoe crab following a research of the shedding phenomenon in nature.
/ the earphones’ cable has a plastic flat strip. when twisted, the cable acts like a spring which enables the earphones an instant flip from close to open and vice versa.
/ the cable is designed with negative-positive tracks allowing it to lock when closed and then reopen easily,
thus eliminating the need for a case.
pranayama rehab pipe set
2015 / polypropylene / INJECTION MOLDING
This project denotes the time I quit smoking, which allowed me to personally research the various aspects of addiction, will power and body and mind control techniques /// It is a conceptual project exemplifying how design can be beneficial to social purposes. /// Originated in India, Pranayama is a yogic discipline of controlling the breath, which is the source of our Prana, or vital life force; controlling the breath allows emotional and sensual regulation /// The project therefore aimed to apply the principles of Pranayama to a pipe, in order to assist those who wish to quit smoking.
/ During inhalation, the individual lung volume of the smoker is measured by the pipe and a suitable pranayama program is loaded accordingly.
/ the pipe offers various Breathing exercises from Pranayama Yoga.
/ the full set includes a cigarette, a cigar and 3 different pipe designs.
HUD helmet for BASE jump
2015 / fiberglass, polypropylene / INJECTION MOLDING
Killing more than 120 people in 30 years, base jumping is a lethal sport in addition to being notoriously expensive and borderline legal. /// Using wingsuits, base jumpers can reach up to 225 kph, which resembles flying outside an airplane, having little or no navigating tools to reach the ground safely. /// Nevertheless, it is a very popular sport to watch, especially since the use of GoPro cameras became prevalent.
/ The main risk of base jumping is vertigo (disorientation to the skyline). Therefore, the main feature of the design is a horizon meter presented on a HUD infrastructure and reflected on the design as a horizontal line sticking out at eye level.
/ Further constrains include maximizing the experience through opening the field of vision as much as possible.
/ The helmet also offers an altimeter, horizon meter, speedometer and a parachute opening alert.
/ Design was inspired by aerodynamic natural and man-made designs (birds, planes, cars), and sportive and futuristic elements (Virtual Reality helmets, science fiction movies).
brush & scoop - work in process
2014 / cardboard / laser cut
a shell of strait lines /// how to create a brush that is different? during the concept development i used the technique of building 3D mockups from various materials /// here is one concept built from a cardboard and inspired from the prism stool project (see up).
/ the scoop serves to contain either dirt or the brush forming a neat and clean ensemble, which can be used as an ornament rather than being tucked away.
a lamp from the wild and bizarre (concept)
2012 / woven fusible interlining, loofah / handmade
lamp: shedding
my debut design.
realizing i want to practice design resulted from a long, full year soul searching journey to the far east during which i mentally shed my old skin, finally unveiling my passion for beauty, art and
creation /// i tried to put that experiance into a design /// in order to create a skin with veins sensation, i manipulated sponge gourd, painted it and then locked between 2 fusible interface so when lit that fabric looks like a skin with veins /// the fabric’s catalog offers the lamp in various colors.
second skin felt shoes (concept)
2015 / felt / handmade
An attempt to create a new textile by stretching the boundaries of felt to an uncommon use.
/ Manipulating the material, the process started with destruction.
/ The felt was cut, ripped, and brushed, which resulted in a variety of densities.
/ Felt of different colors has different rates of active material. Mixing a few colors together created a disharmonious new material. Ironing was then used to achive a smooth, flat surface.
/ I then attempted to create an imitation of a natural texture by achieving a surface with various ‘wrinkles‘.
/ The result carried a resemblence to animal skin/fur, which was therefoe called ‘second skin‘, appropriately demonstrated on shoes .
/ The benefits are manifold: mold resistance, pleasant softness and thermal insulation. As felt responses to heat, any hole or damage can be fixed by ironing in more felt.
Felt is viable, being recyclable, durable and animal friendly.
communal bowl set
2014 / ceramics / handmade
/ both bowl and plate are made with the same casting mold, the difference being the amount of clay
poured in and the angle cut prior to burning in the kiln.
/ built with a sharp tip bottom, the bowl-plate is tilted to its side, enabling diners sitting opposite each other to share the same dish.
/ the diagonal cut edge suggests pouring food or soup in different amounts and angles.
