Bio-inspired Product Design: The Study of Pinicola Shelves
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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