Design portfolio by Cristie Blandford

9 Projects

Portfolio

Cristie B. Social Design Masters Design Academy Eindhoven

+31 (0) 68123 9627 NL +44 (0) 7879 265066 UK cjblandford@hotmail.com

South Sudan Bio-gas cooking/ Bio-digester System Residential care home- Eating, Design and Dementia Co-design Muzus/ Den Haag Health- Interpreting Information Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

3 students from Design Academy Eindhoven (Maya Ben David, Eugenia Murporgo and myself Cristie Blandford) worked on a collaborative project with an NGO based in the Netherlands (The Solid House Foundation). We researched how a biogas system could be integrated into the lives of the people of unstable South Sudan. Understanding the bio-gas system and were able to construct guidelines on how it may work with known components of these people daily lives. However we stressed before any application of design a greater understanding of the specific culture would be crucial if the bio-gas system was to be successful in this context, forming a part of these peoples daily lives.

I joined research associate Gregor Timlin in the design phase of his project titled; Eating, Design and Dementia. Funded by leading private health care provider Bupa (UK).

The project will be part of The Lives of Others exhibition, 23 September-7 October, is part of the Royal College of Artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution to the London Design Festival 2010. Open daily 10am-5.30pm

Residential care home- Eating, Design and Dementia Co-design Muzus/ Den Haag Health- Interpreting Information Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Timlin, G. & Rysenbry, N. (2010) Design for Dementia; Improving dining and bedroom environments in care homes. RCA/ Bupa

Before starting the internship I was set an assignment to consider the design of eating equipment and drinking vessels. I have visited several care homes and an arthritis focus group in the Netherlands to understand the perspective of the residents* and carers, but as a consequence I have also become familiar with the food system in elderly care homes, and the physical and social difficulties living with arthritis.

* Particularly focusing on older residence with arthritis.

Research images. Ergo-therapy centre in The Dommelhoef care home Eindhoven, NL.

Above: Research images. Photos taken whilst residential care homes in Eindhoven, NL.

Co-design workshop with Muzus involving students from the Man & Humanity department, Impegno, homeless (alcoholic) Surinamese men and Den Haag Council. The purpose of the workshop was to understand the needs of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; who were known to be causing a disturbing local residents. In meeting the men at Impegno, we realised how much they had experienced in life and how much they valued us listening.

Co-design Muzus/ Den Haag Health- Interpreting Information Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Place............ Season..... Thoughts.......

What do you want to share?

Memories

(Remember to share your photos, drawings!)

Your name.........................

Accounts of experiences of the men. Their stories, advice and photos.

The book also utilised internet service ‘CoachSurfers’ (homeless had no access to). The ‘men’ like collecting business cards and generally communicate via postal mail.

Further to this the ‘men’ would be encouraged to record their experiences in any form and to make it available to future readers when the book is updated.

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Learning that they had travelled to places they were passionate about, and desired to travel more. Together with Marie Mercer I created a book. We believed focusing on an interest and really acknowledging their experiences through a publication they would have a higher self-esteem be motivated to be able to afford to experience more.

Above. Final exhibition- Working prototypes- development models used in research and final working presentation model. Left. User research. Each user has a personal dial they must first attach to the scale before mounting. During the testing process ergonomic factors were considered along with people reactions to the newly formed information.

Interpreting information can be difficult. When dealing with number information, there is little context. Knowing your body weight is Xkg doesn’t give you an indication of health. A lot of people also compare their weight to others, sometimes making them feel as though they are inadequate. However I decided to reinterpret the information, putting it into context and making it personal to the user. The scales I created indicate whether the user is a ‘healthy’ weight according to BMI (Body Mass Index) which considers height and weight.

Health- Interpreting Information Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Development process testing of interaction and ergonomics. -Extract of design process blog: http://sites.google.com/site/cristieblandford/

1:2 scale booklet to help the user understand the product

Drinking Platform Developed in response to the Ukâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problematic drinking culture. The drinking platform aims to bring about a behavioural change; in order to receive the benefit of a cooler drink the consumer must put the drink down at regular intervals- reducing the consumption rate of alcohol.

Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Alternate route in the topic of Alcohol and Behaviour. This concept was about delivering a message. Upon a table in a bar the message is clear. Engagement through interaction reinforces the message.

Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

‘Light Beer’Same thinking applied as in final ‘drinking platform’ concept. Getting the consumer to put their drink down. -Extract of design process blog: http://sites.google.com/site/cristieblandford/

Drinking culture/ Drinking Behaviour Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Image. Development models. And Final Presentation model (top-right).

A project with one of the UK â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s leading mobile phone networks to design a mobile phone accessory. The outcome was a communication device bridging the gap between parent and child. The product incorporates aspects of play and intuitive use.

Parent- Child communication device Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

A project on accessible gardening for recreation. A vertical wall system allowing for a fun interaction. Gardening can be performed at various height to avoid fatigue. Also the blocs can be removed so planting can be done upon a table surface, indoors. Allowing for gardening in urban areas and also allowing people with physical disabilities to continue gardening in a less strenuous way in a position that suits the individual.

Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Photographs of the model I constructed to help others visualise (part) of the system.

Accessible Gardening- with enhanced interaction Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

The pieces have been designed to suit local delicacies served on the Turkish airline. The form also reflects the image of the cityarchitecture/ beautiful women.

An inter-changable set of airline cutlery that can be easy grouped depending on the chosen menu.

Airline Cutlery Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Airport departure lounge trolley 2009 Graduation Project

Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Below a diagram of the airport passenger user system/ flow diagram.

Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Pages of a log book recording the project. These pages are recording user interaction testing with different prototype models.

Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

Below GA (general arrangement) drawing. Showing where the components fit and the movement of assembled parts.

Airport Departure Lounge Trolley About me- Cristie Blandford

After graduating as a Product Designer I have since chosen to focus in the field of Social Design. Understanding people and places is crucial in the universal application of sustainable design practice. It is important to identify what people value- in order to understand the acceptance of change/ how it can impact lives. I believe I have a good empathy with people. I now hope to use my industrial design skills; creative thinking, knowledge of materials & manufacture, marketing and communication skills together with this empathy to create the type of solutions that can have a positive impact on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s everyday lives.

Cristie Blandford 2010

About me- Cristie Blandford