p la c emen t r epor t 6 m o n t h s - Sum m e r 2 0 1 6
i n tro d uct io n
blocks mission T o deliver colour an d cre at iv it y t o t h e de sig n c o n s c i o u s
background O wner and lead de sign e r T ara A sh e fou n d e d b l o c k a n d i ts p r i n c i p l e s i n 2000 out of ar t sch ool, followin g st u dy an d a b r i e f p e r i o d s p e n t w o r ki n g in indus tr y . The com pan y an d it s de sign ph i l o s o p h y g a i n e d tr a c ti o n i n th e je weller y mar ket , u t ilizin g on -t re n d, fre sh c o l o u r p a l e tte s a n d m a te r i a l s . With a s tr ong bran d ide n t it y t h e com pan y s o o n s h i f te d f o c u s o n to th e th riving home- ware se ct or. F lagsh ip, icon ic p r o d u c ts s u c h a s th e i r p e g b o a r d ra nge and loope d wire fru it bowl h e lpe d t o r a i s e r e c o g n i ti o n a n d r e s p e c t in a highly comp e t it iv e m ark e t . T oday , block is a we ll e st ablish e d h ome / gift w a r e b r a n d d e s p i te r e m a i n i n g a small bus ines s ope rat in g ou t of ru ral C o r n w a l l . C o l o u r a n d o r i g i n a l i ty st ill r emain at the h e art of t h e de sign proces s .
o r i g i na l co l o ur - l e d i nt e l l i g e nt
customer profile [ lift e d from blo c k b r a n d m a n u a l ] A de sign con sc i o u s u r b a n d w e l l e r , a n e a r l y adopt e r of t re n d s . Th e y p l a y a ke y r o l e i n th e i r social circle , t h e y l o ve to s h a r e kn o w l e d g e an d cre at iv it y. Th e y c o n s i d e r c o l o u r a n d s ty l e an import an t e l e m e n t w i th i n th e i r h o m e . A you n g profe s s i o n a l w h o l o ve s th e r e ta i l e xpe rie n ce as m u c h a s th e a c tu a l p u r c h a s e . I f t h e y lik e it t h e y w i l l b u y i t. P u r c h a s e i s b a s e d on ae st h e t ic rath e r th a n f u n c ti o n . Th e i r ta s te is e cle ct ic ye t c o n te m p o r a r y .
brand presence T h ou gh e ffort s h a ve b e e n m a d e to p u s h r e ta i l sale s t h rou gh t h e b l o c k w e b s i te th e m a j o r i ty of re v e n u e an d s a l e s a r e g e n e r a te d th r o u g h wh ole sale t o w o r l d w i d e c u s to m e r s s u c h a s U rban Ou t fit t e r s , Th e C o n r a n S h o p a n d M o MA (N Y an d Japan ) . Block also h as a s tr o n g p r e s e n c e i n d e s i g n le ad pu blicat io n s s u c h a s E L L E D e c o r a ti o n an d G Q as we ll a s i n g l o b a l tr a d e s h o w s f r o m N e w York t o L o n d o n .
w ork u nd er t ak e n
design strategy Enter ing into a sm all de sign t e am I was a l m o s t i m m e d i a te l y g i ve n ke y re spons ibilities r an gin g from mark e t re se arc h to d e s i g n i d e a ti o n a n d C A D re nder ings . These t ask s aide d t h e de v e lopm e n t o f a h o s t o f n e w p r o d u c ts se t for r eleas e qu art e rly, in lin e wit h a n u m b e r o f a n n u a l tr a d e s h o w s . U p o n my ar r ival 5 new produ ct s we re u n de r de v el o p m e n t d u e to b e u n ve i l e d a t a n upcoming s ho w in t h e US in mid A u gu st - N Y N o w . Th i s e n s u r e d a s tr i c t time plan was en force d t o k e e p proje ct s mo vi n g f o r w a r d a s d e s i g n s w o u l d h a ve to be finali se d an d pu t in t o produ ct ion i n ti m e f o r th e s h o w s . Projects wer e in it iat e d wit h a brie f, followed b y a e x p l o r a ti o n o f i n s i g h ts / o ppor tunities , tre n ds an d m ark e t riv als. A s w e l l a s b o u n c i n g i d e a s a c r o s s th e s tudio, des ig n ide as an d de v e lopme n t s c u l m i n a te d i n w e e kl y d e s i g n meetings with the wh ole t e am, le d by m ys e l f a n d Ta r a Th i s h e l p e d ke e p p rojects on tr ack an d prov ide d u se fu l in sigh t s f r o m th e r e s t o f th e c o m p a n y .
A n u m b er of p r od u c t s i n t h e ex i s t i n g b l oc k r a n g e c on s i s t of f ol d ed s h eet s t eel a n d w e l ook ed t o u t i l i s e t h i s c om b i n a t i on of m a t er i a l a n d m a n u f a c t u r e m et h od f u r t h er i n t o t h e d es i g n of a w a l l c l oc k . We d r ew i n s p i r a t i on f r om t h e a r t of or i g a m i , ex p l or i n g t h e u n i q u e f or m s a n d s u b s eq u en t s h a d ow s t h a t w er e c r ea t ed a n d h ow t h ey c ou l d r ep r es en t t r a d i t i on a l n u m b er s on a c l oc k f a c e .
projects B locks tar get is t o produ ce a min im u m of 5 n e w p r o d u c ts q u a r te r l y ; a r r i vi n g in Apr il I becam e in v olv e d in t h e Q2 [ qu a r te r 2 ] r a n g e f o r l a u n c h a t N Y Now in A ugus t. A com pre h e n siv e list of p o s s i b l e p r o d u c ts w a s p r o d u c e d b ut eventually 5 de sign are as e m e rge d: w a l l c l o c k, 2 x c a n d l e h o l d e r s , p er petual calen de r an d e xt e n sion of t h e cl i p b o a r d f r a m e r a n g e . T hough aes thetics play a m ajor role in t h e b l o c k d e s i g n e th i c i t w a s a l s o impor tant to c on side r t h e e rgon omics, in s i g h ts a n d e m o ti o n b e h i n d a p roduct. This spark e d in t e n se R &D se ssio n s b e tw e e n th e te a m , o n s o m e o ccas ions led by M art in Blu m, form e rly of B l a c k + B l u m a n d a c l o s e f r i e n d o f Tar a, who pr ov ide d in v alu able de sign t hi n ki n g a n d e x p e r i e n c e . [At time of writ in g fin al de sign s for all th o s e s ta te d a b o ve h a ve b e e n submitted f or qu ot e s on man u fact u rin g. D ue to c o n f i d e n ti a l i ty a g r e e m e n ts some imager y re gardin g n e w produ ct s can n o t b e p u b l i s h e d ]
In l i ne with a r ecent r esur g ence of t he Memp hi s st yl e i n i nt er i or and f ashi on d esi g n we l ooked i nt o cr eat i ng a p l ayf ul st at ement p i ece f or t he home, d eci d i ng on cand l e hol d er s as t he med i um. A f t er st ud yi ng t he d esi g n mov ement and i t s i nf l uences w e ag r eed on a numb er of si mp l e, g eomet r i c f or ms t hat w or ked p l ayf ul l y as sep er at e p i eces and t og et her as a set .
C AD f e a tur e d he a v i l y i n t h e d es i g n p r oc es s at blo c k . Tho ugh in i t i a l l y t h i s w a s h a r d to a da pt to giv e n my s t y l e of w or k i n g and e x pe rie nc e le v el w i t h h e s of t w a r e I ev e ntua lly f o und it t o b e a u s ef u l a i d . I t wa s o f pa r tic ula r u s e w h en m oc k i n g u p life s ty le s ho ts [ s e e b el ow ] t o d et er m i n e t h e fe a s ibility o f a c o n c ep t . A s a r es u l t I h a v e fur the r e d m y C AD s k i l l s s i g n i f i c a n t l y . M y dutie s a ls o e x te n d ed t o p r od u c i n g ac c ura te te c hnic a l d r a w i n g s i n or d er t o lia is e with m a nuf a c t u r er s f or q u ot es a n d pr o duc tio n.
brand exposure F or a s mall compan y su ch as block , t h e cu st o m e r s p e r c e p ti o n o f th e b u s i n e s s a nd its identity are k e y in bu ildin g awaren e s s a n d r e p u ta ti o n . C u r r e n tl y b l ock adopts a n u mbe r of t e ch n iqu e s t o do s o , i n c l u d i n g a g r o w i n g s o c i a l media campaign, re gu lar pre se n ce in a n u m b e r o f h i g h e n d i n te r i o r d e s i g n magaz ines and part icipat ion in t rade sh ow s w o r l d w i d e . I was keen to use t h is opport u n it y t o de v e lo p a kn o w l e d g e o f b r a n d i n g a n d a ls o expand my ph ot ograph y sk ills; I t h e r e f o r e b e c a m e h e a vi l y i n vo l ve d in the r unning o f t h e com pan ie s I n st agram f e e d [ @ b l o c kd e s i g n ] , a l l o w i n g c us tomer s to in t e ract wit h t h e bran d an d p r o vi d e a vi s u a l p r o f i l e . I was als o tr us te d wit h t h e ph ot o an d gra p h i c a l e d i ti n g o f b l o c ks a d ve r t that f eatur ed in t h e mon t h ly e dit ion s of E L L E D e c o r a ti o n a n d L i vi n g e tc [bottom r ight]. F ur ther mor e we also all con t ribu t e d t o t h e w o r d i n g o f th e b r a n d s to r y a n d individual pr oduct st orie s, a k e y in t e ract io n p o i n t to p o te n ti a l c u s to m e r s .
[ cloc k wis e f r om t op l ef t ] -Bloc k s r u ra l s et t i n g -visit to A ld er m a n t ool i n g metal f ab ricato rs -in h o u s e a s sem b l y l i n e -Plym o u th U n i v er s i t y 3 D st ud ents exhib it th e ir wo rk . -bloc k s to rer oom -de ta il o f blo c k p a c k a g i n g -de sign ide a t i on f or a n ew vas e w ith To ny; frie n d o f Ta r a a n d est a b l i shed Lo nd o n floris t
miscellaneous My inter ns hip at block e n able d me t o carry out m a n y r o l e s b e s i d e s th o s e th a t w er e des ign r elat e d. A s t h e work force is sm a l l i t w o u l d b e c o m e n e c e s s a r y o n occas ions to assist ot h e r are as of t h e bus i n e s s . T o maintain a high st an dard of se rv ice an d p r o d u c t q u a l i ty a l l s to c k p a s s e s th rough the work sh op t o be qu alit y con t r o l l e d a n d p a c ka g e d . I f l a r g e o v er s eas or der s we re place d it was cru cia l to d i s tr i b u te th e m p r o m p tl y a n d with car e s o I wou ld le n d a h an d wit h fina l a s s e m b l y a n d b o x i n g . I n o n e in stance we r ecie v e d a large orde r from Jap a n e s e d i s tr i b u to r ; r e n o w n e d f o r th eir attention to de t ail, gre at care h ad t o b e ta ke n to e n s u r e th e p r o d u c ts w er e to the highe st st an dard. I was als o involve d in t h e man age me n t of th e w e b s i te w h i c h o c c a s i o n a l l y re quir ed new ph ot ograph y an d/ or e dit in g w h i c h I w a s tr u s te d w i th . My time at block also saw an ov e rh au l of t h e we b - p a g e to i m p r o ve s p e e d , e a s e o f us e and bounc e rat e s, t h ou gh a spe cialist w a s b o u g h t i n f o r th i s w e w e r e a ll involved in th e de cision mak in g proce ss a n d g r a p h i c a l s ty l e o f th e p a g e . As s ome of the n e w produ ct s re qu ire d spe c i a l i s t to o l i n g I , a l o n g s i d e l e a d d es igner Tar a, visit e d a local me t al fabricat i o n c o m p a n y , A l d e r m a n to o l i n g . T h is gave me s om e in sigh t in t o man u fact u rin g c o n s tr a i n ts a n d th e f e a s i b i l i ty o f our des igns a n d gav e m e a de e pe r u n de r s ta n d i n g o f th e w h o l e p r o d u c t jo ur ney , fr om design con ce pt ion t o m an u fa c tu r e . O n two occas ion s I also re pre se n t e d block a t th e U n i ve r s i ty o f P l y m o u th w hich r uns a pr o je ct in collaborat ion wit h th e c o m p a n y o p e n to f i r s t y e a r s o n their 3D des ign cou rse . A lon gside T ara I eva l u a te d th e s tu d e n ts p r o j e c ts a n d pr es entation s in orde r t o fin d a st u de n t f o r a f u tu r e i n te r n s h i p .
r ef le ct io n
reflection Upon r eflection I fe e l as t h ou gh I h av e ben e f i tte d h u g e l y f r o m w o r ki n g a mongs t the s mall ye t e ffe ct iv e t e am at b l o c k. I t h a s a l l o w e d m e to e x per ience and in flu e n ce all are as of t h e bu s i n e s s f r o m i n i ti a l d e s i g n b r i e f s a n d inter ims thr ou gh t o man u fact u re an d a s s e m b l y . F rom this I have gain e d in sigh t in t o t h e ru n n i n g o f a w h o l e o p e r a ti o n n o t ju st f r om a des ig n pe rspe ct iv e bu t le arn in g f r o m th e m a n y s e p a r a te f a c to r s th at have to coh e re for a su ch a bu sin e ss to r u n . Th i s i n c l u d e s a p u tti n g to gether a collect ion of produ ct s t h at all off e r th e i r o w n u n i q u e a ttr a c ti o n b u t s till fit the bran d an d a com m on de sig n e d s ty l e a s w e l l a s th e b a c k e n d of the bus in e ss an d t h e ju gglin g of fina n c e s , c o m p l e x b r a n d i n g a n d d i s tr ibution. As a complete e xpe rie n ce I h av e fou n d w o r ki n g a t b l o c k to b e ve r y re war ding; s uch a v arie d day t o day sch e du le a n d th e c h a n c e to s e e p r o d u c ts re alis ed kept me in t rigu e d an d mot iv at e d. T h e s tu d i o e n vi r o n m e n t i n r u r a l C or nwall was r efre sh in g, prov idin g in spirat i o n th r o u g h th e j u x ta p o s i ti o n o f the indus tr ial produ ct s an d t h e n at u ral s u r r o u n d i n g s . Tr a ve l l i n g to a n d from wor k ther e fore prov ide d a we lcom e b r e a k f r o m a b u s y d a y . L ooking to the fu t u re t h is is an are a of de s i g n th a t h a s a p p e a l e d to m e g reatly and one t h at I wou ld lik e t o e xplo r e f u r th e r . I h a ve f o u n d th a t th e home- war e mark e t is m u ch broade r t h a n I a n ti c i p a te d a n d th e r e a r e many new and e xcit in g de v e lopme n t in t o t h e w a y s p e o p l e l i ve th e i r l i ve s a n d inter act wit h t h e obje ct s t h at su rrou n d th e m . My p l a c e m e n t a t b l o c k h a s als o made me m ore aware of t h e impo r ta n c e o f a e s th e ti c a n d s o c i a l trends that s tem from fash ion an d in t e riors a n d th e s u b s e q u e n t i n f l u e n c e o n other des ign disciplin e s.
thank you AshleyLWillard@gmail.com Hitchin, Hertfordshire /Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 07935244085 Ashley Willard @awillardid