Bud.

Bud.

Treasures that sprout your creativity.

My project started with a story of a box, a box that I owned. It is an old candy box that I kept for a very long time. Even though its color has faded and its corners and edges are already bent, I always had it with me when I was young.

As a kid, I would always look around and try to find curious objects that interests me. It might not be valuable for anyone else but I would find them very intriguing.

Sometimes is a loose button from my old sweater or a wooden stick I find on the way to school, one time I even collected a no longer functional remote controller, just because i found it fun to play with the keys.

In the end, I would collect all of my found objects in this old candy box. Whenever I look back at them. They always spark memories, emotions, and random thoughts. It serves as a source of inspiration and a way to stimulate the imagination.

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Being creative is collecting spontaneous thoughts and objects in our boxes.

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Every designer has a collection of exquisite and rare objects and thoughts of their own. As designers, we pay more attention to interesting things that exist in our lives. Often, it’s not so much that we come up with the perfect idea as it is the idea that finds us. 

After doing some research, I found that our brains have three ways of coming up with new ideas. Firstly, our brains work like search engines and will subconsciously search for related concepts when given a keyword. Secondly, we can make associations between objects, leading to unexpected results. Finally, when we hit a mental roadblock, temporarily shifting our focus and allowing the brain to work subconsciously can help us find a solution once we return to the problem.

Based on this, I designed a collection of interactive objects, each one inspired by a verb and designed to spark your creativity.

To explore

A tactile piece that stimulates your imagination and encourages you to approach design forms from new perspectives. 

This is a cube consisting of many small irregular geometric blocks. My intention is to  inspire creative thinking through tactile play. This allows the user to discover surprising shapes, create artistic sculptures, or just enjoy the tactile sensation of rearranging the pieces as they pull apart and snap back together again. It can also be challenging to put them back into a cube as there are different ways of doing this.

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To solve

To solve. A puzzle-like challenge that tests your problem-solving skills and helps you develop your ability to think outside the box. 

This piece includes both a cage and a geometric piece inside. It requires some rotates with your hand to get the geometric piece in and out. Besides, users can also twist and turn its moving parts to create different distortions or extend it straight out to over 10 inches in length. 

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To wonder

 a thought-provoking prompt that encourages you to think beyond the obvious.

This box opens in a unique way as there is no traditional button to release the lock. Instead, the box can only be opened through a spinning motion that utilizes the force of gravity. 

The mechanism is based on centrifugal force, which is achieved through three specially designed slots on each side of the box. A steel dowel is used to lock the box in place, and when the box is spun, the force of the spin causes the dowels to move outwards, thereby releasing the lock and allowing the lid to be opened.

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To feel

  A sensory experience that evokes emotion and inspires you to infuse your designs with feeling and meaning.

 This is a concrete stone designed to be held in the hand. While it is not yet complete, the weight and temperature of the stone will be creating a comforting sensation for the user. The smooth, fluid shape adds to the overall sense of relaxation and satisfaction that this object provides

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To observe

A kaleidoscope-shaped object is made of three pieces of acrylic mirror mounted on wooden boards. It offers a unique perspective that encourages users to see the world with fresh eyes and to appreciate the details around them. As a reminder to stay curious and attentive, this object offers a playful and engaging way to explore your surroundings.

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The box

 “Bud” is a portal to a world of imagination and possibility. This isn’t just a one-time source of inspiration. It’s a chest for your ongoing creativity, encouraging you to keep seeking out new sources of inspiration and discovering your own unique objects that can help you generate even more ideas. The box itself is a canvas waiting to be filled with your unique vision, a space for you to explore and find your own design instruments.

I believe that creativity is a bud that lies within each of us, waiting to be nurtured and cultivated. With careful attention and a mindful approach, we can help that bud to grow and flourish, blossoming into something truly remarkable.