Bio-inspired Product Design: The Study of Pinicola Shelves

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

2014-04

Authors

Zarro, Elizabeth

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Oregon

Abstract

Pinico/a Shelves is the product of extensive biomimetic research and a product design senior studio with its focus on home-goods. With the use of biomimicry the product of this project remained innovative while also reducing the raw material usage and carbon emissions. Pinicola Shelves was able to fill an innate human need to have a closeness to nature through biomimicry. Inspired by Fomilopsis pinico/a, this shelving unit is ready to assemble by the user and can be flat-packed for shipping purposes. The product consists of one large dowel, and five stackable shelving trays secured by dowels. The unit follows the seven universal design principles which are a set of guidelines for designers to develop products that can be utilized by the majority of the population; exceeding the average user and bringing usability to those whom might be differently abled with limited mobility. The features that make this shelving unit more sustainable than those that precede it include: a large reduction of materials used, a physically lighter product, and a product that has flat-packing capabilities.

Description

52 pages. A thesis presented to the Product Design Department and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts, Spring 2014.

Keywords

Product design, Biomimicry, Bioinspired design, Homegoods, Furniture, sustainable design

Citation