Blog Assignment 1: selected posts

[The posts below were selected as excellent examples of responses to blog assignment 1]

from Patrick Crowe:

Giro aerohead bicycle helmet.

 

Before the aerohead, bicycle helmets where heavy, hot and lacked aerodynamics. giro made a definitive move away from this, their idea of a lightweight, cool-to-wear, aerodynamic helmet was the first step towards a place where safety might come second to performance, the place we are now.

from Alice McGall:
The collapsible umbrella

The collapsible umbrella is one of the oldest artefacts in man’s history, and can be dated back many thousands of years. This design is important because it incorporates functionality, compactness, and aesthetic qualities.

The exact origins of the creation of the collapsible umbrella are uncertain, but an umbrella of this nature was found in a Korean tomb dating back to 25BC.

The design of umbrellas has not changed much since 1785, but the concept of making large objects able to be manipulated into more compact sizes between uses is evident in many of today’s everyday things.

Assignment 1: brief

Sample: Assignment 1

The Eames Leg Splint: Design Innovation

Developed and designed in the early 1940s by the American industrial designers Charles and Ray Eames, the moulded leg splints (pictured on the left) are important both historically and technologically. The Eames splints represent a significant advancement in the technology and technique of bending plywood. Designed for the US Navy, the splints set an important precedent and the technology used to develop them, was applied by the Eames to the design of chairs, including the signature Eames molded plywood chair for Herman Miller. Moulded plywood is a common technique used in furniture design and manufacture today.