http://d-antonio.blogspot.com/ Dio - Antonio

http://pluwia.blogspot.com/ Patrick Luwia

http://jnham01.blogspot.com/ Josh Nham

http://liah90.blogspot.com/ Hae - Lin Kang

http://japhop.blogspot.com/ Yue Yue Jin

Upcycling

Design Rationale

The target market I have chosen for this project are artists who like to carry around visual diaries to write down notes and scribble down ideas anywhere they go.

For this project I decided to make use of unused aluminium cans and tossed out hard cover books to make a notepad and sketch pad duo. I chose aluminium cans because they are extremely common in landfills and as garbage everywhere and I thought that there was a lot of potential to manipulate something exciting out of them. To make the covers of the diary I needed a material that was strong and sturdy, and so I decided that using an old hard cover book that had its pages damaged and was no longer readable would be the best choice.

I separated the front and back covers from the spine and took down measurements on the covers dimensions. From that I determined that 4x4 cm square pieces were the most suitable size to stick onto the cover, and use rectangular pieces folder over the edges. The aluminium pieces were stuck down using super glue, and once all surfaces were covered with aluminium I went over everything with clear contact, to protect the surface form scratching and also to reinforce the glue in sticking the pieces down.

I used recycled paper pads, one with lines for writing notes and the other plain for drawing. I used an electric drill to drill the holes thru the paper and the covers and used a rubber wire to bind it all together.

I believe that the product I have designed will work for a beneficial use in reducing the waste build up in landfills for aluminium cans and hard cover books.

Philippe Starck: Design for Life

The video focuses only on America’s contribution to the waste and toxic that is being produced, having only four percent of their forests left and forty percent of their rivers undrinkable, it makes you think how much resources is left worldwide with all the top powered, manufacturing countries combined.

What surprised me about the video is how direct Annie attacks the big corporations and the government, going so far as to show the government wiping corporate shoes. Although the animation is very direct, the message it portrays is clear as day, the powerful nations treat the third world nations as their own property, and are doing as they wish with those resources with little regard to the natural habitants of that area and the natural wildlife.

What was an interesting piece of information to me was the process a product goes through to achieve low costs, when Annie explained all the sacrifices made by people to achieve a low cost radio, it made me feel a bit of discomfort as I think of all the products I buy without realising the cuts other people have gone through.

I feel that it is very unfair that people are forced to work in the harshest of environments, having to work in areas where they are exposed to harmful toxins and chemicals, for a corporation that has claimed their resources. It is also slightly alarming that just recycling is not enough to make a critical difference in the usage of resources, as manufacturing plants produce so much more.

Overall I enjoyed the video and found it very informative and detailed in the lifecycle of products. I feel that actions must be taken by everyone to minimise the damage done to the Earth and to preserve its resources. The video has also made me aware of the products that I buy and inspired me to help design towards a less wasteful future.

Peer Comments

http://japhop.blogspot.com/2010/09/project-1.html Jin YueYue

http://kangmark.blogspot.com/ Mark kang

http://allenyie.blogspot.com/2010/09/experience-enrichment.html? Allen Yie

http://stasiep.blogspot.com/ Anastasie Panagopoulos

http://mycollectionsofmisdirections.blogspot.com/ Kane Yong

Redesigned Product

Rationale: The Step Press
The Step Press is a variation of the popular hand grips used for body and leisure workouts, but designed to be used for the calf muscle. It works by the user placing a foot on the top pedal and using the calf muscle to press down, with a torsion spring providing resistance. The target market this product is aimed at are young office working men aged between 21- 31. They are men that are health conscious and regularly work out at the gym and enjoy social outings.
The idea for this design came about when researching different work out equipment; I noticed that there weren’t many tools designed for leg workouts that could be easily accessed anytime. On occasion, people may find themselves having to work overtime, and won’t be able to make it to the gym, so the product I designed will help make up for some lost time.
During the early stages of the design, I went through many shapes to try come up with something unique that both worked and balanced. I ended up with a pedal shaped design that would comfortably fit under the feet, but also featured a simple, streamlined look that would look great on the office desk when not in use.
One of the main issues evaluated for the step press included the weight. In order for the product to be portable it had to be fairly easy to carry, so I chose materials that would make it light weight. This meant that I had to sacrifice steel pedals for plastic; however, after testing various hand grips, I determined that plastic would have enough strength to withstand the force of a leg pressing down on it.
The finalised product will feature three core pieces, consisting of the pedal, base and torsion spring. Both pedals will be made from plastic that will be injection moulded to be attached to the torsion spring. The spring will be made from chrome plated steel. The last touch will be softex material, which is a durable alternative to rubber and cheaper to produce, which will be attached to the pedal and base to act as a grip, creating a satisfying product that will be sure to get the user pumped.

Design Confusion: Fan Forced Oven

Video Reflection: The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff video was an informative and interesting intake on the situation on the lifecycle of products. While the animation was entertaining and would appeal t younger audiences, the message was clear to everyone the seriousness of humanities wastefulness when it comes to consumption.

The video focuses only on America’s contribution to the waste and toxic that is being produced, having only four percent of their forests left and forty percent of their rivers undrinkable, it makes you think how much resources is left worldwide with all the top powered, manufacturing countries combined.

What surprised me about the video is how direct Annie attacks the big corporations and the government, going so far as to show the government wiping corporate shoes. Although the animation is very direct, the message it portrays is clear as day, the powerful nations treat the third world nations as their own property, and are doing as they wish with those resources with little regard to the natural habitants of that area and the natural wildlife.

What was an interesting piece of information to me was the process a product goes through to achieve low costs, when Annie explained all the sacrifices made by people to achieve a low cost radio, it made me feel a bit of discomfort as I think of all the products I buy without realising the cuts other people have gone through.

I feel that it is very unfair that people are forced to work in the harshest of environments, having to work in areas where they are exposed to harmful toxins and chemicals, for a corporation that has claimed their resources. It is also slightly alarming that just recycling is not enough to make a critical difference in the usage of resources, as manufacturing plants produce so much more.

Overall I enjoyed the video and found it very informative and detailed in the lifecycle of products. I feel that actions must be taken by everyone to minimise the damage done to the Earth and to preserve its resources. The video has also made me aware of the products that I buy and inspired me to help design towards a less wasteful future.