140928 Take out garden

Planning

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I drink a cup of coffee everyday. I usually buy coffee in the cafe near the university or home, and I always use take out cups. Then I can assume that I use more than 20 plastic take out cups in a month, and it becomes huge amount in year. And I realized that this is not my own problem, and many people are doing such things without awareness. I found this problematic in resource and environment, and wanted to find solution for it. For the project in Product Studio Class, I tried to solve this problem, or at least, wanted to give people awareness on this status, by connecting with 3D printing technology. 

Before deeper research and ideas, I searched about the numeric, objective facts about the plastic coffee cups. I could find that in Korea, about 300,000,000 cups, and in USA, 1,000,000,000 cups are abandoned annually, and the more significant thing is that most of them are not recycled, and people are just throwing away them without knowing this situation. I decided to design 'something that helps people reuse the cups'. Through some brainstorming and ideas exchanges, I come up with some ideas, esp. using the cups for contemporary men gardening.

Research

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Since there are no such item in market, I just researched about 'gardening', and found the consumers' need about gardening. Maybe I should try to apply those need to my items. And I found a very similar project of coca-cola. It was focused on the Third countries, and coca-cola to be a friend or anything to them. I can refer to it, but should have some difference from them. 

Action

(sketches / 1)

(sketches / 2)

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short feedbacks from professor / friends + solutions

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It should be cool in design (more than a simple DIY ideas, cuz it doesn't need money in making DIY takeout cup garden)

Focus on the meaning of this project(help recycle). not the ones with so much styling or fun design. 

There are so much similar reference projects using coca cola pet or cans. Find how to differentiate this ideas. 

Emphasize the introduction(problems from plastic takeout cups)

connect this ideas with 'environmental marketing' (need more specific ideas)

modeling / (not fixed items)

fixed items series

01 ) browsed planter

02 ) plant hanger

03 ) mini stander

04 ) mini stander for succulent

05 ) plant ball for 

mock-up

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This was the 2nd time I use 3d printer for my design. Last time, I used the facility in the university for free, but I couldn't this time. I visited 2 3d printing lab. The cost was higher than I expected, and considering the price of 3d printer they use is not that high, and there cannot be monopoly on 3d printing, I thought the cost is too exaggerated. 

By making a mock-up with 3d printer by myself, I could learn that the 3d printer is not a super-hero. Unlike the articles which celebrate the generalization of 3d printing, the fact is that it first needs modeling(it needs some skills and knowledges), during the printing, it often collapse, or stop in a sudden, and even after the printing is over, you need more processing like removing supporters and sanding. You can save your money and time by using it, but not like a exaggerated praise on the technology.