Sharing
Looking at sharing, how it applies day to day and a redevelopment of objects on this theme.
Rosie Freeman
Community Centres Libraries
Out and About A Friend’s House
Churches
At Home
Restaurant
In the Home
Space
Cinema
Pubs
Where? Weddings
Cafe
Workspace
Parks
Pub
In the Workplace Dinner Party Parties
Community Gardens
Garden
Barbecues
Family Meals
Allotments
Food and Drink
Buffets Pets
Plants
Families
Bottle of Wine
Cake
Views
Snacks
Pot of coffee
Water
What?
Ice Cream
Vegetables
Barbecues
Resources
Sweets Pie
Casserole
Neighbours
Wildlife Fruit Friends
Takeaways
Popcorn
Garden Parties
Flowers
Picnic
Pot of Tea
Soup Milkshake
Crisps Pizza
Meals
Opinions
Thoughts
Help
News
Memories
Sense of Humour
Interests Advice
Feelings Knowledge
Safety Information
Friendship
Stories
Experiences
Humour
Gossip
Laws
Hobbies Conversation
What? Recipes
Photos
Gifts Telephone Calls
Skills
Advice
Taste Time
Stories
Opinions
Advertising
Parties Letters
Adventure
Support BSL
Signs
Information
Art
Code Gifts
Clothes
Braille
Equipment
Books
Furniture
Objects Bed Settee Tables Bath Park Bench
Videos
Computer Fridge Television
Skype
Social Networking IM Blogs Guides
Pigeons Stickers
Television
Radio
Public Service Announcements
Internet
Heirlooms
Letters Infographics
Billboards
Word of Mouth Transport
Leaflets Magazines
Newspapers
Cigarette Lighter
Symbols
How?
Phones
Email Text
Forums Chat Photos
Photo
Verbal Video
Internet
Friendship
Perceived Value Unusual or Unique Irreplaceable Age Associated with someone Works well Personalised Costly Connected to memories Surprising High Quality Fun Has a story or history Tactile Beautiful Symbolic Belonged to a loved one Of an era or culture Some of the things that have a high perceived value to me
Things can gain or lose perceived value for many reasons, and these can change with time and circumstance. Something with a high perceived value to one person may have no value to someone else.
These are a few items i associate with sharing friendship. They enable communication between friends, symbolise friendship or remind of shared memories.
A Garden
Food and Drink Food and Drink can be shared in many contexts. Some people do not like to share food and drink. Some have a long history and others were more of a fad or have gone out of fashion.
Gardens can be public or very private. Either way sharing is a part of gardening, whether it is having friends over, sharing what you grow or even sharing water with the plants.
Telephone Chair
Postal Packaging
Can the concept be updated for modern technology (e.g. Skype)?
Can it be made beautiful and durable/ reuseable without losing its useability?
Sundae Glass Divided down the middle. Enjoy the romance of sharing a dessert whilst still getting your fair share.
Serving Cloche Adapted for the every-day meal. Adds an element of surprise and occasion to the mundane.
Fondue Can the concept be developed or modernised?
Crockery Being incentivised as a child ‘to eat up all your dinner’ to see the picture in the bottom of the bowl. Can this feeling or idea be brought to other items or appeal to adults?
Photo Album Brings people together. Can it be updated for modern formats (e.g. memory sticks etc), while retaining its charm and appeal?
Barbecue Can it be made more special, more exciting or surprising?
Plant Pot Can it be adapted to make it easier to share plant babies?
Garden Bench Redesigned to a shape that allows for easier conversation.
Qualities and Inspirations I would like my item to have one or more of the following qualities:
Surprising Anticipation Creating Unexpected Beauty of Presentation Element of Suspense Fun
Digital Photo Frame Memory Stick Storage Photo Album Since I got a digital camera I don’t always get round to getting my photos printed. I have my photos backed up, but some are on cds and some are on memory sticks. I don’t know where any of them are and I don’t think they’re labelled. I would like the ease of organisation and pleasure of looking through that a photo album brings, but without having to get all my photos printed out.
I like to have my photo albums all the same size so they look nice next to each other. The dimensions are: Height: 218mm Width: 234mm Depth: 47mm
Sketches
Reuseable Postable Packaging I moved quite a distance from many of my friends but haven’t got out of the habit of buying them little gifts. I like to send a parcel every now and again containing bits and bobs that I think will make them smile. They do the same for me. We keep in touch in other ways but nothihng is as exciting as receiving a parcel, seeing what they have written and what they have sent. This makes me feel closer to the people I miss. It would be nice to have a reuseable container that would be lightweight (so as not to add to postage costs), that we can send back and forth, that is a pleasure to open and look through and that can be adapted to fit a variety of objects (including breakables).
Receiving a Parcel
Receiving a Letter
What’s in a Box..?
...Almost Anything!
How to Transport a Box
A Little Look at Packaging
Royal Mail
General Posting Problems My letterbox is 190mm x 43mm, this is pretty standard, but I do receive a lot of missed parcel cards. If my letterbox were big enough to fit a small parcel (Royal Mail’s defined size for a small parcel) then this would mean I would miss less of them.
Receiving broken items is annoying, sometimes the contents are not able to be replaced and Royal Mail’s compensation isn’t always forthcoming. Making packaging out of more durable materials might minimise any damage.
There are two things that usually delay me sending parcels. The first is feeling that I have accrued sufficient items to make it exciting. The second is finding packaging to get everything parcelled up safely. A small, reuseable box that gets sent back and forth would mean that I have a set space to fill, that isn’t too large and always have packaging.
Posting Plants
Posting Breakables
Posting plants can be quite a challenge as they can be delicate and easily broken as well as needing moisture during transit. I have received a lot of plants in the post with varying success. I have plants that I would like to send to friends but am not confident of them arriving safely.
I have sent things that have smashed in the post and received things that have been damaged in the post. It is annoying, disappointing and they are not always replaceable. This is an existing design for posting plug plants. I haven’t seen it in use, but it seems like it could work well. It is only suitable for very small plants without too much bulk or root structure. and is designed for more than one plant.
This is a design for posting fragile or valuable items. I haven’t used this before but have received items simarlarly packaged that have been successfully sent this way. It isn’t the most attractive packaging though.
Posting Cake
Posting Bits and Bobs
I haven’t tried posting a cake, nor have I received a cake in the post. I would like to do both of these things though if I felt there was appropriate packaging. Cakes are liable to break up and I don’t want to send someone a box of crumbs. Here are some existing designs for cake boxes. They would be suitable for transporting cake carefully, but I doubt they would work in the post as they would squash if turned upside down.
This box is divided so that things can be kept separate. This could help things not to get broken but the sizes are set so it might be difficult getting things that fit in nicely.
Most of the parcels I send are made up of a selection of different items, some breakable, some not. It takes careful packing and arranging of the items to make sure none of them squash or break each other and to ensure they don’t rattle about in the box.
A Brief Look at Puzzle Boxes A puzzle box (also called a secret, or trick box) is a box that can only be opened through an obscure or complicated series of manipulations. Some puzzle boxes may require only a simple squeeze in the right spot, whereas others may require the subtle movement of several small parts, to open the box. The puzzle box originated in Japan at the turn of the 19th century as the Himitsu-Bako, or Secret Box. If opened, a puzzle box usually contains a good luck charm. These boxes were made in various complexities, and consist of moves with a variety of twists to trick the person trying to open the box, but the real trick is finding the correct series of movements that can range from two to 1500+ moves.
Design Requirements I would like my design to fit through a standard size letterbox so that it is easy to receive. It would also make it easier to post as you could post it in a normal post box instead of having to go to the post office. Approximately 90% of all letterboxes in the UK meet the above standards My box will need to be fastened; it needs to be secure enough not to open in the post, but it needs to be fastened in a way that won’t make it look too appealing (i.e. not with an expensive or excessive lock) but not so easy to open that the post man will be tempted to take a peek!
The material I choose for my design will have to be durable but lightweight. It will also need a padded lining to protect the contents or a system to stop the contents moving around inside the box (or both).
This would make it hard for anyone to look in the box unless they knew the correct combination of moves. It may be a little complicated for me to make as a postable box though (or at all).
Padding
Fastening
Materials
Sketches
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Finished Design My final design is made of satin finish plastic, for durability and for lightness. It has a removeable inner ‘drawer’ made of the same plastic type. This has a finger slot for ease of removal. The address section is clear frosted plastic, and has a slot inside for the address card. The interior drawer would be lined with felt (I have used burlap in my prototype) and would have a lightweight fabric covering to add to the pleasure of opening and the suspense of getting to the contents. There are slots along the edges, with flexible plastic inserts that can be slotted in and bent to fit the contents to keep it secure. The bends can be clipped to the edge of the box with small clips. The box is fastened with a small padlock, to which each friend would have a key.
What’s in a Parcel?
...Almost Anything!
Receiving a Parcel
How to Transport a Box
...Lots of Ways!
A Parcel for Friends
Sometimes you see a little something and you think how much a person in your life would like it. I moved quite a distance from many of my friends but haven’t got out of the habit of buying them little gifts. I like to send a parcel every now and again containing bits and bobs that I think will make them smile. They do the same for me. We keep in touch in other ways but nothing is as exciting as receiving a parcel, seeing what they have written and what they have sent. This makes me feel closer to the people I miss.
My product is a lightweight, reusable box designed for sending between friends. It is designed to be pleasurable to receive, open and look through. It is sized so as to fit through a standard letter box, to avoid missed deliveries, and fits comfortably within Royal Mail’s Small Parcel requirements. This consists of several elements: an exterior box with a slot for an address card (that can only be changed from inside the box), an interior box that slides out with a finger slot for ease of opening, and removable sections with clips for adjusting to the contents. The interior box is lined with a durable material, that helps stop the contents sliding about, and has flaps of fine material to ‘tuck in’ the contents. The removable, fully adaptable sections slot in at either end and can be bent and clipped to shape. They don’t come all the way to the top of the interior box allowing for letters and pictures to sit comfortably in the top. The box has a space for a small padlock, each friend would have a key adding to the intimacy of the experience.