Foreword This book was made in order to capture the events in the Spring of 2014 Multi-Disciplinary Design Studio. In this studio we were tasked with developing a product for the outdoor industry. Our studio had the opportunity to attend the Outdoor Recreation show as well as participate in a mandatory weekend camping trip in the desert for primary observation. From there research, ideation, and manufacturing proceeded until we were left with our own functioning outdoor product. Project: Court Skabelund
Table of Contents Valley of Fire Concept Development Biomimicry Concept Brief Process Renderings How it Works Specification Branding
10 12 15 17 20 24 27 30 33
Valley of Fire As a studio we traveled to the Valley of Fire for primary research. Thirteen students and four professors made our group. Beans were our method of trade at camp. Each activity cost a certain number of beans, for example water use was 1 beans, waste use was 3 beans. This activity was used to show the significance of resource management. While this was going on, we also had the opportunity to observe and collect data on what things were working and not working in our campy dynamic. These observations and data would be used for further analysis in the semester.
Concept Development Moving from research to concept development was particularly troublesome for me. I had a passion for skiing which led me to develop graphics for life-cycle analysis and precedent study exercises on the topic of skiing. These exercises taught me useful skills but didn’t developed a problem I wanted to solve. It wasn’t until Lance Hosey’s speech on form and the environment did I have an idea of a problem space. This led me to question the outdoor shelter industry and where it was headed. I limited myself to one man shelters, for personal manufacturing ability down the road, and sure enough they were all heading the same place; extreme lightweight and packability. They maintained a similar form and failed to sympathize with particular environments. I wanted to change that.
Similar forms Product
Key Attributes
Weight
Volume
Price
MSR® Hubba™ NX -1P Tent
-2 Pole Design -Freestanding -Fast & Light® Option -Best Selling MSR 1P -StayDry™ Door -Rain Gutter
2lb 14 oz. (1lb 10oz Fast & Light®)
26 cu. ft.
$339.95
Marmot® EOS -1P Tent-
-1 Pole Design -Freestanding -Optional Footprint -No-See-Um Net
2lb 13oz
N/A
$249.00
-2 Pole Design -Freestanding -Optional Footprint -Fastpack Option
2lb 12oz (1lb 13oz Fastpack)
N/A
$319.00
-2 Pole Design -Not Freestanding -Fast & Light® Option -DuraSheild™ coated Fly
2lb 9oz (1lb 8oz Fast & Light®)
21 cu. ft.
$399.95
1lb 15oz (1lb 11oz Trail Weight)
26.5 cu ft.
$1799.95
TNF® Mica FL 1 -1P Tent-
MSR® Carbon Reflex 1 -1P Tent-
Sierra Designs® Mojo UFO -2P Tent-
-4 Pole Design -Freestanding -Cuben Fiber Material
Price Range: $249-$1800
Biomimicry My project added more constraints. I wanted this new shelter system to be limited to the desert. So I began looking at desert fauna and how they have adapted to extreme climates. Biomimicry 3.8 provided a lot of valuable information. The desert snail and cactus became my primary inspirations.
The shell of some desert snails helps them survive extreme heat using light reflectance and architecturallyderived, insulating layers of air.
Cacti stay cool by having ribs that provide shade and enhance heat radiation.
Concept Brief Over the last 3.8 billion years our planet has evolved to an optimal balance. As people, we have progressed as a species that often disregards this balance. We build without regard to the environment, geography and culture and as a result we are left with strikingly similar places. This way of thinking has trickled down to our most basic shelter systems such as tents. In response, I will design a shelter system that will harmonize with it’s environment, geography, and culture
Process The process began with sketching then went digital. Solidworks was a critical tool in modeling and dimensioning my form. After printing my patterns much of the time manufacturing was spent sewing. As one person who had never sewed, the manufacturing process became very taxing and time consuming. Not only was sewing time consuming but everything that went into preparing for it; cutting patterns, ironing folds, pinning seams, cutting seams. It was a learning process.
Sketching to manufacturing
First full prototype was functioning and gave me a model to work with. This allowed me to mark up the tent and get a feel for space and form.
Pattern making facilitated by Solidworks and Illustrator drawing. This would be the panels of my tent.
The makings of the final tent. Consisting of ripstop nylon, mesh and other small components.
The final tent along side the pattern that got me there.
Renderings Solidworks was a critical tool in making my tent. The software allowed me to model and dimension the form that I wanted to manufacture. After I had dimensioned the form I could throw those values into illustrator make a pattern, print and begin cutting those patterns in fabric. Without Solidworks it would have been a lot of trial and error to find an accurate pattern.
FRONT
BACK SIDE
BACK
FRONT SIDE: Solidworks was used to model the tent for dimensioning and pattern making
How it works The Stego Solo uses large finned pole sleeves to create shading in the desert heat.
Large air pockets between the tent and rainfly are created by the finned pole sleeves. These pockets allow for maximum insulation and condensation prevention.
Specifications Materials: Aluminum Easton Poles Aluminum Stakes Brass Grommets Ripstop Nylon Fabrics Nylon Thread Nylon Webbing Polyester No-See-Um Mesh YKK Zipper Teeth and Pulls Dimensions: Length Max Width Min Width Height
92” (2.33 meters) 58” (1.47 meters) 22.5” (.57 meters) 37.5” (.95 meters)
Weight
1lb 15oz
Branding Brand was our opportunity to give a face to our product this could include packaging, colors, typefaces, logos and a variety of other touchpoints.
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