Project 3: Universal Bathroom

The basin is made to support people with different height, for example the difference between an adult and a child. A child might need extra support to help them reach the average basin, while an adult might need to bend down too much. To try and solve this problem, this basin provides a rotational function. One side is made for the average height of an adult, while the other side is made for the average height of a child.

The top basin is made in a curved shape to accommodate the rotational function. Also, the curved “feet” of the top basin is made so that should extra water flows down while the basin is set on the adult side, it would lead the water to the drainage (bottom basin).

The tap should be placed on the wall (preferable the side), with the handle on the side of the basin, making it accessible to everyone. The tap should be place directly above the hole of the basin. Therefore, even though the water would flow directly to the drainage, which would cause splash (the higher the height, the more water splashes), the splash would actually happen inside the drainage, which has sufficient space for the splash to happen without reaching the user.

A ratchet device is used to support the rotational movement. This was used due to it’s characteristic of being able to stop at a certain point. And the ratchet device isn’t hard to operate, which would mean that children with less power or people with disabilities wouldn’t have trouble operating the basin.

Corian is used as the material for the basin. Corian has a finished product similar to ceramic, a commonly used material for a bathroom. However, Corian is much lighter, making it more suitable as an adjustable basin. Corian is also easy to clean and last long with normal care.

Project 2: Packaging

“C Box” is a chocolate packaging that is environmentally friendly and fully recyclable. The main purpose of this design is to increase the awareness of recycling in the community, whilst still maintaining to provide a trend. Chocolate is a widely known popular product which makes it a perfect medium to convey the message. Current chocolate boxes available in Australia are not known for their sustainability. Through this design, it is hoped to encourage consumers to be more eco friendly through simple product available.

CURRENT TREND
There has been a growing trend for confectionary products with added value in the market. Examples of existing brands are Godiva, Lindt, Haigh’s and so on. Even brand such as Bvlgari has issued a special collection of handmade chocolate at their flagship stores. This packaging design tries to reach out to this trend by providing a packaging for a premium chocolate.

TARGET MARKET
This packaging is aimed for women in their 20s. The design is kept simple with a hint of feminism. The design has a hint of surprise when the lid is opened, as the bottom part transforms into a bowl with a movement similar to a blossoming flower. The lid is kept simple with angular shapes to create a more sleek appearance within the simplicity of the design.

The bowl is also meant as a display and serving purpose. A consumer does not need to serve the chocolate in an extra container. This would avoid unnecessary dish washing, which would mean less water and soap. This delightful packaging can be kept in the busiest room of the house or office during the holiday and beyond.

MATERIAL
The lid is made from printed recycled cardboard, which is fully recyclable after use. Recycled cardboard is widely available in Australia, and has gained popularity over the years. This can be seen from a growing use of recycled cardboard, especially in the stationery section, such as Smiggle and Typo. Companies like Amcor and OfficeWorks provide a range of recycled cardboard.

The bottom part is made from Plantic®. Plantic® is a biodegradable plastic made from corn starch. As a plastic, Plantic® is flexible, which would allow the blossoming movement, yet maintain the stiffness for it to stand by its own.

Plantic® is a relatively new breakthrough product in the market. It is not widely known at the moment, which is a pity as it is an amazing material and highly suitable for food packaging. British retailer Marks & Spencer is perhaps the best well-known brand to use Plantic® as their chocolate packaging. In Australia, altough now publicly known, Haigh’s chocolate is the only brand known to use Plantic®. Plantic® will degrade within 24 hours when exposed to moisture.

The chocolate wrappings are made from printed recycled paper. It protects the quality of the chocolate, as the box is not a tight sealed box.

TECHNOLOGY
The technology most suitable is injection molding, to create creases in the folded area, to allow the material to be folded and maintain the flexibility. Plantic® is available in different colours as well, providing more possible colour range.

COLOUR
The colours of the boxes are adjusted to the type of chocolate inside the box. The font is made to represent the colour of the chocolate inside (i.e white for white chocolate, dark brown for dark chocolate). This is done to distinguish the type of chocolate without having to thoroughly check the writings on the box.

FONT
A simple clean cut font is used to maintain the sleek value of the packaging. It also makes it easy to read. The brand is embossed, to distinguish it as the brand. And the flavour writing is foil stamped, for easier read.

OTHERS
Like any other chocolate boxes, the “C Box” contains ingredient lists and nutritional facts. It also has the flavour writing on each box.

Project 1: Sheet Material

For this project, I've decided to make a penholder. The target market is men in their 20s who enjoys fashion and style, however would still like to look professional. Therefore, I've decided to use aluminium sheet as the material, as I believe that a silver finish encourages the professional value of an item.

The main feature of this penholder is easy access to the pen. The holes for the stationery were made to point directly to the eyes of the user. While the general penholder is usually up-straight, and the user would need to search through the penholder to find what they're looking for. By having the holes point directly, the user can see what they're looking for without the need to tilt or move the penholder.

With the design, there is a chance that a smaller/shorter piece of stationer might fall inside the penholder. Which is why the penholder has a "lid" on it, which can be easily opened/closed like a music box. To allow this movement, a hinge was use to connect the lid to the body. The hinge itself is in silver colour which easily blends with the whole design.