Hello! I am Fabian Ong
Industrial Design Portfolio
Good design is translating insights
into meaningful solutions
Fabian Ong is a current Year 4 undergraduate at the Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore. He is interested in industrial design that revolves around sustainable, tangible product systems, with a focus on technical solutions that are designed with insights derived from the research process. In his spare time, he enjoys discovering global cultural norms, understanding the natural world and human behaviour. Other than that, he can be found exploring old places or scouring for antiques at flea markets.
Industrial Design Curriculum Vitae
Fabian Ong +65 9750 3251 fabianong93@gmail.com cargocollective.com/fabianong
Work Experience 2014 - 2017
Prof Axel Thallemer NUS DID Deputy Head (Research) Undergraduate student researcher on lightweight topologies derived from nature
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
DW Workshop @ OneRochester Singapore Workshop Conductor, involved in the design, planning, sourcing and conducting of hands-on workshops for participants
May 2016 - Aug 2016
DW Communications Singapore Design Intern: Research and prototyping on new workshop concepts for new cafe/workshop concept at OneRochester
May 2015 - June 2015
Naiise Pte Ltd Singapore Design Intern: Involved in main website design, layout planning and setting up of new retail store concept at Clarke Quay Central
Education 2014 - 2018
Division of Industrial Design National University of Singapore Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Industrial Design
April 2017 - July 2017
Folkwang University of the Arts Germany Summer Exchange (Industrial Design)
2010 - 2011
Yishun Junior College Singapore GCE ‘A’ Levels Art Club, Entrepreneurship Club
Project Collaborations 2014 - 2017
Nirvana Memorial Garden HP Inc. Global Experience Design Technical University Munich Rainbow Centre Singapore Office of Facilities Management, NUS
Awards and Distinctions 2017
Top 2 Selected Concepts, NUS Campus Bicycle Stands Design
2016
NUS SDE Dean’s List Semester 2 (15/16) Top 3 Best Concepts, Death by Design Competition
2015
NUS SDE Dean’s List Semester 1 (15/16)
2013
Finalist, Photography Category Noise Singapore
2011
Gold, Open Category, Sports Singapore (SSC) Creative Photography Competition
Exhibitions 2016
‘Death by Design’, National Design Centre Singapore ‘U for Urn’ Nirvana Memorial Garden Singapore
2015
Arduino Drawing Robot NUS Open House, NUS
Press 2016
‘Death Redesigned’ NUS News 设计身后事 Lianhe Zhaobao
Skills Language
English, Mandarin, Hokkien
Adobe Suite
Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign
Microsoft Office
Word, Powerpoint, Excel
3D C.A.D. Model
Rhinoceros, KeyShot
Programming
Arduino
Modeling
‘Dirty’ Mock-Up Prototyping, 3D Printing
Studio Projects
An Urn is Intimate 亲|净
Discursive Product Design Nirvana Memorial Garden
2020 Home Products
Design Language | CMF HP Inc. Global Experience Design (Singapore)
Telemedical Health Monitor
Product Design for User Context Technical University Munich
Ollie: Adaptive Soccer System for Inclusive Play
Inclusive Design for Special Needs Children Rainbow Centre Singapore
NUS Campus Bicycle Stands Redesigning the campus cycling experience
Product Systems Design NUS Office of Facilities Management
An Urn is Intimate Project Brief: To investigate, understand and re-interpret the essence of an ‘urn’ in today’s contemporary society, where the remains of a loved one is often placed into niches in a columbarium.
Collaborator Nirvana Memorial Garden (Singapore)
Platform Leader Hans Tan
Team Member(s) Lee Hsiao Fong
Project Duration 13 Weeks
Year 2015
Project Collaborator
Design Process
Qing Ming Festival The time-honoured tradition of tomb-sweeping is now replaced with the visitation of one’s beloved remains covered by a niche plaque in modern, sanitised columbariums.
Material properties of niche plaques Stone, with its alluring density and hardiness, is a promise to withstand the test of time and as a record of one's legacy.
More than just a gesture Associated with purity and cleaning, water is used with the intention as a symbol for the tradition of actual tomb-cleaning; to clean the niche plaques as a gesture of showing respect and as an act of remembrance.
“We know that she is not around anymore, it’s just that we are missing and longing for the place to see her photo and that she is resting there...”
How might we leverage on marble’s ability to absorb water and change appearance, give greater meaning to the gesture of tomb sweeping?
Design Process
Process Exploration Water-repelling techniques were experimented with to find out the best coating method that works well on porous stones to create a waterproof layer.
Prototyping with niche plaques Samples of porous tones such as marble and travertine were sourced and experimented on to find the most distinct change in appearance when water is applied.
Working Prototype
Intimate 亲 | 净 is a re-interpretation of the gesture of cleaning one's departed niche plaque.
Both of the terms ‘亲’ and‘净’ are both spoken as ‘qing’ in mandarin, with ‘亲’ meaning ‘dear’ while ‘净’ means ‘to clean’; a poetic interpretation of cleaning the niche plaque of a departed loved one. Concept chosen as Top 3 Best Concepts, exhibited in the ‘Death by Design’ exhibition at National Design Centre, Singapore
2020 Home Products Project Brief: To define the visual language of desktop products for the urban home in 2020 in a set of design language that includes CMF and form definition.
Collaborator HP Inc. Global Experience Design (Singapore)
Platform Leader Song Kee Hong, DesignExchange
Team Member(s) -
Project Duration 13 Weeks
Year Jan - April 2015
Project Collaborator
Design Process
Identify Key Drivers The inclusion of the ubiquitous digital devices will be incorporated into the everyday home in 2020, with home spaces catering to different personalities living together.
Expression Keywords
Colour, Materials, Finishing + Form Moodboard
In our 2020 homes, the design language of products will show the intimacy we will adopt towards our electronic devices in our ever-changing living spaces.
Design Process
Device Family A series of home devices were generated from the form definition
Sketches Form analogies of ‘families’ with varying widths and heights were explored to determine a harmonious shape that was gentle and inviting for user interaction.
Concept Visualisation
Sound Bar
Home Printer Details
Home Printer
Speaker + AI Assistant
Wireless Phone Charger
Telemedical Health Monitor Project Brief: Given a technical package for a new blood sugar monitor, we are tasked to design a housing module for a selected user context under the theme of telemedicine (remote health monitoring)
Collaborator Technical University Munich (Germany)
Platform Leader Professor Axel Thallemer
Team Member(s) -
Project Duration 11 Weeks
Year 2016
Project Collaborator
Design Process
Technical Package The task was to design a housing for the technical package provided for a remote health monitor that can measure blood sugar levels through the finger
A need for better health monitoring through telemedicine “As of 2016, one in eight Singaporeans is aged 65 years and above, but this will double to one in four by 2030� - Population.sg
Market Research on existing monitors
Understanding the types of ageing elderly
User Needs and Design Considerations
Design Process
Concept Sketches
Prototype User Testing Several concepts were quickly built to testfit the ergonomics and to ensure that the technical package can be properly housed.
Selected Concept Test Table-based monitor concept was chosen as the way for usage was found to fit the needs of the target user group.
Concept Visualisation
Exploded View The various parts can be produced and assembled together easily, with ample space for batteries and subsequent hardware upgrades.
Data Sync and Power Charging Measured health data can be sent wirelessly via Bluetooth/wifi or through micro-USB as a failsafe measure.
Ollie: Inclusive Sports System Project Brief: To design sports equipment tailored to the stakeholders within Rainbow Centre, namely: special needs children, caregivers and teachers.
Collaborator Rainbow Centre Margaret Drive Singapore
Platform Leader Yong Jie Yu
Team Member(s) Lim Yong Kang, Maggie Madeleine Seah
Project Duration 13 Weeks
Year 2016
Project Collaborator
Design Process
Rainbow Centre Singapore is a non-profit organisation that serves children and young people with a diverse range of developmental needs, including autism, physical, visual and/or hearing disabilities
We worked with the staff involved in the Programme for Pupils with Multiple Disabilities (PPMD), which caters to children aged 7 years to 18 years old with multiple disabilities, which entail a combination of intellectual, physical, visual and/or hearing impairments.
Soccer was chosen as PPMD students are currently limited in their engagement in a game of soccer due to the physical inaccessibility of conventional soccer equipment, but has a potential to build social bonds with cooperative play, through a design intervention
Importance of sports for PMD students PPMD students have a diverse array of needs and hence are grouped into classes according to type of special needs, level of function and growth potential. Whilst physical therapy sessions aim to improve the physical abilities of PPMD students, sports sessions place equal importance on social and emotive benefits.
Painpoints uncovered during research and interviews
Design Detailing
Ollie is a soccer-based sport equipment that provides children with multiple disabilities an opportunity to access sports, allowing for inclusive play with friends, adjustability to their ability levels and reduces reliance and effort from teachers and caregivers
Design Features
Stimuli insert for visual engagement
Audial & Visual Stimuli
Adjustable weight system for varying abilities
Round base for kicking, dynamic play
Foam insert to cater for limited visual range
Flat base for pushing, static play
User Testing
“
Less Labour, More Play! Ollie allows soccer to be easily set-up within a room with minimal sports equipment. Caregivers are able to focus on encouraging and supporting the student rather than retrieving the ball. - Teacher Maria, Rainbow Centre
Foam tube insert encourages full body co-ordination
�
High ability students are able to practice kicking with Ollie that has weight inserts of 2kg
Conventional soccer balls roll away too easily, meaning more work for caregivers
Foam tube insert enable high dependency students to still be involved in the game by feeling the impact of pushing Ollie
Collaborative between students is possible with a small playing area as Ollie does not roll away beyond their field of attention
NUS Bicycle Stands Project Brief: In addition to a new proposed campus bicycle path, teams are tasked to improve the campus cycling experience in the form of bicycle parking facilities that can cater to the needs for cyclists for the residents of NUS.
Collaborator NUS Office of Facilities Management
Platform Leader Hans Tan
Team Member(s) Esli Ee, Tommy Cheong
Project Duration 13 Weeks
Year 2017
Design Process
Uncovering existing painpoints The 2 campus stands design provide poor access to the bikes, lacks stability support and only allow for front wheel locking. This creates safety and security risks to cyclists, and as well as an eyesore for campus residents.
Best Practices Through research, it was uncovered that the most secure way to lock bicycles was at the rear portion. Measurements were then done on the major bicycle types to find a common spot where our stand can cater to.
Concept Sketches and Prototyping Various concepts were explored via quick sketches on the different forms and choice of materials. Selected concepts are made and tested to validate it’s value.
Detailing
Front Wheel Catch for stability
Front Wheel Catch
Rear Securing Portion for secure locking
Parallel Array for space-saving parking
Bolt-in Installation
Opposing Array for key access areas
Design features The redesigned bicycle stands will be easily accessible with both trail markings and wayfinding signs placed throughout campus. Key access points on campus, such as canteens and lecture halls will have bicycle parking facilities for ease of access to bike parking and retrieval.
Bicycle stand design undergoing further development with NUS Office of Facilities Management before campus-wide trial testing
Concept Visualisation
A cohesive campus cycling experience The redesigned bicycle stands will be easily accessible with both trail markings and wayfinding signs placed throughout campus. Key access points on campus, such as canteens and lecture halls will have bicycle parking facilities for ease of access to bike parking and retrieval.
Industrial Designer
Fabian Ong +65 9750 3251 fabianong93@gmail.com cargocollective.com/fabianong
For Your Consideration
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