Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Designing for Disasters - Peat Firebag
Rationale
The “PEAT FIREBAG” was developed with the notion of creating a product to be used during peat bog wildfires caused by heat waves that occur in rural Russia.
The concept is for the “PEAT FIREBAG” to have multiple applications. The product is essentially constructed as a backpack from a folded 1.8m x 1.5m treated wool fire blanket, reinforced with fiberglass fire retardant matting. In an emergency the backpack can quickly be rearranged to perform several effective firefighting functions.
In the case of a fire, quick reactions can make the difference between life and death. For this reason the various “rearrangements” or uses that are possible for the “PEAT FIREBAG”, are totally intuitive and very quickly effected. The key functional possibilities are:
- backpack
- fire blanket
- sleeping bag
- stretcher
- a device to smother out small fires.
The intention is that people will essentially use the “PEAT FIREBAG” as a backpack and in the event of the user becoming unexpectedly exposed to a bog fire, - which can be rather sudden given the unpredictable nature of peat bog fires,- they will have the most comprehensive unique protection device of its kind available to them.
The materials used have been chosen for their fire retardant characteristics as well suitability for their desired task. The main component of the blanket is constructed from Zipro treated wool. Wool is by nature the most flame resistant of all normally encountered natural fibers (prior to any treatments). When compared to other possibilities, wool has the following excellent features:
- · high ignition temperature (570 -600 °C)
- · high limiting oxygen index (25 -26% )
- · low heat of combustion and low heat release
- high nitrogen content (14%)
- high moisture content
- does not melt or drip, and
- forms a self-insulating char that prevents further flame spread.
The Zipro treatment enhances flame resistance by exposing positively charged wool to negatively charged zirconium or titanium salts under acid conditions. This treatment stabilises the wool protein structure. Furthermore, wool is a sustainable fiber, which in a world where there is an ever-present push for sustainability, the “PEAT FIREBAG” excels.
As this product provides people with a viable device to protect themselves from the danger of spontaneous peat bog fires, the designer is of the opinion that this product will aid the Russian people in lowering the death toll during these natural disasters which occurs during heat waves in rural Russia. For this reason it is felt that this is an appropriate solution to the brief.
Reflection Statement
The Designing for Disaster, has proven to be an assignment of mammoth proportions. The initial design brief seemed to start with a seemingly simple and straightforward assignment. This has evolved into something that I would never have expected to get so complex and difficult.
The complexity was in large part due to the fact that I had never used a sewing machine before. So, in order to produce a model I had to learn the craft of sewing. This in itself presented interesting obstacles and many frustrations, not least of which were all the broken needles. However, I am of the opinion that pushing oneself is crucial to learning and getting the most out of the assignments we undertake certainly does this. Thus, proceeding to create a textile product as opposed to one that uses more conventional model making techniques with which I am familiar, has taught me new skills as well as to think differently as a designer. I now appreciate what a seamstress has to consider when producing a textile product, and the forethought required to give effect to the various steps involved in the construction process.
In reflecting on how the prototype turned out I am happy with the quality. With more advanced machinery such as an over locker and a more modern sewing machine, (the one I used is over 53 years old), it would have been possible to enhance the finer details. However, given the timeframe, materials and equipment constraints, I am very satisfied with the final outcome and feel that the concept is effectively conveyed.
Conceptually I am of the opinion that a more complicated design is not necessarily a better solution to a problem. The “PEAT FIREBAG” is a simple, cost effective idea which I feel is well suited to its particular need. While it does not require any fancy manufacturing processes or particularly “high-tech” materials, I feel that it is a no less valid solution than something seemingly more complicated. As Dieter Rams said, “The spectacular things are not the important things, but the unspectacular things are the important things”. Based on his ethos and achievements as a designer I respect his opinion greatly and hopefully my product reflects, to some extent, his purity of design.
Post completion of this assignment I feel as though I have expanded my model making skill set and broadened by ability to conceptualise ideas aimed at a real niche problem. That will unquestionable prove to be invaluable in design problems I will most certainly/ hopefully be faced with in the future.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Eco Redesign- Dome kettle
We dismantled a plastic kettle and calculated it’s environmental impact through GreenFly Online.
The product being manufactured in China results in transport having a large environmental impact and the everyday use creates great use of water and electricity over time. The heating element is the subassembly that has the greatest footprint due to it’s weight and manufacturing process.
This project gave great insight in to how much impact a simple household kettle can have, I would hate to think what the environmental impact larger appliances would.
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