In a team of 4, we designed one kitchen appliance each, collaborating to achieve a cohesive house style, focusing on mass customisation.
Part 1: Mass customisation
In the first part of our project, we were tasked with the exciting challenge of designing our kitchen appliances in a manner that enabled them to share as many components as possible, within the team, and other peers that were designing the same appliances.
My specific task was to design a espresso machine, and my dedicated team and I were required to design our appliances in accordance with the detailed prompt provided to us: “ The joy and fun of cooking. Our products encourage users to enjoy the process, as well as the finished foods. We offer rich insights into how the product works and give users control over every aspect of product function.”
To start this process I did a teardown of a espresso machine and mapped out all parts that would be necessary for me to include in my design, and then further explore my options of form and function of said parts.
Concept proposal
I wanted to design a coffee machine that looked fun and joyful, while also providing clear insight to the user regarding its various functions. Taking inspiration from shape theory, I chose rounded edges and circular shapes to make the overall design seem “friendly and inviting.”
Foam Models
Each member of the team created detailed foam models of their unique design concepts. This hands-on process truly helped us visualize that while each individual design held its own merit, as a collective brand, we were lacking a sense of cohesion and unity among our various ideas.
Part 2: House style
For the second part of the project, we decided to completely change our designs to be much more cohesive and aligned with our overall vision. We took valuable insights from what we learned through our first designs and wanted to incorporate even more shared parts and features that would enhance the unity and functionality of the final product.
To achieve this, we decided to collaboratively ideate not only our own individual appliances, but also all the appliances for every member of the team.
Final foam models
After agreeing on our concept direction, each member carefully crafted a detailed foam model representative of their own design. These models solidified our design decisions, as they effectively helped visualise an overall strong, cohesive house style that embodied our collective vision and intent.
