MEENAKSHI F
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K A M AT I
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My aim as a designer and in life is to bring a positive change around me, however small it might be. I believe that designs made with people, nature and the future in mind add true value to society.
Design with empathy
Design for the future
Make design meaningful
User centered design
Sustainable design
Impactful | Thoughtful | Honest
A glimpse at my design journey so far....
01
02
03
04
05 N R TE
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Nativelement
Pair Up
Cloud buds
Nami
Experience so far
For the environment and its people Team Project
Empathy is key Personal Project
For a child’s creativity Personal Project
For a productive workspace Team leadership Project
Broadening my horizons
01
Stop food wastage How many times have we wasted food and brushed it off as nothing? This project was aimed towards finding a solution for this global problem of food wastage.
For the environment and its people 4 months Team project
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The team Ashwini Bapat
Vipul Mane
Cydelle Zuzarte
Myself
Udita Joshi
Shruti Nivas
Our mentor
Lee Fain Design Innovation Manager Electrolux,USA
My role I was a part in extensively in research about food wastage and preservation. I contributed to each stage of ideation from sketching to prototyping in various scales. It was a great learning experience especially because of my desire to bring a change in the environment.
Fork
Fridge
A global problem The act of wasting food happens at various stages of food processing and consumption. From our studies we discovered that 61% happens in our homes while we eat and store the food. We decided to look into what mindset leads up to this massive waste of food in homes.
Market
Farm
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Mindset first This study of behaviours was illustrated and ideated around. Through ideation we concluded that there was an opportunity in re-thinking food storage and community participation as a solution to food wastage.
Open storage of food items
Building a community
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Key concepts 3 distinct architectures with different techniques of food storage for were designed.
Hydrated storage
Root vegetable storage
Ethylene management
Wall mounted open storage for users with a green thumb
A mini fridge with open storage
A storage solution for cooked food with ethylene producing fruits and vegetables
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Back to Basics Life of food items was tested in various controlled environments (the fridge, exposed to air and in proposed designs). The food stored according to their natural properties lasted much longer than that in the fridge.
From the fridge to open natural storage
Nativelement is a system with various open storage units designed specifically suit to natural tendencies of commonly stored food items.
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Bread ends Bokashi composter
Egg bed Waterbath for hydrated storage Root vegetable storage
Ripening chamber
Herb pots
Potato/Onion storage bags
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*Rendered in V-ray by Vipul Mane
The hydrated storage created a moisture filled environment for vegetables
The herbs act as pest repellents in the other storage units.
The water from the hydrated water bath can replenish the herbs in the pots.
The ripening chamber helps some fruits ripen faster for consumption.
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Covering bread storage with a moist cloth helps it stay soft.
Any waste,if generated, can be put in the odour-free Bokashi composter.
Potatoes are kept in bags underneath in the dark to stop them from turning green.
The nutrient rich compost mix can aid the soil from the herb pots.
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Community A web portal can help users buy only what they need and share their experience of using a product like this with others, including their own methods of food preservation.
Priscella V nativelement.com
12
N AT I V ELEMENT
OUR STORY
COLLECTIONS
Hello, Pricella
SHOP
COMMUNITY
Customize / Add ons / User manual
Bokashi Ethylene Storage
X2
Waterbath Root Veg
Zero waste cycle
Bread Ends $120
$190
$210
It is a cycle which continues without any wastage with the composter avoiding any waste happening to go back to the soil and not in a landfill.
$65
$60
X4
Egg Bed Herb Pots
X3
QTY
12
AMT
$ 1065
$110
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02 Painless Construction Construction workers have to toil hard for hours each day. I decided to do a project to design to reduce the physical stress on these workers, working in India.
Empathy is key 1 month Personal project
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Understanding the circumstances For this project, ethnography and immersion was the key source of information. This included study of construction in India, pain points for workers, their surroundings and the kind of work they have to do on site. Most construction workers in India are uneducated so the solution for them had to be something SIMPLE, INTUITIVE and LASTING yet CHEAP for their contractors.
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Construction work in India The most common activity for these workers is carrying materials from one spot to another. These materials include sand, gravel, cement bags and bricks. Carrying heavy loads in harsh weather, deteriorates their physical health.
Lifting heavy loads
Facing the harsh sun
Bend Repeating this cycle multiple times
Dry materials
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How can physical stress be reduced? This question sparked many ideas around making a systemic change, giving on-the go-breaks for relief, changing the interactions and the way heavy weight is carried.
Strength of 2 2 people put together can lift more than just an individual. The idea was to use the strength of 2 to reduce the impact on each worker.
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Grill for bricks
Pair up
Pair Up is a material carrier which is to be used by 2 persons to lift upto 50 kgs of load which is much more than their individual capacities.
Container for sand
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Iron Tub v/s Prototype The existing iron tub usage was tested and compared against a prototype of the initial concept to test its physical effects on the workers
IRON TUB
Excessive bending - Lower back pain
Swing heavy weight permanent muscle damage
Lifting about shoulders - back pain
PROTOTYPE
Tilt and drag material - Less bending
Lift, weight divided over two More weight, divided strain
Weight not lifted about shoulders
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Grill
Container
PAIR UP 2.0
The field testing brought forth multiple ergonomic challenges which helped revamp the product and reveal its second iteration. Pair Up 2.0 is a carrier for multiple construction materials and designed to be simple and durable. Frame
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Balanced movement The fillets help the container tilt to rest against sand mounds but come back and be stable on its flat base while storing or just keeping on the ground.
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Bend less The frame handles are raised to avoid that extra bending that one has to do to lift this up. Soft and ergonomic rubber grips help the workers hold on for longer.
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Built to last Each part of the product can be easily assembled and replaced individually in case of wear and tear making the product longer lasting in a punishing surrounding.
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Carry it all Pair Up carries all the dry and loose materials needed during construction separately and together in with the help of its grill attachment.
Cement bags
Gravel/Sand
Bricks
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03
Cultivate creativity Building is a great way to be creative. Why not start early? A new medium for children of age 4-8 years to express themselves and push the boundaries of their imagination.
Exploiting an opportunity 3 weeks Personal project
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Opportunity Children have a brimming creativity and curiosity for everything in life. They are forever trying to express it in different mediums. Most mediums now require practice or assistance and could be flat or intangible. Could there be a completely new medium which is...
3D. SOFT. FREE.
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Stories explored The combination of using something as soft as a pillow with some string to make your own companion was the starting point. This thought was extended into a sketch exploration of multiple ways this idea could be in a child’s creative universe.
Make your n own companio
Accompany existing toys
Your terrain
Bonding u
Evolve with yo
ol
Storytelling to
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Cloud Buds
Every cloud is interpreted differently, so is every cloud bud. The product is base mat with a set of cushions of various shapes stored inside it. The base becomes the play environment while the accessories can help make characters with the cushions.
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Cushion + Tie
Use the tie to create shapes
Use the tie to create shapes
Bring them to life The cushions are filled with felt spheres which enable it to be moulded and tied in different areas to get the desired shape with the help of loop ties. Attachments bring it to life
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What are the possibilities? The set creates a world of their own for the kids in their homes where they can be free. They can keep their creations or keep making more. It always has space for their friends, siblings and parents to share these moments with.
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Pieces that make the space
Base Mat
All these elements make the Cloud Buds set. The base mat is a storage space for the cushions but also a soft seat for the children. All the accessories are neatly packed into a pouch to keep things organised.
Cushions
Roll up pouch
Character add-ons
Ties
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Open and visible
Made for their hands
Carry it anywhere
POUCH
Easy access and storage
BASE
Child safe
BASE
CUSHIONS
FILLING
Details and interactions The entire product is washable and made of materials soft to the touch. The colours are kept gender neutral so its appealing to all children. The soft felt sphere filling inside the cushions is safe for the children and the environment.
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Keep it anywhere From the bedroom to the living room, Cloud buds can be used everywhere. It can be spread out and open or closed and neat. Making the job easier for the parents
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Multiple universes The product colours, shapes of cushions and accessories can be to have different themes which appeal to children. May it be pretending to be in the mountains, planting trees or spending a day at the beach.
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Not just a memory Most of the favourite things from our childhood become unusable as we grow up. Cloud buds transforms from a play mat to a soft piece of furniture and the accessories pouch to a pouch for pens as the child grows.
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04 Space creation In offices, people are expected to work for long hours and be productive. The aim was to design innovative furniture for large companies and their agile offices keeping employee well-being in mind.
Leadership 4 months Team project mentored by
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Work-life today People are likely to spend most of their waking day in their workspace which are often monotonous spaces with chairs and tables.
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Individual work Need for efficiency
Work demands An employee has to not just work alone but work with teams throughout the day. No matter what the profession, employees are expected to be creative thinkers through all their work. The furniture needs to aid them to achieve these demands.
PRODUCTIVE. CREATIVE. COLLABORATIVE.
Team meetings Need for productive collaborations
Casual interactions and breaks Need for a getaway
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Ideation based on directions To ideate around all the aspects we had researched, we formulated directions to guide our ideas. A combination of these led to 3 developed concepts.
Adaptive ecosystem | Blending activities
“My space� | Space for individual work
Motivation | Employee well-being
Enhancing collaboration | Team work
Upgrade | Add to existing spaces
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1.Terra A temporary space for an agile team to come meet and work together as well as apart. Team + Individual work | Creative space | Seamless transitions
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2. Mirage A system of panels which can be folded out to create a temporary space to work in. Modular | Adaptable | On-the-go
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3. Eden An inviting floor seating space meant to bring people together to work or casually collaborate Creating Spaces | Ambiance | Casual
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Individual work
Small group collaboration
Mock trials 1:1 scale cardboard mock ups were used to test out size, proportion and comfort to build a final prototype of a developed concept. Team collaboration
Role playing A combination of the 3 concept stories was made by keeping the interactions between people and their experience of using the product as a priority and designing furniture to aid it.
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nami Nami which means “wave� in Japanese signifies the wave of change that the product can bring into an office space filled with chairs and tables. It is a independent floor seating concept which enhances collaborations and fits into any space in an office.
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The backbone of the cushion is a support wooden structure.
Collaborative angle The soft base cushion is shaped in a way that it always welcomes 2 persons who can sit and be at ease. Sitting comfortably on the floor can lead to free thinking and interesting conversations.
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Added comfort It features a flippable cushioned backrest which allows the users to sit in multiple postures and be as comfortable as possible. The moving part is indicated with a change in colour to make its usage intuitive.
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Analog creativity The freely accessible personal white boards provide everyone a medium to express themselves with in a team discussion and give a break from the continuous use of technology.
Its soft and ergonomic grip makes it handle and write on.
Stow it away Everything you bring to this space has a space for it so you can stow it away and have effective collaborative and creative sessions.
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Palette of postures The backrest with the angled base allow users to have various postures which they find comfortable and give a completely different experience than that of sitting on a raised chair.
Free. Comfortable. New.
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Combinations
Creating your space Each piece acts as a building block for creating spaces available to everyone in a office to come and have productive collaborations. Multiple combinations can be made depending on available space and for different purposes.
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“Meeting at Nami at 3pm.�
The Nami Experience A space which is free for interpretation and inviting in the sea of sameness of chairs, tables and computer systems. Its freedom gives way to casual conversations, creative thinking and ease in the long hours spent at work.
“Let’s grab a cup of coffee.”
“I need some piece of mind”
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Michael Held Director Design
Jacob Reidford Design Lead
Client Feedback “ Its a well considered yet different and has a local element to it, exactly what I was hoping for. Sitting closer to the floor and having a clear object instead of a complex sofa construction has been done in residential furniture quite a bit and might be time to offer something similar for a workspace. I think this is a great informal collaborative setting camouflaged as a social space. Exactly what is often missing in offices today. �
My role The team comprised of 7 members with 2 leaders. Being one of the leaders meant that I was responsible for guiding the direction in which the project was going, management as well as being responsible for the communication with our client.
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05
Internship Experience I was blessed with the opportunity to work at 2 different firms and worked around projects which were a blend of design research and product design and service design. Broadening my horizons 7 months
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Identifying opportunities My internship involved kickstarting a long term project to explore future design opportunities for Scotch Brite in India. This involved in-depth user and brand research and collaborating with technical and business experts to come up with viable design opportunities. 4 month mentored project
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Understanding the users My role was to understand the users through immersive interviews. I was responsible for collecting information, processing it and documenting it, which I extensively used sketching for.
Understanding the business The design opportunities had to be viable for the business as well. It was my role to understand and balance this need with an in depth research into competitors and collaboration with business representatives.
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Renjith Rajagopalan Senior Designer, 3M India
Mentor’s feedback “Meenakshi was able to quickly gel with the culture of our space and
is a good team player. She worked on a research based project where she was able to connect with the user and uncover deeper insights. She leaves a signature on all the work that she takes up and has a disciplined approach. Meenakshi could add value to any team with the different perspective she brings on the table.”
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Design with a cultural lens This internship was miles away from home. It was a place which involved me tapping into my own culture and perception of a completely new culture into my design process. I got an opportunity to work on a blend of service and product design with emphasis on exploring far and wide.
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Dries De Roeck Design Researcher
Mentor’s feedback “ Meenakshi is a very willing-to-learn person, with a healthy dose
of constructive criticism. While she was interning at Studio Dott, her project was very open ended. She managed to mould this project to her own interpretation, questioning the project brief and pushing the project a lot further than initially planned. Her people skills are impressive, she managed to blend in very well in the team in a super short amount of time. Meenakshi is an excellent person to have on a future and conceptually oriented product development team.”
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/C .V/ ACHIEVEMENTS
EDUCATION 2013-Present
Product Design Management, Graduate Program (Master) Institut Superieur de Design Rubika Pune, India
2011-2013
Higher Secondary Education (ISC) Sishya School Chennai, India
SKILLS Digital
Ethnography Sketching Rendering Prototyping (foam,MDF, fabric)
Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe Indesign Sketch Affinity designer Rhinocerous Keyshot
English (fluent) Hindi (fluent) Marathi (fluent)
Project Nativelement A project to understand and help prevent food wastage in first world countries.
PROJECTS
MEENAKSHI KAMAT Masters in Product Design student
Analog
LANGUAGES
IDEA Awards ‘16 Finalist
2015
2016
Prevention of food waste in first world countries.
Uninterrupted power supply in India.
2017
2018
Looking for a 6 month internship starting form March 2018 mkamat.design@gmail.com meenakshikamat
EXPERIENCE
4 months | Bengaluru, INDIA
Identifying design opportunities based on ethnography for the brand Scotch Brite.
3 months | Antwerp,BELGIUM
Designing a product/service for a coffee brand which will help them give a better experience while expanding their business.
Agile based office furniture.
A new de-wrinkling device.
MASTERCLASSES KIPSTA, France A quick and easy way to fasten sport shoes Asia Digital MOJO, Hong Kong Design an app for foreign tourists travelling by Indian railways Studiometis, Germany Design an app to gamify chores for children Designit, Germany Design a service to help the youth be healthy
K A M AT M E E NTHANK A K S H IYOU! F
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Please do get in touch for more. +91 8600109494