2012 Galleries
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Galleries // 2012 Spark:Concept // Nova
Nova
Winner - Silver
Competition: Spark:Concept
Designer: Mr. LUNAR Europe Design Team
Design Type: Product Design Concept
Website: http://www.wearefluid.com/
Currently training at home is a challenge: people do not like the clutter of today's gear in their living rooms. These objects end up in remote corners of the home, if they are purchased at all. No wonder training at home is not a celebrated activity. We picked up the challenge to transform perceptions of bouldering at home. The design took into consideration two possible scenarios: training and ambient lighting while not in use. The climbing wall needed to be practical gear for climbing and offer various routes for training. The wall had to be scalable to fit different sizes of rooms and dedicated walls. The new experience would make climbing at home a celebrated activity that also proudly reflects the user‘s passion for their sport and lifestyle. Faced with the challenge of ill-adapted in-home training gear, we identified a ‘sweet spot’: the concept of creating training objects that match the level of aesthetics of interiors to celebrate the user‘s passion for their lifestyle. Research of the existing market proved that this niche had been previously largely unexplored. Through an iterative process of team discussions, sketching, generative 3D CAD modeling, prototyping and model making, we were able to conceive an aesthetic unlike anything existing today. Alongside the process of form development, we also considered how the UI of the future could enhance the product concept. Focusing on the experience rather than the numbers, intuitively and automatically tracking progress, and rewarding the user for meeting their goals- these were the benchmarks of success. A climbing wall can be seen as part of the architecture. We took inspiration from bold architecture, decorative interior and sturdy building materials to create Nova. The wall consists of panels with pattern-cut-outs, which replace the colored holds usually found on regular training walls. The design expression was seen as key to create a new image of training at home and in doing so transform perceptions of the scenario. The architectural beauty of the wall makes Nova appealing even when it is not in use. To create a wall that has the flexibility to grow with the users' abilities and changing needs for training, routes are indicated through light instead of colored holds. To select a route or download new routes, we tapped into the possibilities that smartphones provide and created a beautiful interface for route selection. To take full advantage of the wall-smartphone interaction, Nova can send back feedback about the user performance through integrated sensors in the wall. For the first time, this allows digital tracking of climbing performance and creates a new means of personalized training. The overall experience of training at home has been redefined: Nova transforms perceptions of training at home — from a boring routine with equipment that wouldn’t be caught dead in a living room to a compelling experience based around beautifully designed, behavior-changing tools for a healthy lifestyle.