Project
K9 Post Office Kiosk
Client
Design Museum London
Production
2009 (not in production)
As part of the exhibition ‘Super Contemporary’ Industrial Facility made extensive research into the feasibility of a Post Office Kiosk that shares the same dimensions as a Telephone Box, to alleviate some of the pressures that current Post Offices are struggling with. The result was a kiosk that provided a range of services including buying stamps; TV Licenses and Tax Discs. The project was not about replacing post offices but about supporting a network which is under great pressure.
The design was primarily made of wood and glass. The roof was a rotatable solar powered panel, with the interior involving a flat LCD screen with a sheet of glass in front of it. On the screen a ‘real’ member of staff was present and could see the customer (and vice versa), using what is called Telepresence technology - real time, centralized video conferencing. This was merged with the technology of video mapping, so that a letter held up to the screen could be registered in terms of size and confirmation of address.
Exhibitions
Super Contemporary, Design Museum London, 2009
Travelling, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan, 2011
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Further Reading
Project
Flower Pot Stand
Client
SZ Magazine, Germany
Production
2012 (not in production)
For the second edition of international DIY projects, commissioned by German national magazine SZ, Industrial Facility designed an elevated flower pot using affordable and locally available parts. Three garden stakes use the constrained tension between a terracotta flower pot and its base to keep the plant up. One stake is left longer as a place to attach a plant label. The stand can be used indoors and for outdoors, the terracotta base can be eliminated by pushing the stakes into a grass lawn.
The design raises the familiar flower pot from its negligible existence on the ground, to a more graceful eye height without requiring alteration to the parts themselves.
Downloads
Further Reading
Project
Plinth
Client
Established & Sons / V&A Museum
Production
2012
Plinths I and II are made from Corian, a performance material usually associated with counter tops due to its durability, non-porosity and seamlessness. In this example the design uses the V&A museum courtyard as the context for the bench, rather than shaping material merely to make an isolated piece for visual interest. The two Plinths share the same design, but are of different heights and lengths; when placed together they create an opportunity for people to complete the sculpture.
Exhibitions
Bench Years, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2012
Interieur, Kortrijk, Belgium, 2011
Films
Project
V Tent
Client
Louis Vuitton
Production
2012
Originally developed for the Wallpaper Handmade project, the V Tent is a collaboration with Louis Vuitton whose origins were in the service of travel. In fact, in its early history Louis Vuitton provided tents for explorers with function and quality as prerequisites for their success. For this commission, Industrial Facility revisited the Tent by referencing early Viking tents, and early Louis Vuitton bags. Both shared simple fabric constructions with the tents often involving a roof attached to the entrance. With the V Tent, the entrance is on the long side that can be lifted up to extend shelter – supported by a wooden pole. The result is a traditional construction, but with small alterations and details that re-interpret the Tent typology.
Project
Cycle Shirt
Client
Margaret Howell, London
Production
2010 -
Cycle Shirt is a collaboration between clothing designer Margaret Howell and Industrial Facility.
The designers share a similar approach to design, paring away the inessential to find the purely useful, and shaping it with character through detail. Margaret Howell says 'Shirts are like people, a simple basic form, but with infinite variations of detail that make individuality. The life of a piece of clothing starts with its purpose, and its character lies in the details.'
The intention was clear from the start, that the shirt should reflect the busy and urban experiences of Sam Hecht, who spends most of his time on two wheels. The idea to create back pockets came up after investigating historic cycle racing jerseys which had a pocket for maps. This idea was translated into tailoring, turning up the tail of a classic shirt to create a divided pocket. The outcome was a pale blue cotton shirt, pre-washed, with minimal front detailing. An extra pocket on the left sleeve holds a travel card.
Exhibitions
Margaret Howell plus Sam Hecht, A Cycle Shirt, Margaret Howell, London, 2011
Films
Sam Hecht in interview with Disegno Magazine
Further Reading
