cj-design

[cj-design]

Major Project - Community Bench

I set myself the brief of creating a bench for the York St John campus that would encourage a creation of a community. I started with sketches that would interlock and would be able to sit on in any section.

This led to me making the bench in sections that are all different heights, accommodating to different people. I created and rendered this design in Fusion 360 to firstly see if my idea was possible and what measurements I would need. After a few failed attempts, I successfully found a design that would work.

Once I had the measurements, I scaled it down to 20 and created two models, the first being 3D printed to get the correct shape and to make it hollow as I wanted to include LEDs to make the campus brighter at night. As well as a concrete model as that was my material of choice for this project. When these two models interlock together, they create a 20 scale model of my design.

When I had a design I was confident in, I rendered it again and included these renders in-situ around campus. This gave me an idea on location the bench could possibly go and where space was lacking any seating.

[cj-design]

Rendering Practice -

[cj-design]

Shaping metal. 

[cj-design]

My York

Task: To go round York and take photos of building, colours and textures that take your interest. Put these photos into a mood-board and colour pallet.

[cj-design]

Studio Plan for Final Idea:

I want to use my time in studio on photoshop, design how the screen we look and will be used by a elderly person.

[cj-design]

[cj-design]

Materials ~

This plush in the video is called a squishy which is a type of stress ball made from polyurethane, that when squished reforms back to its original shape after a short amount of time. I am experimenting with different materials that I can use for my FMP and what materials would be comfortable for a elderly person to touch and be around.

When touching the squishy, I found that I was quite hard to shape but after a while it started to get easier due to me keep shaping it. As it is a soft material, this would be perfect for an elderly person as If they drop or falling into this material, it would not break or hurt them.

[cj-design]

Planning for Experiment

I want to experiment with grip shape for my cutlery grip idea. 

From a recipe I found online, I am going to use flour, salt, vegetable oil and water to make a clay like material.  I will ask my nan who has arthritis to hold onto the clay like material to give it a comfortable shape and then bake it to harden it up. I will going to be making different shapes and letting my Nan shape them to what will fit into her hands comfortably.

[cj-design]

[cj-design]

[cj-design]

Added to further my investigation into Independent Living For an “Increasing Older Generation”

After I presented my concept ideas, I got feedback for my 3 concepts but this was more thorough on the following two ideas; independent living for a increasing older generation and recycling products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help tackle climate change. Majority of the feedback suggested that I should further my research and understanding in each area and if it was possible to combine some of my concept ideas together, for example support adaptations made from recyclable materials. It was also suggested to think of ideas that could help or replace a carer all together, making the time available for a carer more efficient and effective at meeting the individual’s needs. The positive, constructive feedback also helped my confidence in my ideas, as everyone had a good reaction and gave me many suggestions.

After reflecting on my concept feedback and initial thoughts and I have decided to further investigate the independent living for a increasing older generation concept. There is a vast amount of research potential in this area and as the ageing population is increasing each year, there is a potential need for new products as well as improving existing designs. I also have first hand experiences in this area with my great grandparents as well as grandparents. I have taken on board some of the feedback suggestions and I have decided to add to my independent living idea.

Within my concept choice, there is a vast range of ideas I can explore, therefore I am going to focus my research and ideas on the following:-

· Strength in the body,

· Grip and strength focused on the hands,

· How an elderly person stays stimulated

· Products to remove the carer doing multiple trips,

· Multipurpose products so elderly don’t need to stress on moving about

· Automatic doors, helping elderly move around their house without having to struggle with doors.

My next steps are to collect some primary research from elderly carers to see what they could use to help them improve their daily routine and what elderly products they believe need improving. I also want to spend time with my grandma and ask, find out what she needs helps with, what products she uses that could be improved and what makes her days entertaining. Whilst completing my research, I will also need to investigate what new recyclable materials are on the market and what popular alternatives consumers are using. I will compare this to research I will complete on what materials elderly support products are typically made from and see if there is a trend in fabrics and materials. This would support informing alternative recyclable material equivalents easier, as I would have further details on the durability need, as well as how it feels to touch. I also want to research the manufacturing techniques that are used to make elderly support products as this will help with how I would manufacture my ideas, I would like to aim at making it cheaper, mass produced with a sustainable outcome. Injection moulding is something I want to research into whilst investigating manufacturing techniques, as it easier to develop a frame from a mould.

My ultimate aim, that is very importing to my project is to develop or improve an elderly support product using recyclable and sustainable materials, ideas that are linked to sustainability, whilst helping the elderly generation.

[cj-design]

I am developing work in the product design pathway, this is allowing me to collect a wide range of research that I haven’t done before. Within the product design area, I feel like I’m strongest in the creating and designing to manufacture stage of the process, with the making of prototypes as my favourite part. Whilst developing ideas within this area I have felt my strongest work, which has also been my favourite project so far, was the community brief . I thoroughly enjoyed researching into different communities and how people live, as well as creating a piece of work that is linked to these communities. My favourite designer in this area is VESTRE which is a sustainable urban & outdoor public furniture manufacturer that ensures everything in their process is run by renewable energy. I would like to make my products all sustainable with recyclable materials as an alternative for standard products.

Using the primary feedback I received on my concept ideas, I have made the decision I want to really understand the issues and challenges facing the elderly generation to keep their independence. This is because there a rapid increase of people in the elderly generation and less carers, therefore independent living for the elderly is encouraged. There are many elderly assisted products already on the market ranging from mobility to seating, but there is room for improvement and development of new products. My main influence for this ide, is that I have elderly people in my family who struggle to do daily tasks easily, this continues to get worse each day so I have first-hand experience in this area. However, to ensure I get an accurate reflection of development in this area, I need to visit some elderly people with different living styles and illnesses, nursing homes and understand how carers help the elderly. This will help me get opinions and thoughts on how the elderly use existing products and if there’s any room to improve or develop new ideas. I intend to research into 6 main areas, strength within the body, grip and strength focused in the hands, how an elderly person stays simulated, products to remove the carer doing multiple trips, multipurpose products so elderly don’t need to stress about moving about and automatic doors, helping elderly move about their house without having to struggle with doors. After these investigations I may potentially decide to further focus on an area rather than try and find solutions for all 6.

When I have received all appropriate feedback available and concluded my investigation, I will review all the products currently on the market that have been reported to need improving and understand what other manufactures have done to improve them. I am also going to research into recyclable materials to determine what sustainable materials will meet the durability required. I will review my designs and experiments against products on the market and if seek feedback from potential users of the products to help further define any specifications.

[cj-design]

FMP - Final Major Project ~ Product Design

[cj-design]

What Is Community?

Definition intion of community: a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

[cj-design]

The Idea:

To make a bench/ seat that people can relax on as well as being sheltered. On my original designs I had a lamp placed on top of the structure, however that is not shown on my model. This model was very easy to make and stick together, I made many slits in the areas that needed folding however they wasn’t staying down due to the weak cardboard used to I used the glue gun to make it studier. When making design, I found out that the chair could not hold its own weight when standing up and had to add some structure to the back so it does fall. Personally think I should add to this design by adding more features and probably the lamp. 

[cj-design]

Making a model for one of my designs.

[cj-design]

Ideas