!Update to Part 2: It seems like the “Shelter Screen” was carried on into the final rounds for ICFF. See below.

As SCAD students of the Designed Conversation course created different bedding solutions for the clients of Growing Hope of Union Mission, one of the most challenging problems was a structure that actually provided shelter for the homeless living on the street.

This was the prototype presented at the end of April during critique. The canvas slip cover fits over a standard bi-folding lawn chair. Inside the flap was a layer of tulle to represent mosquito netting. There were conversations about how to secure the flap while preventing liquid from dripping inside, how to make the netting functional and convenient, and how to transport the entire structure on one’s back.

Above, a student demonstrates the room within the structure and possible issues with not being able to sit up.

It seems that a more dome-like silhouette was the group’s solution. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see this prototype, but it looks like the project really came together for ICFF.

At the end of the critique, I sat down with each groups “documentarians.” Rubi McGrory, a Graduate Fibers student, Alice Meiss and Kathleen Imig, both undergraduates in Fibers, were responsible for documenting the process of their groups, collaborating on the mission statement, and putting together the site for Designed Conversation.

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The interdisciplinary course Designed Conversation at Savannah College of Art and Design started around a competition sponsored by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair.

“Given departmental emphasis on community outreach and, increasingly, small-scale production, fibers program members explore conscientious design and sustainable, socially responsible studio practice as a matter of course. For the past two years, the program has worked with the Growing Hope Artisans Cooperative, which provides creative programming for the homeless. This year, fibers students are delving into the issue of bedding for Growing Hope clients. Issues confronting the students include the relationship of inside/outside, portability, and the difference between consumer-driven and community-oriented products.”

-from the ICFF announcement

The last post Front and Center: Designed Conversation at ICFF (Part1) covered a product concept for people in transitional housing. This post covers the second prototype that focuses on the needs of individuals living in shelters. When I attended the final critique, the prototype looked like a three panel room divider with fabric pockets.

Each fabric panel was 15 inches wide and attached to pvc pipe. The idea was to use found materials to create pockets at different heights of the panels for those sleeping on the top or bottom bunk. The screen would provide storage as well as privacy. Issues arose at this last critique on the construction around the stitched sleeves of the panels, the stability of the light weight pvc, as well as the inconvenience of repositioning the screen in order to climb on the top bunk. The students must have seriously evaluated these issues, because less than two weeks later their prototype looked like this.

Storage is given precedent with an expandable shelf, as opposed to fabric pockets. Contents can be kept out of sight, and there is a fold out shelf.

These are the latest photographs I have of the prototype, but Fibers professor Jessica Smith reported that the final prototype for ICFF incorporates over 10 yards of digitally printed polyester.
Here’s the front of their promo card. Return tomorrow for coverage of the final design which offers a sleeping solution for men and women who must live on the street and a few words from the students reflecting on how this project has affected them as designers and as people.

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Designed Conversation is a special topics course at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This Spring, a divergent group of students from the Fibers and Furniture departments came together under the direction of professors Jessica Smith and Sheila Edwards to collaborate on a proposal for this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. I had the honor of attending the final prototype critique and interviewing a few students about the project.

“Designed Conversation represents a dynamic dialogue between Savannah College of Art and Design students and clients of Growing Hope of Union Mission in Savannah, Georgia. Union Mission aims to elevate the quality of life of Savannah’s homeless through housing, job training, counseling, and healthcare. Growing Hope, the arts and crafts cooperative within Union Mission, is a unique program which addresses the need for creative expression in this underserved population. Our goal is to create sustainable bedding solutions for people in non-traditional living situations. We address the needs of three specific demographics within Union Mission: those sleeping on the street, those sleeping in a shelter, and those living in transitional housing.

Through regular conversations at the shelter, our clients expressed their needs for comfort, security and privacy which we continuously integrated into our design solutions. We embrace a definition of sustainability looking beyond the green movement to incorporate a socially constructive practice. Using readily accessible materials and an ease of construction, we created functional items that can be replicated by clients within the Growing Hope Studios. In giving the design blueprints to Growing Hope and posting them on the internet, we aim to give our products a life in the community beyond ICFF.”

:: mission statement

This first post presents the work of the group that addresses those in transitional housing programs. Because physical shelter is provided, the primary needs are personal and psychological. Below, are the sleeping arrangements the students visited.

These “bed pods” were developed to provide privacy and a sense of ownership and control over limited personal space. The canopy like structure is secured to the bottom of the bed frame by simple straps and suspender clips. The pod can be folded back and snapped shut to signify that this person has left the dormitory and begun their day. Extended, the pod provides shade from the typical overhead florescent lighting, privacy from fellow housemates, as well as some storage. There are pockets on either side of the interior for small personal items. It’s light weight and compactability make it portable, due to it’s construction of fiberglass rods and basic fabric. I think it’s a very good way to begin to establish individualized space and a healthy sense of independence.

Here’s the final version to be presented at ICFF.

And here, clients of Growing Hope of Union Mission look at the prototype.

coming soon. Front and Center: Designed Conversation at ICFF (part 2) - a storage solution for shelters

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There’s some conversation going on at Dave’s post on the importance of designers in the future which made me start thinking about the “non-designers”. And that’s most people. But who is “most people”? I immediately thought of “the other 90%” and the Cooper-Hewitt exhibition. A bit of research, and I came across a recent report from the UN.

Last month, the United Nations published the Creative Economy Report 2008: The challenge of assessing the creative economy towards informed policy-making. The report gathers input from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) aiming “to assist developing countries to harness their creative economies…”

Globalization and connectivity are new
realities that have brought profound changes in
lifestyles worldwide. This is reshaping the overall pattern of cultural production, consumption and trade in a world increasingly filled with images, sounds, texts and symbols. There is a clear need to better grasp the complex interactions among the economic, cultural, technological and social aspects guiding the dynamics of the world economy
and the way people live in the twenty-first
century. In this era of transformation, creativity
and knowledge are fast becoming powerful means of fostering development gains.

In this context, the interface among creativity,
culture, economics and technology, as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, has the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development. …[This] also seems to
be a feasible option for developing countries.

from the Foreward by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi and UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis.

Just as Duann wrote about leveling the playing field between the independent and the design elite, there is a great opportunity to level the playing field across the globe. Innovations like One Laptop Per Child and LifeStraw are helping change the circumstances for populations that lack certain technologies. But what I think is the most important and valuable goal, is not to give developing nations what we think of as improvements to their peoples lives, but to give them a chance to communicate their culture to us. We can help increase their chances through aid and establish those lines of communication through education and technology, but beware of the power structures and colonization that too often occur. The goal should be conversation not assimilation. Today we have Design For The Other 90%, but what about Design By The Other 90%?

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As the only girl currently posting, I think it’s important to bring a feminine perspective to Ponoko readers. Women stereotypically aren’t as interested in gadgets, gizmos and toys as men are. But the Sasi vibrator is a tech toy that any self-loving lady can appreciate.

Created by Jejoue, this sensual massager is customizable in both function and aesthetic.

“A smooth, rounded head undulates under a thin, silky cover, creating a soft kneading sensation that can be customized by adjusting movement type, speed and vibration. SaSi has two modes. In Natural Mode SaSi does what it is told. It comes pre-programmed with 5 movements, which are easily selected by navigating left or right. In Learn Mode SaSi gradually morphs from one movement to another, trying new sensations. If you dislike a particular movement simply skip to the next one. SaSi will remember this and is less likely to use it again. If SaSi creates a sensation you really like, press the “don’t stop” button. SaSi will remember and use it again next time. Just like a good partner, SaSi gives a different experience every time whilst still incorporating the movements you like best.”

Wow right? A vibrator that works kind of like Pandora and an ipod. I would love to be able to give a review, but unfortunately the $185 toy is out of stock at Babeland, the only distributor in North America.

Sasi comes in three color options for the outer ‘facias’ and silicone membrane covers that are phthalate and latex free. Different texture covers will be made available soon, and each massager comes with a charger and charging base. The packaging is classic and discreet too.

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In the spirit of Ponoko’s latest 10 Day Challenge, myself and the other writers are diving deep into the theme. Here are a couple of images of traditional games by puzzle creator and academic Jacques Haubrich.

This sleek board would also be great with a set of die cut and ornately engraved checkers.

I love how the classic tic-tac-toe frame is a separate puzzle in itself.

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The Mimaki Tx2-1600 is just one of the many digital textile printers on the market, but the one I have had the most experience with. Before I get into how it works, here’s a very brief description and history of textile printing from The Colour Museum.
Basically, the image must be divided by color, and every part of the image that is a particular color will be burned into a screen. This must be done for each color to be printed. For those of you in the graphic design field, it can be compared to a separate screen created for each spot color. Thus for every color in a textile, the amount of labor and cost go up - which can be a big limitation for independent designers.

Inkjet printing brought the ability to put a color image on paper to the masses, and the same is happening with digital fabric printing. In the case of fabric, the printing is done with dyes not inks. And because the image is comprised of pixels, there is no limit to the amount of color. It is essentially CMYK, four color process with capabilities for four extra colors.

Before printing the printer must be set up and tested. There are two different sides of dye cartridge slots. This is because fiber reactive dyes are best for cellulosic or plant based fibers such as cotton, rayon, linen or hemp. Acid dyes are best for protein based fibers like wool and silk and for synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester. Plastic gallon containers hold the excess dye from the printing process.

Next, the fabric bolt is put onto the printer. Specially coated and paper-backed fabric that comes on a roll is first placed at the foot of the printer between two plastic ends that support the roll. In order to make sure that the fabric is aligned evenly, the edge of the paper lines up with a triangle on the printer. There is a laser that detects the edge of the fabric and keeps it aligned throughout the printing. This laser is adjusted by a switch on a box attached to the bottom of the printer. The fabric is then carefully pulled in an over-under fashion through 3 cylinders to maintain the tension and then fed through the top and clamped down.

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(Image above titled Intercool Brain 2 is from the brilliant portfolio of Bryan Christie.)

There is usually a certain tension between the sides of design and business. Part of my design team’s job is to convince the buyer on certain products, trends, materials etc. But the language of design is often very connotative, while the language of finance is generally cold numbers. So, the best way to get support for design initiatives is to present hard data that points to success: credible statistics, competitor offerings, and above all, impressive sales. Generally this data is shared in meetings in the form of excel documents, bullets on a powerpoint, or a quick sketch on a dry-erase board. These visuals are not only boring; they usually aren’t even effective.

Which made me start thinking… What if there was a company that created custom data visualizations? I did a basic search, and while Juice Analytics comes close, I didn’t come across a devoted service for quick turn around, data-in/graphics-out. But I did find several sites dedicated to data graphics:

Visual Complexity is simple and beautiful site full of amazing grids, maps, graphs and charts. It even has a page with it’s own metadata.

Junkcharts is a regularly updated and excellently written blog that analyzes and critiques information visuals on almost any topic you can think of. It’s also pretty entertaining.

Smashing Magazine had a post in January about all of this. And for those of you not yet familiar with Smashing, I highly recommend checking out. Every single day.

Cool Infographics is another great blog. In the brief bio of creator Randy Krum it reads, “Always looking for better ways to get the point across”. Which really is the whole point.

Information Aesthetics goes beyond strict data visualization and explores the fine art side of this science.

And it’s the art side of this science that I think is a great opportunity for the capabilities of Ponoko. Adding a third dimension to information graphics lets people experience data, not just look.

I can see it now: my design team building an installation of laser cut sales figures, telling the buyers “Just experience this potential profit!”

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What’s In Store will be a weekly topic that covers the products and/or processes of physical or virtual stores. Just yesterday, Xoddo went live to the world. I came across this company via a blurb on Dexigner and decided to check it out. Xoddo is a website that allows customers to design their own stuffed toy based on a single template.

Creator Russell Benfanti writes, “As an illustrator and designer I’ve been creating monsters and creatures for years. In fact I’ve had so much fun making monsters for others, that I thought it would be fun to give everyone the opportunity to design their own”.

Russel’s right. It is fun to design your own. And once you do, you can choose to have your Xoddo made, print it out, or share it with others in the gallery. For those overwhelmed by starting from scratch, there are the ‘Starters’ and ‘Randomizer’ features which begin the designing for you. Here are a couple I did on my own.

As Duann mentioned in his post on The Four Faces of Mass Customization, Xoddo is of the Adaptive sort. And I think it works really well, especially for a product intended for children. Here are some pictures of actual samples. It looks like all of the fabrics are being digitally printed… a topic I promise to write about soon.

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Hello Ponoko fans. This week I am joining the blog team to share my interest and exploration of what I think are the early workings of a massive change in the infrastructure, operations and productions of Capitalism. I hope my approach to the topic of mass customization will introduce you to new tools and techniques, encourage you to revisit old ones, inspire and ultimately encourage you to become engaged in an exciting era for design and humanity.

I’m trying out daily themes repeated weekly to help guide my research and give continuity to my posts. As this is my first time seriously writing any kind of editorial, comments are greatly appreciated.

So let me tell you a little about myself. My real name is Kristen Leigh Turner, but I design and (now) write under the name Indigo Cheng. I have a BFA in Fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design with minors in Graphic Design, Fashion and Art History. I am currently located in Minneapolis (Yo, Cromie - we should Spyhouse sometime.) and working as an assistant product designer for a large corporation which I will refer to as the Bullseye. I love a range of music, the philosophy of Deleuze, foreign cultures, dark chocolate, citrus scents, and above all else - going on a walk.

Looking forward to this!

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