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Io Doodle Box Mobile Art Storage by Mina Panic and Carlo Filippo Negri |
Home > Winners > Design #65207 >Interview |
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FS: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
MP: Apart from striving to create a visually strong piece which is easy to use and fun to be around and play with, the ability to transform is an important aspect and principle behind the design. If a piece has the ability to change or transform then its longevity can be enhanced. We also wanted to create an engaging piece of furniture that would encourage and support our children's love and interest in arts and crafts. Another inspiration for this piece was a desire to create a versatile product for parents who don’t necessarily have a dedicated room or an area for their kids to enjoy painting and drawing activities. The space saving and multifunctional IO Doodle Box in such cases becomes a great option for parents who, despite the lack of space, still want to offer their children the possibility to express themselves through arts and crafts and to fully enjoy creative activities in their homes.
FS: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
MP: The objective behind the design was to create a multifunctional, long lasting and attractive design that will appeal to both kids and adults and that will enable parents and children to use the product for a long time. The attention was also to create an innovative and versatile design which in addition contains an element of the unexpected. For instance a roll of paper within the box is a hidden surprise. In this way we wanted to enable children who will be using the product to not see it just as an object for its obvious function but rather to imagine the possibilities.
FS: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
MP: We would like to make this piece available worldwide.
FS: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
MP: 6 months from the initial concept through testing and modifications to final product.
FS: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
MP: The principal reason behind this design was a desire to create an engaging piece of furniture that would encourage and support our children's love and interest in arts and crafts.
FS: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
MP: IO Doodle Box is currently being produced by my company IO Kids Design.
FS: What made you design this particular type of work?
MP: Designing for children always represented an interesting challenge. With children’s products the challenge is a lot to do with how they can stand the test of time in order to get the maximum usage, whilst at the same time be adaptable, functional, fun and easy to use. IO Doodle Box was partly inspired by this challenge as much as a personal desire to create interesting piece of furniture for my own children. .
FS: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
MP: Scandinavian Design with its paired down minimal aesthetic and emphasis on functionality and craftsmansip has always been a key influence for our work.
FS: Who is the target customer for his design?
MP: The target customers for our designs are parents who want individual and unusual pieces for their children which also appeal to their own aesthetic. They are well informed when it comes to trends and design and are keen to buy sustainable and ecological products for their children.
FS: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
MP: IO Doodle Box was conceived with sustainable thinking applied to its design. The multifunctional aspect of the design ensures that the product can be used in many different ways and so reduces the need to replace it. Its ability to transform and be used in different ways sets it apart from other similar products on the market.
FS: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
MP: 12. How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean? My daughter loves stories about the Solar system. IO is part of the solar system and one of Jupiter’s many moons. Because gravitational forces constantly pull it, IO is always unpredictable, surprising and ever changing. It has the most dramatic landscapes, the highest mountain peaks, the deepest rivers and most explosive volcanic eruptions. We thought it would be an apt metaphor for our company and pieces in our collection that strive to always be at the forefront and surprising. My daughter also loves to draw and doodle whilst doing arts and crafts. Hence the name IO Doodle Box. My daughter loves stories about the Solar system. IO is part of the solar system and one of Jupiter’s many moons. Because gravitational forces constantly pull it, IO is always unpredictable, surprising and ever changing. It has the most dramatic landscapes, the highest mountain peaks, the deepest rivers and most explosive volcanic eruptions. We thought it would be an apt metaphor for our company and pieces in our collection that strive to always be at the forefront and surprising. My daughter also loves to draw and doodle whilst doing arts and crafts. Hence the name IO Doodle Box.
FS: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
MP: The unique aspect of the design lies in its ability to be used for so many different things and in so many different ways, offering children the possibility to explore their creativity on the go whilst using only a single object.
FS: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
MP: I collaborated with my architect husband Carlo Filippo Negri to create this design for our daughters.
FS: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
MP: We carried out initial research and observed children during numerous arts and crafts sessions to better understand how our design can best address their needs. Research into safety regulations was carried out throughout the design process which resulted in close collaboration with Fira testing facility and creation of a product that complies with UK and European safety regulations.
FS: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
MP: Our aim was to create a piece of furniture that would be able to effortlessly perform different functions and yet still be cost effective to manufacture. We also wanted to create a product which would appeal to both kids and grown up aesthetic and offer multiple uses for both children and adults. The challenge was to combine all these different objectives into a single design and at the same time creatively resolve technical aspects in order to keep the cost of production down as well as preserve the integrity of our vision throughout the design process.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A' Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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