I promised I would post another completed project before the end of the year. This is another conceptual project… that may turn into a reality. So here is the story behind it…
Surface Mag invited a bunch of designers from various fields to contribute concepts around the ethos of Surface to their 10th Anniversary issue. They were hoping to promote the collaboration between manufacturing, architecture, graphics and design to generate the development of new ideas that would otherwise not make their way into our culture (implying that many times core businesses over analyze ideas to the point of dilution or termination).
It was a last second project that of course was put off till the weekend before. Luckily my family was in Chicago so I hammered it out one Saturday. Below are the sketches and the final ideas. Many of the sketches of others ideas (some better) are ghosted for future use.
For collaborators I chose to utilize the talents of Fumi Watanabe, a friend who works at Starbucks, and Yasutaka Saito, a talented young artist who works in the mailroom in Nike Japan. This was a good vehicle to promote each of their extreme but undiscovered talents.
The idea below was based around entry ways. Portals, entryways, and doors have historically been one of the most expressive elements in architecture. Mass production has all but eliminated this art. Through the use of solid surface materials and laminations combined with precision-cutting, on-demand technologies Surface can offer this personalized experience to dwellers once again. Whether consumers choose from commissioned art ranging from classical to street art, or create a visual story of their own the possibilities are endless. Home owner associations will love this.
I also created custom wall tiles, pavers, rug and table but decided not to confuse the idea and focused on the door. It was a simpler, more impactful idea. I also looked at how various patterns may apply as well as embedded technology such as lights.
Here are some of the quick sketches I did before building the 3D and maps.
Next I recycled an idea from an exhibition in Paris for Corian.
This oversized rocking lounge is intended for indoor and outdoor use. The lounge has an internal motion sensing lamp that illuminates when moved. Instead of Corian, this time I proposed making the lounge from roto-molded PET and rubber coating it for a more sensual feel. The illuminated pattern is made by etching away the thin rubber coating. This lounge would rest on an inductive rug that would charge the lamp. This one is being considered for production in 2005 by a Belgium company.
Some sketches:
Feeling I needed to submit a more outrageous proposal as well… the next idea, Laser Chapel, was based around the collision of body art and laser technology.
Through the use of body-mapping, surface-sensitive laser technology intricate full body art may be a possibility in the future.
Conceivably, the skin could be coated with reactive inks which digitally-controlled, mirrored-based lasers would then fuse with the skin. Though the pain of the procedure would remain the laser would reduce the experience from hours or years to seconds.
Temporary reactive inks could be developed as well to allow users to change their art.
It was fun to do something more conceptual for a change and Surface did an amzing job with the quality of the printing. Most of the entries were very cool and pretty diverse. You can view all the entries online at:
http://www.surfacemag.com/future
You can vote for your favorites and leave comments. They will supposedly put the public favorite to market in 2005. I want the Party Rug. Mainly because I need a rug and my 1 year old keeps spilling stuff all over and it would just blend into the theme of this rug…
Cheers and have a good holiday-