Image Credit : Kendall Mills
Project Overview
Coast-to-Coasters express regional pride through wit and form.
Organisation
Project Brief
The inspiration and development for this project derived from a combination of factors. About a year ago my friends were making coasters for themselves that were basic squares and screen-printed with different phrases. One of them just had the word "roller" on it, which took me a second to translate, but that's what initially inspired me to start brainstorming. Thematically, Reed Wilson Design prides itself on creating smart, witty products that derive inspiration from American or "Merican" (as we've begun to phrase it) culture. I thought it would be great if the wordplay could also influence the form of the product. Being an avid traveler, the coastlines were almost an immediate inspiration. Not wanting an image plainly printed on a square, however, we were afforded by laser cutting technology the ability to actually shape the coast lines. Ultimately, the product is a great harmony of wit, form and technology.
Project Innovation/Need
The coasters inspire great reactions and conversations. A positive outcome is when we hear people reaffirming their pride for a particular region or thinking of someone they know. We actually send out a lot of West Coasters to the East Coast and vice versa. I assume they go to a lot of people who are transplants and are representing their coastal biases. They were actually developed and still produced in Colorado, which has no coast at all, so the "No Coaster" may be soon-to-come.
Design Challenge
The challenge was to create a product that instills a sense of individuality and regional pride, all while remaining "Merican Made".
Sustainability
Reed Wilson Design prides itself on creating products that are "Made in Merica". Producing products in the United States is beneficial in many ways, and it only makes sense that the Coast-to-Coasters were made here. Economical use of material is also something that we have achieved by taking the time to plan the most yield from the base material, an opportunity made possible by the precision of laser cutting.
Product Design - Homewares
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for either a component or overall product. Consideration given to aspects that relate to human usage, aesthetics, selection of components and materials, and the resolution of assembly, manufacturing and the overall function.
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