Incense Wind Chimes (2006)
Overview
When a particular medium interacts with form to create a function, what kind of a form arises? What sort of function could be attributed to this form to apply the possible use of the medium it interacts with? This excercise on Form on Medium aimed to explore this aspect of interaction. In this case the design team explored the properties of Air as a medium.
The project was carried out in collaboration with Xiaochung Liu from China and Shao Wei Huang from Taiwan.
The Idea
The aim was to design a product whose form would interact with air to give rise to a function. The concept that the presence of air can be sensed by its carriage of sound and smell gave pointed us to the idea of Windchimes that would also carry insence. The chimes may be hung near a window or opening so that the presence of air can felt through sound and smell. They can also be placed on a window-cill, furniture surface or in a garden. Insence oils or cubes may be placed inside this form. When wind blows over this form, it carries the fragrance into the inside of rooms. The wind also turns the form into chimes.
The Form
Three keywords apply when describing the form : soft, streamlined, dynamic. These keywords assisted the design team in exploring and defining the final form of the Insence Wind Chimes.