Research

So, not much to report at the moment just constant research. Getting in survey responses for my business project which is great, be able to get in touch with some other groups of expats and see what everyone thinks and how I can tweak my idea. Big question at the moment is do I test the feasibility of the idea or do I see how it would work assuming it would work.

The other sidea of things is the honours project. Researching into reclaimed building materials is a lot trickier than I first anticipated so if anyone has seen or heard of anything then let me know!!! In the meantime here is some upcycling which has made an impression on me.

Designer Inghua Ting has made luxury leather floor tiles out of old leather belts. These are really cool and if I had a nice house or office I would definitely consider these. Let me know what you think. 

Life in the Deep End!

So, here I am 2 weeks into my final year of my university career and I can safely say I am bricking it! It's very exciting but shit scary at the same time, 8 months from now and I will be hopefully graduating with a brilliant honours in product design. So, lets look a the two projects that are going to help me there.

First, we have the Business Plan from the design and the market module. This, if anyone does remember, is my proposed business plan to create an social networking site aimed at expats along with an online general store to help people living abroad get a taste from home in their second home. Well this has been changed a bit and I am now looking at an expat site that gives people everyday tips and advice about life and things to do in places where it is difficult to live for an expat. For example, places where very little English is spoken or there is quite a small expat community. The online store, for feasibility reasons, looks like it may also take place as a directory of different websites that would be able to help get the food that people want to them and a percentage would be taken. 

Secondly, I have my final Honours Project. This has been explored through various mapping techniques and I want to focus on upcycling waste materials from derelict building sites. The fork in the road that I have reached at the moment is whether I focus on industrial materials or whether I go with my other idea which is a recyclinig service that offers people a reward system for how much they recycle. This could be implemented in schools and businesses as well as for home users. Got some more mapping to do!!!

Will keep eveyone posted about both projects.

Social Digital Banquet

This is the title of a week long pressure we have been given to bring us back together for fourth (and final) year of Uni. It is looking at whether you can take a more designerly view to a banquet and whether it is an experience that can be designed. Taking inspiration from Heston Blumenthal and the incredible things he can do to food and the experience he creates for people. We have gone with a back to nature theme, creating ways to present food and drink in a more natural state. Will keep everyone posted with pictures soon!

Business Proposal

My business proposal has been completed and submitted and instead of giving a the whole game away I thought I would give a short snippet:

The goal of Expat Map and General Store is to provide expats with an easily accessible platform to socialise with other expats when they move to a new city whom normally they would not know about, as well as being able to enjoy the taste of home in their second home.

My business proposal is to set up a networking service for expats living abroad, allowing them to communicate with one and other, give tips and information, as well as meet up and meet new people. Combined with this I want to set up an online shop that allows people to purchase goods that they can only get from their home country, “A taste from home, in your second home”. This would be a shop where people would select the country they are from and then they would be able to purchase these goods and have the items shipped to whatever country they are currently living in. 

The model

The model is very nearly complete there is one tiny part to complete, however, I felt after a long hard day I would share the photos of what I had done. The desk is assembled with all the components in place and functional. These include the inclining work surface, two shelves, wrist rest and concealed raising power supply.

Veneering/Staining/Varnishing

So the desk is finally coming together, just going to share the processes I have used recently as I find them interesting, especially the veneering. 

This would is the same would that was used in my more extensive prototypes. It has just been veneered using an iron-on veneer from Vale Veneers. It has been no less than fantastic. It is extremely easy to cut, I can lasercut through it causing minimal if little damage, and it is applied using a standard household iron! It takes seconds to apply as the iron only has to be on a low setting. Since they are real wood veneers they are also extremely easy to stain. I stained the power supply and the incline desktop to highlight that they are different. In the final stages at the moment, just varnishing using a soluable varnish before assembling everything together! Will have a final picture and the final concept board up soon!

Espresso Set

 On a totally different note from what has been going on with university work, I came across this awesome espresso set.

Parisian designer Fellina Sok-Cham dreamed up this perfect espresso-serving set, with a bamboo tray that dismantles to become individual saucers for six hip-to-be-square demitasse cups. Tiny notches that act as spoon rests in the cups’ top rim is a clever and functional touch. Will try and get hold of one!