Friday, October 24, 2008

Treasuring Time


I originally wanted to create a product that would help us to treasure our presnet time by reminding us of death and that we only had finite amount of time. This was too negative and would difficult to sell as a product. So I decided to focus on the treasuring the present time part, and also the finite time part, but instead of reminding the user of theit death it would remind them of now, and that they should be using their time mor constructively, whetehr that means doing something or maybe taking a break.

The product is a small object, that the user can carry around and play around with using their hands and their sense of touch. The object bears no religious significance, and so it can be used by anybody. It is similar to Komboloi, or worry beads, in that it allows the user to play around with something if they feel worried or nervous or even just bored. The object however is far more compact than Komboloi, and also more solid and can last longer. It is also more masculine, and is something that only the user should know about, as it sits in their pocket and the palm of their hand.

The product would be made of a solid and resistant material like bronze or aluminium. This allows it capture heat and also is quite pleasant to touch. The object does not need to look good, as I focussed on touch when designing it. The curves are specifically placed on alternate corners and edges, and a point on the remaining corners and edges. This made the object feel goodand also more enjoyable to fiddle around with. The sensation can cause the user to react in such a way that they could realise they need to be doing something at the time, or maybe they need to chill. It is a bit like having a little buddy with you, when you are in a situation where you have know one else, for example going up to do a presentation or doing an assignement or homework at home.

4 comments:

Derek Mansur said...

yeah i think you have an interesting concept. i like that they would be interesting and fun to touch and play with, i think that the material you chose is a good choice, something that conducts heat quickly is a good idea so that is will warm to your hands when you pick it up. one thing im not to sure about is that it seems to 'counsel' you through time, with the nervous fidgeting you would do with them in your hands, to make them treasure time im not sure time...im not sure, i regret not seeing your presentation to see how you explained how they treasure time. good job

Alfred said...

The design and the concept is quite striking as people will sometimes find themselves waiting for someone on the street for example, and would want something to do to occupy them as they wait. I think the heat conductivity properties from the aluminium or bronze would work really well for cooler days.

Joshua Cope-Summerfield said...

for such a small design, it carries a very big idea and concept. i think that the message it sends is one that should be taken on board by all, and the user will definitly be able to consider/reconsider what it is about time they treasure. it is very clever.

the non-symmetrical shape means that it is not something that will become tiresome quickly, but will be used constantly as a reminder of the times they should be treasuring and not wasting.

the materials, as derek pointed out, is they will become more personal as they react to the user, ie warming up.

however maybe a different colours could be used to represent different parts of life, and therefore different reminders

overall though, a good design

Anonymous said...

i really like the inconspicuous nature of your product and its simple form. The idea and concept behind it is also very powerful and one that could be well captured through its use when living in such a big city as it is sometimes difficult for some people to get away to a quite spot.
The only Suggestion i have is if the product were offered in different materials, allowing the individual to personalize the product just slightly. But overall a very striking design.