Gifting Design
Design 2310 Fundamentals SP22
Jorie Capper
Design is all about empathy. I am not only designing a product, I am designing an experience. This project focuses on designing a gift for a specific person, a mentor of my choice, that I have to research and learn their interests. My mentor is Carolyn Bonini.
Research
I first texted Carolyn to ask them about their interests. Some of their favorite designers are Alvar Aalto, Alexander Girard, Frank Gehry, and Terunobu Fjimori. They enjoy Eclectic and Expressive interior design, and bright, vibrant colors. We both share a love of nature, hiking, and bears.
Exercises
Gift Exercise
I reflected on the best gift that I have ever received in order to ideate the qualities I want to include in my gift. The best gift I ever received is my dog, which provides me with new experiences every day, so I wanted to give the gift of an experience as well.
Box Exercise
Working with my partner from my previous Fundamentals project, I created an explosion box to hold an item selected from a provided variety. Incorporating the item within into the box helps the piece as a whole remain cohesive, so we included quotes about the flashlight that the box held.
Concept Statement
Design is to focus not only on the end result, but the experience of using the object designed as well. I created a puzzle to create a fun experience of creating the imagery the puzzle conveys after it’s put together. I featured the quote from Alvar Aalto, one of Carolyn’s favorite designers, that reads “Form must have a content, and that content must be linked with nature.” This is engraved onto the puzzle, made of Baltic birch, along with a photograph of the Pocono Mountains, where Carolyn grew up. Using a square color palette, I painted the puzzle with inspiration from the vibrant colors of Alexander Girard’s prints that Carolyn enjoys. To incorporate color into the packaging as well, I made an explosion box lined with the same colors. The experience of opening the box to a surprise of bright color, to discover the puzzle pieces within, is exciting and intriguing. Upon assembling the puzzle, they discovered it forms the shape of a bear, one of their favorite animals. The puzzle incorporates many of their favorite things, while remaining cohesive.
Iterations
Production
After experimenting with different box lids, I decided to use a simplistic cardstock lid, but cut two slits into it in which to insert a handle, which I wrapped with string for durability and a more finished look.
Final
Every design is a gift. It is specially made for a certain person or community to better their life, whether in the way of aesthetics or practicality. I enjoyed this project because it enabled me to focus on the importance of empathy, building the design around a person or a need rather than a prompt. The focus on presentation of the object, not just the product itself, created a new challenge for me, but the concept is welcome; a reusable box is much more sustainable than wrapping paper that will be thrown away immediately upon opening. Seeing Carolyn happy with their gift was very rewarding and I am excited to make others happy with my designs.