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hidden values

7 PEOPLE

5 OBJECTS

2 WEEKS

Hidden Values is a series of five objects that do not suggest a specific function but leave space for the imagination. Challenged by a liberation of functionality, I designed universal objects with the potential to become what one sees in it. It was more about designing possibilities rather than bespoke functionalities. Instead of telling the user what to do, to me it is more interesting to supply the frame of an action by introducing a very open object. The value of each is revealed through the exploration of the individual.

5 / 5 refers to a clip that easily holds things together, while also being inviting to hold. Being long, it allows for both active and passive actions.

5 / 5

4 / 5 refers to a piece of blank paper waiting for the one to fill its space with content. The object is easily readable. Designed to be simple and understood initially to introduce an accessible but undefined functionality.

4 / 5

3 / 5 relates to the balance between the visible and the invisible. The object itself is barely more than a reflection of the space it is surrounded by. The shape can be seen as a gesture of offering but to some it may give a protective impression.

3 / 5

2 / 5 already inheres a value through its material properties, while the shape relates to the unknown - it seduces the hand to reach out and touch.

2 / 5

1 / 5 is flexible, small and portable. This object at first glance appears as a simple, almost boring piece of material. I intervened in a way that it advances into something more functional by adding openings - questioning whether it is a material, an object or product.

1 / 5

What’s the value of physical objects in a time of free sharing and open access?

We are brought up in a dematerializing world where it is normal to watch a movie without any effort, listen to whatever music we feel, share our pictures with friends and a car with strangers. We give away things for free and follow the education that fits our talents and dreams. The emphasis of our time is on individuality and personality.

How do these new social norms influence our engagement towards the objects we surround ourselves with? Digital applications are increasingly replacing the necessity for physical objects, but possession will be still an essential way of defining who we are. However, it is not about what we buy, but how we relate to it. How we combine it.

HIDDEN

VALUES