Links

Course requirement	Hyperlink on your blog
Video reflection blog A: Giving packaging a new life AND How it’s made: Packaging	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/video-reflections.html
Video reflection blog B: 11th hour OR Inconvenient truth OR [Story of Stuff + Electronics + Cosmetics + Bottled Water]	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/the-11th-hour.html
Video reflection blog C: The light bulb conspiracy OR Who killed the electric car OR Consumerism	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/who-killed-electric-car.html
Project One: Weekly progress report Mar 13	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/peer-feedback-13032013.html
Project One: Weekly progress report Mar 20	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/peer-feedback-20032013.html
Project One: Weekly progress report Mar 27	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/peer-feedback-27032013.html
Project One: Feedback to 5 peers on final design	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/peer-comments.html
Project Two: Weekly progress report Apr 24	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/project-2-green-gifting.html
Project Two: Weekly progress report May 1	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/feedback-may-1.html
Project Two: Feedback to 5 peers on final design	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/peer-comments-project-2.html
Project Three: Weekly progress report May 15	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/feedback-may-15.html
Project Three: Weekly progress report May 22	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/feedback-may-22.html
Project Three: Weekly progress report May 29	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/feedback-may-29.html
Project Three: Feedback to 5 peers on final design	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/peer-comments-project-3.html
Project Three: Process journal online	http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/initial-concept.html http://2013sunpritsingh3378260.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/blog-post.html

Feedback May 1

Hyunjin Kim:

- Liked how my concept blended in well with a contemporary environment. Also liked the final shape and size of the product. Suggested that i show clearly how the users will interact with the gift and how they will use it

Luke Messina:

- Like the range of different okala strategies i used in my design, also liked the concept but suggested that i change the shape and make it more original and interesting to look at. 

Feedback May 15

Luke Messina:

- Like my different concepts, liked my problem that i had identified in my public space. He suggested that i do more research on the different areas and find out how people use the public area

Hyunjin Kim:

- Suggested i visit my public spaces a few times and take note of the different people that interact there and how they socialise. For example are there large groups of people or small, are they mostly males/ femlaes etc

Feedback May 22

Hyunjin Kim:

- Liked the concept of moving furniture, thought that it would really appeal to the target audience. Suggested that i determine the final size and shape of the design and how it would be manufactured.

Reza Sazesh:

- Suggested that i make sure the furniture is safe for children, for example no sharp edges and fingers cant get stuck anywhere in the moving parts. 

Feedback May 29

Hunjin Kim:

- Suggested i look at different material choices for the final design and also for the appearance model. Also suggested that i find a way to blend in the final colour choice and finish with the environments around the design. 

Luke Messina:

- Suggested i make sure the moving mechanism is the best method and is the safest option especially since children will be using the design.

Peer comments - Project 3

http://priskaeffendy.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/final-model.html?showComment=1370501827029#c8852719262678037662

http://rowanfurlong3419689.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/final-design.html?showComment=1370502039514

http://danielhjkim.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/street-furniture.html?showComment=1370502233698#c6151667825303310519

http://andrew-mendez.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/sense-of-place-flex-stretch-station.html?showComment=1370502378397#c3456195312200378595

http://reza-sazesh.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/sense-of-place-rationale.html?showComment=1370502546847#c5521092172459964161

Final Design

Rationale

For the Sense of Place project, i decided to design a seating arrangement that would promote social interaction with many users. It is suitable for about 5 or 6 people, users can arrange the seating to how they like and the design is strategically placed near the centre of all the major facilities in the park so users from everywhere can interact with my design and interact with other people.

My design is made from Polyethylene, each individual block is made through rotational moulding and then fitted together to form the final design. I chose to use Polyethylene since it is a durable material and it is also a new material in terms of street furniture. Most common public benches and seating are typically made from wood, aluminium and stainless steel. I wanted to be more innovative with my material choice and not use a material that is already commonly used. Polyethylene is a suitable material that can be used outdoors; it is not as energy intensive during the manufacturing stage compared to materials like aluminium and most other plastics. The whole piece was designed to fit together and also stay together to prevent vandals from removing a piece of the design and vandalising it.

I chose the colour green simply to blend in with the environments that i have chosen. The three areas that i used were very ‘green’ and were surround by a lot of trees, shrubs and grass which help blend in the design with its surroundings. The simple shape and design of the product ensure it is robust and suitable to be used in many different public areas by many different people.

The design is safe for children; it is practical and is functional. It is easy to use and understand so all ages of people will instantly know how to interact with the piece. My design is modular so there are some major components which do not move and then attached to the main piece are smaller blocks that can move and slide through the use of small ‘tracks’ on the edges. This ensures my design can be mass manufactured and each site can have a custom sized piece with more or less extra seating blocks depending on how busy and how widely used the space will be.

Model

Initial Concept

Peer comments - Project 2

http://kaek-design.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/process-journal-online.html?showComment=1368018323781#c6361700155049658197

http://mattholihan.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/green-gifting-product-rationale.html?showComment=1368018719559

http://rtrdesigns.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/blog-post.html?showComment=1368018919998#c3361739492560559601

http://viv-nguyen.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/project-2-green-gifting-bambusa_8.html?showComment=1368019172892#c7568002543822039477

http://doraferenczi.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/green-gifting-process-journal.html?showComment=1368019497371#c4824290201988563732

Project 2: Green Gifting

Rationale

My eco-gift that i have designed is a natural speaker amplifier that does not involve electrical components. A mobile device such as an iphone is placed in the dock at the top, the natural cone shape of the design helps amplify and project the sound through the opening at the bottom. I designed it to be simple and elegant so that it can fit nicely in most contemporary environments. The size of the product is suitable for a home environment, the sizes of bookshelfs and desks were taken into consideration when determining the overall size, as these would be the typical places for this gift. The colours and the materials used were chosen to reflect a simple and modern product. The target market for this type of product would be around 15-25 year olds who would typically own a device that can be used with it.

                                       

The cone shape can be made from reclaimed/ recycled advertisement posters usually found on bus stops. It can also be made from old vinyl flooring found around the home or reclaimed from local manufacturers and supplies. A template would be provided a long with the design that users can easily trace around and cut to shape their design. This process not only reduces virgin material use but it also invites interaction with the end user, creating an emotional attachment to the product.

The 2 smaller components which include the dock for the device to sit in and the bottom ring that provides extra support and ensures the cone shape is even are made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic (ABS). I chose this material due to its strength to weight ratio and rigidity, which is important due to the components vibrating from the sound during use.

Some of the OKALA design strategies implemented in the final product included the design being able to be shared among multiple users. The materials required can be sourced from local manufacturers, and also be provided through waste by-products from local companies. The production process is also simplified since the assembly of the product is done at home by the end user. It is also flat packed to reduce shipping volume.

Sunprit Singh

3378260

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Who Killed the Electric Car is a movie that investigates the production and destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the US, in particular the General Motors EV1 during the 1990s. The film explores the roles of automobile manufacturers, the oil industry, the US government, the Californian government, batteries, hydrogen vehicles, and consumers in restricting the development of this technology.

From watching this documentary styled movie i quickly learnt that electric cars have actually been around for over a 100 years. They were once considered a better substitute to traditional engines, and were more popular as well. Most major oil companies were strongly against the electric vehicle; this meant that there would be less demand for oil and petroleum with the increase in electric cars. Other technologies such as utilising Hydrogen for powering engines were researched and developed. $1.2 Billion dollars was provided by the Bush administration towards the manufacture of Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

While watching the film, i discovered that while the EV1 was gaining popularity, on April 24, 2009, California killed its electric car mandate. This then led to all EV1’s sold in California being taken back from their owners and then eventually crushed. I think other designers should see this eye opening documentary about a design that would have made a huge impact today if the project was successful. Designers need to know the history of the products they may be designing in order to fully understand the design stages a certain product or company has been through.

A message that could easily be learnt would be to understand how easily major production companies and governments can kill off an idea. In the long run the idea would have worked although other major companies would have suffered as a result. Another message is that a product as big as the EV needs to have an early demand for it to be successful, it should be targeted for the majority of the population and people need to be well-informed as to how it can replace their traditional engines. The final message would be that in order to help the global environmental issue, technology can and needs to be able to provide solutions, but the most important factor is that the government corporations need to be behind it also. 

Concepts: Project 2

Project 2: Green Gifting

Peer Comments: 24.05.2013

Peer 1: Katherine Kawecki

Gave me ideas on materials that would/ wouldn't work. Also suggested that i gain inspiration from an orchestra when designing a speaker. 

Peer 2: Paris Cockinos 

Suggested that i design the device holder for the top bit and include a template that the end user can easily use. 

Feedback from Tutor:

Need to be more thoughtful of the end user. Shape needs to be elegant in a contemporary environment. Also need to work out physics of the project by testing and researching on the idea.

Feedback from other tutors:

Need to minimise virgin material use, also need to consider the end user (receiver of the gift) when designing

Peer Comments

Blogs i commented on:

http://vitaminjosh.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/sustainable-humanitarian-daily-ration.html?showComment=1366182949044

http://danielhjkim.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/socially-responsible-packaging.html?showComment=1366183266636#c9088301477216758672

http://doraferenczi.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/socially-responsible-packaging.html?showComment=1366183545243#c7697874206874471232

http://feliciasutandar.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/project-1-socially-responsible_13.html?showComment=1366184000918#c3541972989436481430

http://z3423316xuxiaoyuelucy.blogspot.com.au/
(Has not uploaded rationale yet)

Socially Responsible Packaging

Peer Feedback 27/03/2013

Peer 1 (Hyunjin Kim):
Mentioned that the new social issue I have chosen is more relevant to today's society, compared to the issue I was addressing at the start of the project. Need to show more shapes and forms using 3D mock-ups to come to a better, more innovative solution

Peer 2 (Andrew Mendez):
Should research more into different materials for my design, and need to make sure the graphical content on the design is appealing for the target market. 

Feedback from tutor:
Need to push the idea further and be more creative in my approach. Must be able to sell my solution to the tutors. Need to research on a range of different types of materials and know the advantages/ disadvantages of each. Must be more innovative, possibly look into bioplastics for final design. Need to properly explain why existing solutions don't address my issue.

Feedback from listening to other tutors:
Should have own logo's and theme, must make sure to keep consistent layout throughout the rationale booklet. Should use similar colours and fonts in rationale booklet as well as on the final design. 

March 27 2013

Rationale DRAFT

The 11th Hour

An interesting discovery that i made whilst watching was that almost seventy countries in the world no longer have their original forests. The forests are being cut down at a very rapid rate as our population increases exponentially. Another insight i got from the film was that almost all scientists agree that there are negative effects happening to the planet. The major prevention for a global positive change is the world’s politicians, who do not all agree that there is a major issue.

Prior to watching this film i was not fully aware of the environmental impact that has been caused by humans over the years. This film is a real eye opener for designers especially, since we are responsible for what consumers buy and use. I began to realise that there are many solutions to the environmental troubles and that if we have a more sustainable approach to design, the world will change significantly. I think a lot of young designers will hear the facts from the film and begin to realise the importance of being sustainable and environmentally friendly. I believe the insight that i got from the film will alter my outlook and make me pay more attention to the environmental aspects of my future designs.

1) An important message which is also one of the biggest misunderstandings in the world today is that we are part of nature and not separate in any way, this uncertainty is the biggest cause of destruction in the world.

2)  There are many solutions in nature that can alleviate this effect; the biggest source of energy on the planet is the sun. The sun produces enough energy every single day to power every factory, home, car on earth thousands of times over. We must start avoiding the use of fossil fuels and oil and look to nature for solutions to the big problems.

3) The biggest and most important message that i got from the film was that we need to shift our attitude and be aware of what’s happening, there are companies already that are designing more environmentally sustainable auto mobiles  houses and buildings. I think as Industrial Designers we need to slowly but surely change our frame of mind to a more optimistic one and take into consideration what nature has to offer and what we can discover from it.

If i had the power to be able to spread this film around the world, i would. I think all design students and designers need to know the importance of this film and the message it portrays. We need to be more cautious about our actions on earth and the current problem that is affecting the earth. 

Concepts + Mock-ups