DESIGN NAME: Kafe
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Coffee Maker
INSPIRATION: During an ergonomics course, I saw potential in a connection between the relief and support of the human anatomy and a more overall picture, instead of creating tableware simply focusing on its ergonomically design. As we are trapped in a daily routine of stress and automatisms a moment of contemplation is hardly needed. To create a moment of peace and rest, kafe intensifies the already well-rehearsed process of brewing coffee and establishes it as a ritual in our mutual lives.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Waking up on a fully automated morning means nothing but to function. One's coffee machine becomes an indispensable tool to wake up both body and soul. In this context, kafe is meant to create space to finally be aware of one's surrounding and oneself. A regulated and balanced procedure becomes a symbiosis of efficiency and peace, some place to experience a break as continuously satisfying. The morning act of brewing coffee becomes a memorised course of motions, a fluid and relaxed movement.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The pot holds a recommended amount of coffee. After brewing, Kafe is lifted with one hand on its loop. The axis of rotation is positioned in such a way that the body of the pot remains above the mug, while the spout hooks into the rim of the mug. By continuing the tilting movement, the mug is pulled along, but stops at the moment when the pot reaches the angle at which the last liquid flows out. When the pot is returned to its original position, it will also push the pot into its initiate place.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project was created from December 2017 to February 2018, as part of an ergonomics course at my university in Munich.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: As this project was created in a students' project at university regarding economic aspects of design, the final model is only meant to visualize my concept. For the prototype my focus lay on the possibility to simulate its usage, rather than preparing it for actual production. Accordingly, the model is made from aluminum, which certainly is not intended for real use.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Approximate dimensions: Height: 125mm, Width: 175mm, Depth: 95mm
TAGS: coffee maker, can, ergonomic, coffee, student, french press
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: As I designed Kafe as part of an ergonomics course at university, the goal was to create a can that follows ergonomic principles. After gaining knowledge about ISO standards in connection with the human anatomy, I set my goal to reduce distress on the wrist and hand while pouring liquid. I brainstormed a variety of alternative hand postures. A significant point in my process was the realization, that the most effortless movement also meant a ritual-like procedure.
CHALLENGE: In the process of designing Kafe I was challenged with two obstacles of different nature. To overcome the visual looks of an ergonomic product I needed to find such optimization evolving from a philosophic background rather than from sheer numbers and facts. After coming up with my concept I had to make sure, that the construction of Kafe ensured its predefined handling. By modeling and calculating those proportions using Rhino 3D I created a blueprint which then had to be implemented with the highest accuracy.
ADDED DATE: 2018-11-23 14:46:45
TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
IMAGE CREDITS: Alicia Rühr, 2018.
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