BA Product Design
Gagandeep Heer
As a designer I am driven by my passion for craftsmanship and sustainability. This has caused me to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to design, where I look to explore and implement the use of biomaterial materials, to create functional products.
Grounded
"Grounded" explores the ability to make a biodegradable composite using coffee grounds and orange peels, which can be used to create artisanal goods in place of traditional mediums such as wood and clay.
The idea to use coffee grounds stems from the vast amount of coffee grounds which are discarded each year. It is estimated that the UK produces 500,000 tonnes of waste coffee grounds per year, with this contributing to 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions. As a result of this spent coffee grounds are an ideal base for the material as they are readily available and easy to process, whilst re-purposing spent coffee grounds prevents them from, being discarded into landfill and contributing to carbon emissions.
When processing, the material is malleable and can be press moulded to achieve its desired form. The material is then cut and sanded to further refine its form, before being finished in a coat in shellac. Sanding the material ensures a smooth finish, as well as exposing the orange speckles within the material under the surface. Whilst applying the shellac helps seal the material.
Trabem Table Lamp
The Trabem Table Lamp is an artisanal piece of lighting, designed to elevate forgotten spaces within the home, through the projection of light.
The main body of the lamp is slip casted using porcelain, given porcelain's translucency when left unglazed, the lamp provides a subtle glow.
Light is projected upwards through a glass diffuser, crafted through glass slumping. Each element has been handcrafted, with craftsmanship being at the centre of the design ethos behind this lamp