peer review - mfadt thesis

crystallizedKatherine Lee

11.14.09

concept

research concept

Biology is a source of myriad well-validated structures & shapes

These forms can be deconstructed or abstracted and used as building blocks to create novel

wearables and explore unprecedented applications.

design questions

• How can biological structures and forms be meaningfully deconstructed and applied to wearables?

• What novel and functional architectures can be created

• When thinking of these geometries as building blocks, which elements must be held constant and which may be stretched or changed?

• What applications might there be for such forms in other realms?

domains + precedents

treemaker origami

Domains: 2D->3D forms, DIY

mashallah designs

Domains: 2D->3D forms, biology, data viz, DIY wearables

prototypes

users

target user profile

Category: Fashion/design enthusiasts, particularly DIY community

Age: 18-40Gender: primarily female

user groups: chictopia.com

user poll

testing

round 1 prototype: questions

• How do you feel about using molecular structures as the basis for wearable designs? (see examples)

• Do you have an interest in having the ability to customize the design of things you wear?

• Do you think there is generally demand for this capability? Why or why not?

• Cool/interesting forms• Like the idea of making things customized• Need better material• Need to define constants and variables– keep the algorithm constant and let the person

dictate which "molecular structure" to go with • Customizability but need some simple

template that has constraints to play with

feedback

round 2 – make party: questions

• How difficult is it for people to construct these forms from a template? Without?

• Do people like making things?• How difficult is it to make something wearable

from these forms?

results

• It takes ages to make things, even using controlled templates

• Explicit instruction required for assembly using multiple parts

• Must make it apparent that the end-goal is to create wearables

next steps

• Design a line of 6 wearable objects using these patterns

• Create tool-kits for making these objects• Explore different computerized interfaces for

building 2D patterns for 3D objects

goals through end of semester

Thanks!