Tobias Williams
BA Furniture & Product Design
My interest in design encompasses everything in the built environment. I take inspiration from everything around me, from architectural projects to tech design and everything in between.
Think Inside the Box
For my 'Think Inside the Box' project I charged myself with designing immersive, nature emulating ambient lighting that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. Considering visual, auditory and emotional stimuli, the product had to give access to a space where the viewer can be still, introspective and appreciate solitude, something many of us struggle with or do not have access to.
As the name suggests, I concentrated on creating a light that draws your attention and keeps it, taking the focus away from everyday distractions and letting you take a moment for yourself.
I specifically delved into imitating rainfall, as this has always had a profound effect on me. I associate rain with melancholia, introspection and solitude.
The light combines interactive lighting that responds to auditory stimuli with rainfall and organic forms, creating an attention grabbing product that, hopefully, elicits an emotional response.
In answer to the growing culture of shared desk space or 'hot desking' within the workspace and it's ability to make workers feel disenfranchised, MyDesk seeks to make any work surface a familiar and useful one. The post-pandemic work environment has changed irreversibly for many companies, catalysing an already growing movement towards hybrid workspaces for home-to-office employees. There is a growing voice from employees of predominantly larger companies stating that their workspace has become isolating and can lead to a sense of homelessness.
MyDesk takes a step towards mitigating these issues by providing a tailored, multifunctional, personal workspace wherever you are.
Comprising of post-consumer neoprene, the repairable desk mat is an environmentally friendly step towards a more comfortable workspace.