Design Stories

Design Stories

Design Stories featuring great design, architecture, fashion, graphics and innovation from across the globe.

 

Spark

Spark is a travel electric guitar designed for portability and for production at home. The body, neck, and fretboard are printed by fused filament fabrication using recycled wood fiber and aramid composites instead of hardwood. The electrical and mechanical components are widely available, and assembly uses a solderless wiring system. Spark is finished by traditional methods, including sanding, fret seating, and a nitrocellulose lacquer coating. A headless fixed bridge keeps the full scale length within a compact form.

Continue reading

 

Jelly Tea

Jelly Tea is a health service and functional food system for young office workers. The jelly is made from Chinese tea and from plants used as both food and medicine. Six varieties were produced, each with a specific effect and taste. Vending machines allow the products to be obtained quickly, while a mobile mini program offers online purchase and simple games. Users complete weekly tasks, such as daily exercise or early sleeping hours, to unlock further game content and rewards. The aim is to support long-term healthy habits and not only immediate needs.

Continue reading

 

Draw One

Draw One is a calendar shaped like a tissue box. Each sheet is printed with a single date, and users pull out one sheet each day to update the calendar. A drawn sheet cannot be used again, which reflects the one-way nature of time. An opening on the front shows the remaining sheets and the rest of the year. The box is made of wooden boards cut to standard sizes, marked by laser engraving, joined with environmentally friendly glue and waxed to keep the natural texture of the wood. The intent is to encourage users to value time.

Continue reading

 

Ecopace

Ecopace is a household machine that turns kitchen waste into eco-enzyme. Peels, vegetables and sugar water are poured in from the top, as prompted on the screen. During the first month of fermentation, Ecopace releases gas and stirs the mixture automatically each day. After three months, the liquid enzyme flows into a tank, while a screen layer filters the residue, which can be removed from the side and dried for use as fertilizer. The outer shell is stainless steel and the inner container is made by ABS injection molding. Eco-enzyme can be used for deodorizing and composting.

Continue reading

 

The Island Is a Symbol of the Times

The Island Is a Symbol of the Times is a signage and wayfinding system for a city showroom at the artificial island port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The design is based on curved surfaces that recall the forms of yachts and sea waves. Curves shape the appearance, decoration, and production of both indoor and outdoor signs. Seamless splicing, sectional forming, and hand hammering ensure smooth outlines. Indoor signage combines metal with cast aquamarine resin, so the wave shapes of the metal base remain visible. High-contrast colors make each sign easy to find.

Continue reading

 

Home Bar and Coffee Spinning Ambient

Home Bar and Coffee Spinning Ambient is a rotating multifunctional furniture unit for a home interior. The design places two settings within one space. One side is a reading and coffee area. The other side is a bar for tasting liquor and wine. A rotating platform turns the unit 180 degrees to change from one setting to the other. Rotation and lighting scenes are controlled from a smartphone, a tablet or a wall panel. The unit is built from wood, metal, stone and glass, using precision machining and traditional craft methods.

Continue reading