We explore the customer experience with objects throughout the elusiveness of design, and turn it into functional objects for the home and commercial stores.
Bio Stand
WHY DO WE NEED AN UMBRELLA STAND ?
Exploring the streets of Buenos Aires and the lane-ways of Melbourne it is common to find umbrella stands used in commercial businesses and the lobbies of buildings. Yet, in most places, umbrella stands are often merely repurposed containers. Even high-end fashion stores, such as Etiqueta Negra and Key Biscayne or Hèrmes and Prada, only offer either a bucket or a basket for customers to leave their umbrellas.
I consider that an umbrella stand should be a refined sculpture that introduces the style and sophistication that a brand seeks to establish, and reflect the importance of design detail even in less prominent objects.
DIMENSIONS & MATERIALS
Polycarbonate:
Assembly: 585 (W) x 585 (D) x 545 (H) | Cones: 150 x 170 x 630 (H)
Glass:
Assembly: 585 (W) x 585 (D) x 545 (H) | Cones: 150 (Ø) x 630 (H)
Timber (triangular central hub):
300 (Base) x 260 (Height)
COMMERCIAL VIABILITY
Product Type
This is a long-lasting product that satisfies the customer's desire to possess a collectible item, and that provides a practical design solution (to contain umbrellas while also being stylish).
PLASTIC INJECTION
With plastic injection, the high investment cost of a casting mould (approximately $1,500) can be distributed across the large number of cones manufactured. This creates greater economies of scale to minimise the cost of each cone in the plastic version of the Bio Stand.
The casting mould is made from an alloy of aluminium and steel, chosen for its strength and toughness. This makes it suitable for casting larger objects, which involve greater span lengths, while also reducing the weight of the casting mould, for ease of transport.
FLAT PACK
As production will occur overseas, Bio Stand has been designed as a modular product, rather than a mono-injection product, to minimise volume and reduce shipping costs.
INSPIRATION
Bio Stand, an elegant and different umbrella stand, ideal for fashion stores and design collectors, draws inspiration from the laneways of Melbourne, and the traditional Parisian lobbies of buildings in Buenos Aires
Having defined the target market for this product, I became heavily inspired by the graphic illustrations of Fashion designer Arturo Elena due to the elegant and sleek figure of all his models.
The conical shapes of flowers and the eagerness to stick to fashion as the main inspiration, drew me to the reintroduce art of drag. Thus, the high level of creativity and neon colours in costumes became the focal reason for why I have decided to use a transparent high-gloss finish on each cone.
GLASS PROPOSAL
MATERIAL OPTIONS
With Bio Stand, different materials and production methods have been analysed to find a balance between function, aesthetics and cost. The original proposal of plastic injection (polycarbonate) was retained, with the options of glass, hand-blown or mould-blown, being added as special order alternatives.
Glass
For this alternative, production and material costs have been considered and kept to a tight budget in order to make this a viable, competitive product in the Australian market. However, glass blowing is a labour intensive process, which makes this the most expensive option of the three. Thus, glass versions of Bio Stand will be available as a luxury alternative , but at a higher cost than the polycarbonate versions.