When I first began brainstorming ideas for this project, I drew a lot of inspiration from saved posts on my Instagram account. I follow several product design accounts and I am frequently saving posts which I find visually appealing. I stumbled across the works of
Associated Architects Beyond Borders work with a very fluid and organic aesthetic. I’ve been messing around with the laser cutter in the ITLL for the past year and this aesthetic has caught my eye ever since. The laser cutter is a fun tool to work with since it limits what you can make, forcing you to think outside the box.

I found the Stingray by Apical Reform particularly inspiring since it’s not a static art piece. Although, I will not have dynamic component in my upcycle project, it is always nice to see a different take on an aesthetic.

I wanted to also go beyond just one aesthetic so I continued to explore different magazines and portfolios. Yong Ju Lee’s work has more of a modern and minimal aesthetic to it which I find very pleasing. In her project SOFT SHELF, she uses a mix of straight lines and curves to create a fascinating parametric design.

I wasn’t sure at first what material I would be using until I stumbled across the shelf of cardboard boxes outside of the UMC and began bringing them home to break down into useful pieces. My goal for my final design is to incorporate something from all of the aesthetics I have been exploring to create a cardboard planter.

References:

1. https://anapfenyillata.cafeblog.hu/2017/11/07/igy-keszits-vagany-papirkaspot-a-pozsgasaidnak/
2. https://www.aabb-studio.com/pabellonricchezze
3. http://www.apicalreform.com/portfolio/stingray/
4. https://www.yongjulee.com/SOFTSHELF