Sarah Henderson
BA Furniture & Product Design
I'm a product designer who is passionate about creating designs that not only look great, but also tell a story and empathise with our emotional needs. I believe that design can be a powerful tool for connecting people, creating meaningful experiences and building a better, more sensitive future.
Feels like Home
As a designer I have always been driven in creating empathetic design, 'Feels like Home' is a culmination of the narrative, sensitivity and empathetic practices I've been working on throughout my education. The products are all slight variations of weighted wearables, some more traditional than others, including a jacket, gilet and statement collars that use virgin wool and mixed tartans inspired by Celtic culture.
Using weight to treat anxiety and stress successfully exists in many ways today but the 'Feels like Home' range aims to protect the user against their discomforts in a more subtle and discreet manner. Imagine having the sensation of your favourite blanket, your Mum's hug or a friend's arm on your shoulder with you as you take on stressful tasks in your everyday life.
This project is the continuation of a design practice where I aim to be more sensitive, empathetic and thoughtful in what I produce. 'Feels like Home' is an inclusive tool that reflects these objectives and my defining priorities as a graduating product designer.
Senza Tempo
Senza Tempo was a project that explored Emotional Durability, Product Longevity and Interaction Design. Designed for MAGIS, the product focused on Generational qualities and family. Initially inspired by clocks and time, Senza Tempo was the final iteration of many tests that questioned how we interact with products in our home, wondering what makes something more emotionally durable and therefore generational? Ultimately, the goal was to make something people can connect to.
Senza Tempo means Timeless in Italian – it creates a ritual of interaction and plays with the passing of moments. The product works when a person places the iron ball bearings on the face of the product that snap and locate hidden magnetic hands beneath the surface. As the beads roll around, ticking like clockwork, they eventually hit a wall and roll to the centre, waiting for idle hands again. It invites people to interact and encourages us to feel connected; Senza Tempo relies on our interaction to begin moving, performing for us – when you leave or stop watching, eventually the beads will fall.