WORKbook Industrial Design
Frankie Hildrick
2021/22
(YOU WILL BECAUSE IT’S AWESOME)
Hello... I have recently graduated from University, receiving a first class honours in Design for Industry at Northumbria. I have experience in a range of design disciplines, with an ever growing interest for industrial design. I like to take an experimental approach to my design projects, striving to find the right balance between form and function, always with the users needs in focus. Much of my work is driven by trying to find solutions with intuitive user interactions, products designed with consideration and close attention to detail. This portfolio showcases the work I have completed during my time at university, showing a vast development in design, and ultimately allowing me to pick up many new key skills along the way.
Education Northumbria University
2017 - 2021
BA Design for Industry First Class Honours
Easingwold Sixth Form
2015 - 2017
Product Design - A English Literature - B English Language - B
Easingwold Secondary School 10 GCSE’s A-B
2013 - 2015
MY NAME IS...
E-mail | fhildrick@gmail.com
ex pe ri en ce sk ill s& en ce er i ex p & sk ill s Prop Series maquettes | 4th year, Final Major Project
Experience & Additional info
Live projects in collaboration with Matter, P&G, Howden’s, Wilko, and John Lewis’ Room Y. Industry experience with Howden’s and Cottam. Freelance experience for Overpass Studio, working on branding and digital design assets for clients including Dermalogica, Buymie and Gastronomous. Winner of the Howden’s design competition ‘The Dynamic Kitchen’. ‘Rumble’ project recently shortlisted to be used in the promotion for the Northumbria DFI x Room Y collaboration, published through Room Y press channels. Confident with Adobe CC applications InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere Pro, and other tools such as Figma. Experience with XD and After effects in addition. Comfortable with CAD and visualisation software such as Solidworks, Fusion 360, SketchUp and Keyshot.
Technical skills
Personal & Practical skills Sketching Communication
Modelling
Video Prototyping
Time management
Presentation
Organisation
Teamwork
Photography
Selected Design Works Animation Design for play
Video Prototyping Speculative Design
Interaction
Service Design
Furniture Design
Sustainability
Spatial Awareness
01. Shaker 02. Rumble 03. Prop Series 04. Bodi Bear 05. PlayStation
A modular unit system that gives users a more flexible kitchen, allowing them to create a work flow that suits them.
Howden’s Competition | Winner
Furniture Design
Spatial Awareness
SHAKER
01
Brief: The Dynamic Kitchen
Re-inventing the kitchen Over the years, the kitchen has been seen as a fixed set of units and fitments. In rented property, it can be difficult to make any drastic changes to the kitchen, making it a space where little time is spent. Kitchens should be more personal to users and allow for changes to be made easily, without high costs.
By 2025, 90% of 18-34 yearolds will be confined to renting in the UK Homes in the UK are getting smaller, with the average kitchen in new built homes being just 13.44m2
Time for a change? Looking at how people in other countries use their kitchen helped me to discover new ways of maximising user experience in rented spaces. I found that in Germany, renting is extremely popular, and many residents choose to take their kitchens with them when they move into new properties. Most rental properties have bare kitchens, with no fitted units. This means that they can choose and change their kitchen, rather than having to stick with the usual tired, overused fitted units that landlords have built in.
The Original Shaker Taking inspiration from the pared back simplicity of traditional 18th century shaker kitchens, and combined with a New Nordic aesthetic found in various modular furniture solutions provided a balance between form and function.
Development
Experimenting with physical models at an early stage allowed me to question the way my own kitchen was laid out and explore how it could be adapted to use space more efficiently, changing my own perspective on how we use a kitchen space.
Configuring the models in different ways to suit different users needs helped me to see what features and functions my design might benefit from.
A kitchen of change Kitchens are getting smaller. In the past the kitchen was seen as the heart of the home but now it is more of a tool that should be maximised for functionality and efficiency. Shaker has been designed to give users the freedom to change their kitchen, whenever they want.
Behind the design The final piece to the puzzle. I always wanted to give users an alternative to traditional cupboard doors, something versatile that offered an unconventional, but intuitive way of accessing unit contents. Exploring unique ways to cover units led me to design the Shaker SoftCover; a flexible, one-piece cover made from compression molded foam. The segmented form creates a space-saving solution for the kitchen, allowing for easy access to unit contents.
Frame
Surfaces SoftCover
Shaker | SoftCover
Options Not custom designed, but designed to customise. The modular, reconfigurable nature of Shaker gives users the freedom to swap out components and add appliances with ease, making it the perfect kitchen for the modern nomad.
Unit frame/Hanging rail Steel with polyester powder coating
Shelf/Utensil rack MDF with oak veneer or PU lacquer
Sink fitting Stainless steel sink with polished chrome tap
Worktop Laminate or with various colours/finishes or Stainless steel
Softcover Compression molded foam with fabric covering
Rumble is a smart dose aid that blends into everyday life, using familiar interactions to provide a more relatable form of reassurance for users who take medication regularly.
Interaction
Speculative Design
02 Room Y Live Project | Shortlisted for publication
Brief: Somewhere else
‘Screens have a privileged place in our lives, they require our complete attention, they yearn for absolute dedication. In contrast with the habit we have formed around constantly checking our phone, design a real world solution that has the ability to communicate one or more pieces of information using a novel format.’
Society tends to reject new technologies when they substitute for, rather than augment our humanity
77% of adults with a long standing condition reported taking one or more prescribed medicines More than 50% of prescribed medications are not taken as directed
User sets up the device by placing pills in the correct sections of the Rumble Case
User cannot remember if they took their morning dose or not
User shakes Rumble Pod for reassurance. Haptic feedback simulates pills inside a bottle
Intuitive interactions How it works
LED indicators on Rumble Case show which medication and dose needs to be taken
User safely takes the correct dose of their required medication
Pill sensor recognises that medication has been taken correctly
Quiet Tech Rumble is a smart device that hides its technological sophistication. Qi wireless charging is used to create a seamless, simplified user experience. The concept also works with smart pills that contain ingestible sensors, used to inform the device when a user has taken their medication.
Haptic feedback Rumble makes use of the latest technology through Linear Resonant Actuators - haptic motors used in products such as smart watches, phones and games controllers - to provide a highly accurate simulation of pills being shaken inside a bottle, giving users a more relatable form of reassurance.
A gentle reminder Technology can be used to make our everyday lives easier. However, it shouldn’t be intrusive or overwhelming. A gentle yet playful aesthetic helps Rumble to blend into everyday life, offering users a helping hand whenever they need it.
Scan the QR code or click the link below to watch the rumble adcept https://youtu.be/SrL_fjos9S8
Prop Series is a collection of rented, reconfigurable furniture, designed to reduced furniture waste, whilst contributing to the increasingly multi-purpose lifestyles that we endure in modern society.
Sustainability
Furniture Design
Service Design
03
Brief: The last piece
With ‘nomadic lifestyles’ becoming increasingly prominent, our homes and their contents need to be flexible and adapt to differing needs throughout the day, and even throughout life. But the uncertainty that comes with this freedom feeds a need for fast furniture; temporary products that are thrown away when surplus to requirements. The need for versatile, sustainable furniture is greater than ever.
22 million pieces of furniture are discarded every year in the UK, of which only 10% is recycled Over 40% of kitchens have to double up as an office or home working space
Fighting against furniture waste In modern life our needs are constantly changing. Flexibility has become a requirement, but longevity has been left behind. The modern nomad prefers access over ownership, and we, as designers must create products that take care of the uncertainty that comes with modern lifestyles. Tomorrow demands more from the traditional home, it is now a place where we have squeezed work and leisure together, and our homes must adapt to whatever task we are undertaking, or need we must fulfil. Be it working, exercising or dining, we must cater for the short-term, everyday needs of the modern consumer.
The layers of furniture In order to outline a direction for ideation, I began applying trends pulled from my insights to form a model for furniture rental. It was important that I defined this model, as it allowed me to set parameters for the design of the product from overall aesthetic, to materials, and construction. Collaborative consumption models exist, but to be successful the product must be designed to suit. The need for a long lasting product not only requires components that can be easily removed for reconfiguration, replenishment and personalisation, but also a fashionless appearance, void of any form of ‘purchase simulation’ aesthetic.
1. Frame - Durable components that are rarely replaced. Designed in a modular system to maximise versatility and allow for multiple reconfigurations 2. Surfaces - Top layers that are lightweight but durable, designed to cater for all configurations. Can be easily remanufactured/refurbished due to frequent use 3. Add-ons - Additional products designed to increase functionality. These are changed most frequently, rented whenever the user requires them
2
3
1
Visualisation After outlining a concept I began developing the form and key features of the product; a modular product system, designed to be broken down into its individual components to suit a collaborative consumption model, and reconfigurable through interchangeable components that can be structured to create a table, desk, sideboard and shelving unit. The surfaces cater for all typologies, and are designed for ease of removal through two central bolts that tie the surfaces to the central beam. The table has been designed to facilitate working from home through a central tray and panel, included to manage electrical cables and house additional products that enhance functionality.
Prop Series The Prop Series is made up of four domestic furniture typologies: a table, desk, sideboard, and shelving unit, along with a range of add-ons, designed to provide short term flexibility, with minimal visual impact.
Prop Table
Prop Desk
Prop Sideboard
Prop Shelving Unit
Prop Add-ons
(Re)Configuration Prop is designed to last, but it can be easily reconfigured and disassembled due to its complex system of parts, making it perfect for a circular, collaborative consumption model.
1.
1. Add-ons Anodized Aluminium 2. Power Track Anodized Aluminium
2.
3. Surface Moulded Beech Veneer
3.
4. Cable Tray Anodized Aluminium 5.
4. 6.
7.
5. Frame Anodized Aluminium
6. Connecting Nut Reinforced Polypropylene 7. Feet Reinforced Polypropylene
Adaptive atmosphere The Prop Series comes with optional add-ons which have been selected for their individual ability to change the context of a space depending on the user’s short term needs. Add-ons can be plugged into the table via the electrified power track system.
Scan the QR code or click the link below to take a closer look at the Prop Series’ simple complexity https://youtu.be/vkwA-18l9NU
Access over ownership Prop has been carefully designed for integration into a circular rental model. A considered collaborative consumption service offers users a range of memberships, each with varying ownership paths. With flexibility at the heart of Prop’s principles, users can acquire products over various rental periods, with the option to adjust, renew, or even purchase at the end of each lease.
Web Configurator
Source
Reuse (Re)Manufacture Quality assurance
Subscribe
Collect
Transport
Adapt
(Re)Configure
End of life
Use Disassemble Renew Subscription end
Potential paths
Purchase
Maintain
A.
User ends membership and returns products for reuse
B.
User buys out products with option for maintenance
C.
User renews existing membership and keeps products
D.
User renews membership with adjustments
Service plan
Collaborative consumption concept map
The life of Prop A timeless, reconfigurable design means that Prop can grow with you, or you can leave it behind, where it will grow with someone else. With Prop’s design and service model, there are outcomes to cater for everyone, stories to be made by anyone, and the materials and design allow that to happen. Prop 2021
Prop 2031
Scan the QR code to watch ‘The life of Prop’ animation, or click the link. https://youtu.be/o7K1cGzU1r8
Throughout this project I have documented my design process and outcome through three journals. Please feel free to take a look via the link below. issuu.com/frankie_hildrick
Elevating natural resources from being used for firewood, to becoming a lifetime friend for children. The perfect gift that promotes woodland management through simple, sustainable design.
Design for play
Sustainability
04
Brief: Branching Out
‘How might we harness broad-leaved woodlands and their resources to increase their local economic, social and environmental value?’
90% of toys manufactured today are made from plastic or plastic components that make them virtually impossible to recycle.
Reducing our waste Currently, hardwood thinnings are mainly used for firewood, which does not provide enough income to support forest maintenance in the UK. Nearly 40% of UK woodlands go unmanaged because there is no economic incentive. Many toys today have short lives. Children quickly lose interest in them and they are often not durable enough, break and are thrown away. I found an opportunity to use hardwood thinnings to create a more durable, sustainable children’s toy - an attempt to tackle today’s throw away culture.
Finding form After ideation I landed on the concept of a range of small, modular characters. I wanted to design a product that related back the raw materials from the beginning, so a collection of woodland characters was a fitting concept. Using a modular design adds longevity to the products, with one body shape catering for all three characters. The parts have also been designed to facilitate traditional manufacturing methods, giving the final product a ‘hand-crafted’ feel.
A toy with a story Each Bodi product has its own story, including the forest that it came from, and what type of trees were used to make it. Due to the use of natural materials and traditional manufacturing techniques, no two Bodi Bears are the same. The modular woodland characters are made entirely from hardwood thinnings, sourced from a wide range of broad-leaf woodlands in the UK.
How it works
All for one, One for all Three woodland characters form the Bodi Bear range. A turned hardwood body has been designed to be paired with a range of wooden components, creating a bear, bird and bunny. The modular nature of Bodi Bear adds longevity to the life of a children’s toy, whilst the simplicity of the design makes for a product that can become much more. Use of integrated magnets allows for a simple, enjoyable play experience, suitable for a wide range of ages.
In a short personal project I redesigned the PS5, with a nod to previous PlayStation consoles. This was largely an exploration into lighting set ups, and was created and rendered in KeyShot, with a post touch-up in photoshop.
Interaction
Speculative Design
05
fhildrick@gmail.com 07487794575
WORKbook Industrial Design
Frankie Hildrick 2021/22