VESSEL

VESSEL

Process Bookspring studio 2014

Brooke Keenemulti-disciplinary design & psychologyUniversity of Utah

Contentsdesign brief

research

ideation

prototyping

final product

marketing & manufacturing

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Design Brief

VESSEL is a set of containers that fulfill the need for an authentic outdoor drinking experience, connecting us with our primitive nature and time honored human rituals. They have been formed with respect to the ergonomics of the hand, the human desire for tactile surfaces, and the connection between the rim of the cup and mouth. VESSEL is designed for the aesthetically and environmentally conscious consumer, who is willing to invest more in a natural and sustainable product that they will be proud to use, whether rising, reveling, or relaxing.

VESSEL / enhance your drinking experience

Research

observation

problem statement

history

precedent study

persona

material exploration

Observation

At the beginning of the semester, our studio went to the Valley of Fire, Nevada, to gain hands on experience in car camping. What stood out most to me was how much ritualistic drinking was such an integral part, yet I found my plastic mess-kit cup severely lacking for this purpose. It had an awkward hold, felt cheaply made, and overall, was not pleasurable to drink from.

what I drank what I drank from

There is a need for a drinking vessel that enhances, rather than detracts, from drinking experiences when camping. It will be inspired by “the original vessel” of two cupped hands drinking water from a stream, and in doing so, honor our primitive nature and human made rituals. This vessel, or set of vessels, must be ergonomic, aesthetically pleasing, and sustainably built. It should be able to hold hot and cold beverages and withstand reasonable outdoor use.

Problem Statement

History

the original vessel

present day

natural vessels

ceramic

precious metals

porcelain

glass

enamel

steel

plastic

timeline of material & form

GSI Glacier cup 20 oz $11

Stainless steel with fold away handle

“strong & durable”

Stanley Camp Mug 18 oz. $25

Double wall, stainless steel, with lid

“burley & masculine”

Coughlans Cup 12 oz $2.50

Polypropylene

“cheap & basic”

GSI Backpacker Mug 12 oz. $10

Recycled polypropylene, buoyant, insulated

“efficient & functional”

MSR Mug 12.5 oz. $15

Double wall, stainless steel, with lid

“ergonomic & compact”

Sea to Summit Cup16 oz. $7

Plastic with ergonomic rim

“lightweight & simple”

Precedent Study

PersonaMichelle 29, women’s outdoor apparel

Michelle is a

Material ExplorationDURABLE

FRAGILE

SUSTAINABLEUNSUSTAINABLE

aluminum

powder-coatingenameled steel

ceramic

corkwood

wood-composite bamboo

felt

leather/suede

glass ceramic

borosilicate glass

silicone

cellulose-based plastic

polypropylene

latex

Ideation

Prototyping

Slip-cast Ceramic & Silicone

1. POPLAR WOOD

2. POTTERY PLASTER

3. WATER

4. PLASTIC CONTAINER

5. MOLD SOAP

6. PORCELAIN SLIP

7. SPONGE

8. SANDPAPER

9. SILICONE

10. THIXOTROPIC ADDITIVE

Manufacturing Process Flow for Slip-Cast Vessel Prototype / by Brooke Keene

cut into blocks, turn on lathe to form

mix together PLASTER

pour into container, insert form halfway, dry

brush on a thin layer, wipe off excess, repeat step 4

mix to desired viscosity

PLASTER MOLD

strain and pour to top, dry to desired wall thickness, pour excess

CERAMIC VESSEL

remove when leather hard, clean with sponge

sand when dry

brush on, letting each layer dry 6 hours in between, cut off excess

Final Product

Renderings

Marketing & Manufacturing

branding elements

touchpoints

packaging

business model

manufacturing & life cycle

VESSEL

riserevelrelax

Branding Elements

FUTURA MEDIUM in all caps for vertical logo wordmarkFutura Medium for touchpoint headers

Klinic Slab Light for all body textklinic slab light italic with no caps for all product names

Use black and white with variations on opacity to portray gray and translucencyAlways use white on photographs and black on vertical VESSEL

TouchpointsVESSEL

Packaging

Key Partners

Key Activities

Value PropositionCustomer Relations

Customers

Revenue

Channels

Costs

Key Resources

SEHSCSilvershell CeramicsUPSEtsy

online marketingcrowdsourced fundraisingwebsite/blogging/Instagram

ergonomicsaestheticsbrand/statusuniquenesseco-friendly

online networkinggiveaways/contestsquick, easy, replacement parts

Etsy/Blogging/botique storeslocal outdoors store/large retailers

customers willing to pay more than current camping cupspay primarily with credit cardswill pay for quality and innovative designs that are unique

silicone and ceramic suppliersmanufacturing facilitiesstart up costs

Business Model

silica(beach sand/quartz)

plentiful and easily sourced in Eastern US

heated in furnace copper catalyst + hydrochloric

99% reusedSEHSC manufacturer in Virginia

combined with catalyst and injection molded

ceramic clay shipped from China

slipcast at Silvershell Ceramics in Massachuse­es

shipped to VA for silicone sleeve fi­ing

packaged and shipped to retailers/buyers10+ year lifespan, made longer through replacing

parts

easily separated for

replacement & recycling

Silicone can be ground up and added into new recycled silicone or depolymerized and

downcycled into oil for industrial machines

Ceramic can be broken or ground up and recycled

into new ceramics or composite materials

Marketing & Lifecycle

Colophon