Print!
Sheffield Hallam University/ 2017 / 5 months / research, concept development, prototyping, model-making / individual graduation project
Print! is a simple and compact document printer for the home. Focusing on planned obsolescence, it stems from the need for less complex and more honest products that are reliable as and when we need them. It’s a vehicle that challenges how a printer should really be.
It’s inspired by: the action of opening a book to learn something new, the soft and approachable form of the 1973 Divisumma and the colourful, playful characteristics of tropical birds.
An app allows the mobile user to connect, crop and print documents with ease, and also to order replacement paper and parts.
It aims to simplify the printing experience by: minimising the number of functions, displaying the components and process, and reducing the maintenance required - just replace the roll of paper. Its use of thermal printing technology is key to its simplicity - simple enough that it can be disassembled throughout and at the end of its life.
The rendered images and photos were chosen for promotional use of New Designers 2017 by New Designers, London Design Festival and others, over several social media platforms.
This project is also featured in a published article by WGSN on trends concerning the use of material and repairability of products.
2018 edit: as part of an Adobe EdEx course - Intro to UX Design - I have built a wireframe prototype of the accompanying app, which can be viewed here.
