PRODUCT DESIGN

SORTIR DU CADRE – ECAL + DECATHLON

with Camille Blin

On the occasion of Paris Design Week 2024, DECATHLON is partnering with ECAL's Product Design Master's programme to unveil "Sortir du Cadre", an installation showcasing two prototypes of electric-assisted trekking bikes based on research into eco-design. Through this collaboration, DECATHLON engages the younger generation of designers around eco-design themes. These concept bikes, envisioned by students from Product Design Master’s  programme, express a vision of the future in which sustainable development and the pleasure of outdoor activities go hand in hand.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Fleur Federica Chiarito – ACCA

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

ACCA is a floor lamp designed for the outdoors, especially suitable for commercial use, e.g. in restaurants and cafes. In line with the advancements in rechargeable battery technology, the lamp includes an integrated battery that can be easily detached and recharged, eliminating the need to move the lamp during the process. Made entirely from aluminium components, ACCA features a sturdy design that can withstand all weather conditions. Its stability is further reinforced by an integrated space at the bottom, allowing for additional weight such as stones or gravel to be added for optimum stability.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Marcus Angerer – Layer

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Despite being hailed as the next industrial revolution for a long time, 3D printing has yet to make the final step into mass manufacturing. This can be attributed primarily to its limitations in precision and efficiency. However, a printing setting known as Vase Mode shows promise as a potential solution to overcome these limitations. By enabling printing in a continuous spiralised line, it offers significantly cleaner and faster results, although it also presents its own set of challenges. This project investigates the potential of the Vase Mode by exploring its unique features and pushing the boundaries of what it can achieve. The outcome of this exploration is Layer, a lighting system entirely printed in ABS, that leverages the unique capabilities of the technology to its advantage.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Matteo Dal Lago – Natura Molta

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Marble, a popular resource worldwide, holds special significance in Carrara, Tuscany, where around 4 million tons are annually extracted. Extraction leads to the production of significant amounts of marble slurry, a dense mixture of dust and water. Proper management of this waste is crucial to prevent environmental pollution. With a focus on sustainable resource utilisation, my project seeks to upcycle this waste into a valuable resource. In collaboration with local companies, I spent most of the semester conducting on-site work in Carrara. The research conducted aims to highlight the potential of marble slurry as a valuable resource rather than waste material. The outcome presented features a collection of material samples and a bench designed and crafted entirely from marble slurry.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Yohanna Rieckhoff – re- club

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Children’s feet grow quickly. Considering the need for shoes for different weather conditions, seasons and activities, the number of pairs per child is relatively high – and so is the cost for parents and even more for the planet. Shoes need to fulfil an array of consumer requirements in terms of style and function. They are composed of many parts and up to 40 different materials, including all types of plastics and glues. Hence, they are complicated to disassemble and recycle. In this context, Re- club features an everyday unisex shoe for children aged 1 to 6 that is built to be easily disassembled, allowing for recycling and refurbishing to extend the product’s lifespan.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Luca Vernieri – Campà

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Campà features a series of decorated ceramics developed with I.C.A Giordano, a terracotta factory located in my hometown in the Amalfi Coast area. Originally, the production of ceramics was dedicated to locals who wanted to purchase objects that transformed everyday images into art. These objects depicted animals, fishermen, rural life and landscapes. Over time, as tourism developed, these objects became souvenirs, and decorators focused on reproducing the same patterns for decades with minimal variations. These once representative illustrations now serve as distant reminders, lacking emotional connection with younger generations. Campà aims to restore this bond by introducing self-ironic drawings, illustrating how modern lifestyle has found its unique form in this area.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Jule Bols – Disassembly Dialogue: Sketches and Dummies

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

In 2021 the EU commission passed new regulations that have forced the lighting industry to change: lighting needs to be manufactured and disposed of in more sustainable ways. In recent years, LED technology has dominated the industry as it is efficient, affordable and long lasting. However, the problem is that there is currently no feasible way to recycle LED lights. Disassembly of the components – LEDs, LED drivers/PCB boards, cables, sensors and casings with varying materials – is a key design challenge and would allow easier recycling. DISASSEMBLY DIALOGUE features sketches as well as physical models called DUMMIES, which showcase approaches to disassembling LED components. The DUMMIES are not luminaires or lamps, but rather playful and provocative ideas that intend to generate a discussion.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Paula Mühlena – Living in a Wall: A Feasible Fantasy

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Living in a Wall: A Feasible Fantasy merges contemporary construction standards with design, shifting our perception of products. The project explores built-in furniture, transforming it from an isolated practice into a replicable solution. It focuses on timber frame construction and prevalent prefabrication. By integrating furniture into the development and construction process of a house, this project demonstrates how furniture becomes an integral part of a cohesive, long-term system. The project is showcased in a book that serves as a scale model and a guide, leading readers through the evolution of built-in furniture, prefabrication and design iterations for living in a wall. The 1:10 scale, engineer-approved drawings and augmented reality features ground the concept.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Maxine Granzin – Project Beam

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Project Beam is a home entertainment hub consisting of a projector and two speakers. Seeking to integrate the projector further into the living environment, Project Beam references the architecture of floor lamps. The stand in this case not only enables the user to reach the desired projection height but also to charge various devices thanks to a low-voltage circuit.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Luis Rodriguez – Coalesce

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Coalesce is a speculative design research project which explores the use of artificial intelligence to create a gender-fluid design language. By using AI image blending and text-to-image AI models, it is possible to create intersections between unnecessarily gendered products and question the biases and stereotypes that are linked to gender identities within the product design industry. The project consists of an interactive installation that showcases the results of blending razors for women and men through a trained AI model and physical prototypes made through 3D sculpting and modelling as reinterpretations of the AI-designed products.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Lucas Hosteing – Kouéno

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

During my cabinetmaking studies in 2016, I discovered slabwood, which is the name given to the edge pieces milled from a saw log. Slabwood is flat on one side and convex on the other. Because of its asymmetrical and irregular shape, it is discarded by woodworkers. The abundant offcuts from sawmills are sold at a low price (CHF 1 per linear metre of wood). Seven years after my cabinetmaking studies, I started to think about this unexploited material. Going against the tradition of working with pristine wood, my research resulted in a collection of benches. The planks are mitre-cut to create different volumes. Geometric extrusions of inverted trees are transformed into seats. In this way, slabwood is integrated into our interiors in its rawest form.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Cedric Oder – Skin

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Skin is a case for discarded smartphones. In combination with an app, it transforms the device into a child-friendly communication product. A redesigned interface allows children to explore the main functions of a phone in a more playful way while old hardware is used meaningfully. Concentration disorders, loss of creativity and imagination, and impaired development of the ocular apparatus are only a few of the consequential damages of premature smartphone usage. Skin challenges the traditional perception of tech for children and offers new conceptual and experimental solutions. Children get the opportunity to grow up with a healthier relationship to technology while being independent and connected. The aim is to create experiences with interactions that feel magical and that bring joy.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Chiara Torterolo – MedGum

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

MedGum: Effective Alternative to Traditional Drug Delivery Systems Chewing gums are recognised by scientists and medical researchers as a highly effective alternative to conventional drug administration methods like pills, tablets and capsules. MedGum is a research-driven project that integrates food production, medical research and design, to develop a range of functional gums with additional health benefits. By designing the gum and its structure, it becomes possible to enhance the effectiveness of the medication, improving the speed and dynamics of absorption of active ingredients. Tailored to specific diseases such as stomach disorders, allergies, migraines and oral injuries, each MedGum, together with a new packaging, offers patients a discreet and convenient way of taking their medication.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Oscar Rainbird-Chill – Point de Charge

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

A proposal for a streetlight-mounted socket for charging electric vehicles for the city of Lausanne, in anticipation of the 2030 ban on non-electric vehicles. The focus has been to create a compact design with an appropriate level of visibility that references the familiar and established typology of cast street signage.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Donghwan Song – Circuit Riff

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Unleash the power of music and technology with the Circuit Riff. This remarkable MIDI instrument combines a minimal design with the endless possibilities of MIDI technology. With carefully designed printed circuit boards, sensors and transducers, every detail of your performance is captured and translated into a digital language, empowering you to compose, improvise and experiment like never before. Seamlessly switch between playing the guitar and atmospheric soundscapes, manipulate effects with ease and explore a vast sonic palette. This PCB MIDI Guitar redefines musical expression, inspiring awe and admiration from musicians and enthusiasts alike. Embark on a musical journey where tradition meets cutting-edge technology and experience the evolution of music in your hands.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Sophia Götz – Smell&Tell

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Olfactory stimulation for people with dementia Using the power of smell – one of the senses most strongly associated with emotion and memory – Smell&Tell creates meaningful interactions and provides stimuli for communication and playful engagement. People with dementia can maintain their quality of life and promote well-being by participating in activities and social interactions that stimulate the brain and help maintain daily functions. The outcome of this research project is an olfactory game consisting of a series of ten selected odours and different ways to trigger (verbal/nonverbal) conversations. The design of the interaction between the caregiver and the affected person is not only intended to be enjoyable, but also to strengthen their relationship and provide a sense of meaning and identity.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Sebastiano Gallizia – FrameCraft

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Framecraft focuses on redesigning the production process of custom-made bikepacking frame bags. As a foundation for my research I have drawn upon my prior experience in a small business where I handcrafted bikepacking bags. These bags are directly strapped to the frame instead of using a traditional pannier rack but, due to the unique nature of each frame, bikepacking bag producers cannot achieve a proper fit. To solve this, I suggest automating the manufacturing process and establishing a Micro-Factory that bridges the gap between custom craftsmanship and industrial efficiency. Every aspect of production, from pattern design to fabric cutting and graphic tracing, is fully automated. This approach addresses challenges in achieving a proper bag-to-bike fit, while promoting local production in Europe, and tackles concerns related to labour-intensive sewing.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Ecal for Schätti

with Camille Blin

ECAL for Schätti is a inspiring collection created by ECAL’s Master students in Product Design, under the guidance of Camille Blin, head of the programme, Jörg Boner, designer and Thomas Schätti, co-owner of the company Schätti. In the lighting industry, Schätti is synonymous with high quality manufacture and proven know-how. The brand is driven by a modernist vision and a fresh perspective: “The lighting industry is in upheaval; LED technology is the center of attention. A significant research and development effort is devoted to this technology. Light is being redefined.” A premise that ECAL students followed to create portable, battery powered LED lamps. The result is a multifunctional collection featuring the potential of this technology. Collapsible or foldable, wall or desk lamp, portable and rechargeable, indoor or outdoor: the selection translates Schätti expertise and ECAL students' creative minds.

PRODUCT DESIGN

U.F.O.G.O. Wind Turbines

with Camille Blin, Anniina Koivu, Anthony Guex, Marvin Merkel, Arthur Seguin

In 2023, the significant role of renewable energies in tackling the environmental crisis is blatant. In this context, wind power has once again been presented as a promising avenue for regions seeking to transition to renewable energy. However, concerns about their visual intrusion on surrounding environments pose a significant obstacle to their deployment. From a design perspective, this aesthetical factor is not insurmountable. On the contrary, it highlights the need for greater consideration of how we shape these technologies and integrate them into the environment and our lives. This project, completed by 16 MA Product Design Students of ECAL, has set out to explore how wind turbines can fit into natural landscapes and cultures not only sensitively, but beautifully – if we focus on their design. To complete the project effectively, a case study location was required. Fogo Island (Newfoundland, Canada), described locally as "this rock in the battering Northern Sea," was chosen due to its natural beauty, abundant wind, and tight-knit community of approximately 2,500 inhabitants. The island's climate and geography make it ideal for wind turbines. Additionally, Fogo Island is home to Shorefast, a non-profit organization dedicated to building a sustainable, renewable economy for the island. In October 2022, the students and tutors of ECAL visited and immersed themselves in Fogo Island. The project resulted in eight speculative yet practical wind turbine designs, considerately informed by various perspectives. U.F.O.G.O. is a sustainability project  grounded in reality, but not limited by what already is. Collaboration Partners: Shorefast HEIG-VD/School of Management and Engineering Vaud (Marc Pellerin, Philippe Morey and Marco Viviani) Media Partner: Disegno Funding: Summer University Programme of the Board of Higher Education (DGES) State of Vaud HES-SO Recherche Transdisciplinaire en Durabilite (under the project title 'INTEGRATED WIND TURBINES’)

PRODUCT DESIGN

The New Final Form

with Christophe Guberan, Camille Blin

The New Final Form is the result of a cross-disciplinary workshop run by the 1st year students in the Product Design Master's programme. Working with Ceramaret, a company based in Bôle that specialises in new ceramic manufacturing processes, the students imagined today's electrical sockets and switches. Our daily habits and our relationship with these devices have changed considerably over the last few decades, particularly with the battery-powered appliances that surround us. Thanks to the development of new technologies and new manufacturing processes, and to the properties of ceramics: good resistance to heat and pressure, and very good electrical insulation, the students came up with a series of original proposals rethinking the Feller electrical socket of today, an icon of Swiss design established by Max Bill in 1946.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Fogo Island Plastic Free Kites

with Camille Blin, Maxwell Ashford, Anthony Guex, Anniina Koivu

Fogo, nicknamed ‘a rock in the ocean’ is a small island situated off Newfoundland, Canada. As a part of a larger on-going semester project, 2nd Year Master Product Design students of ECAL, completed a short, fun, few day workshop, utilising one of the most abundant resources on the island - wind. Working in collaboration with the ShoreFast Foundation - an organisation working in numerous avenues to create a sustainable economy on the island, students developed plastic free kites. Fogo Island has the intention of becoming completely plastic free in the coming years and as their tourist numbers increase memorabilia of this special place are in higher demand. The developed kites are therefore to be made on the island and intended for the Fogo Island Workshop gift shop. Using Birch Wood, Ripstop Organic Cotton and hemp fibre string the students created a range of designs, taking reference from the unique features of the island.

PRODUCT DESIGN

ON 2040 - MASTER PRODUCT DESIGN

with Christophe Guberan, Camille Blin

Following a collaboration with the Swiss avant-garde brand On, ECAL is proud to present the interdisciplinary work carried out jointly by the 2nd year students of the Product Design, Photography and Type Design Masters.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Antoine Jacquat – Aura

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders, affecting over 50 million people worldwide. The seizures this disorder causes greatly limit the autonomy of the people concerned who often cannot drive or venture out on their own. Thanks to artificial intelligence and electrodes, it is possible today to predict and warn about epileptic seizures before they occur. Although such devices have the potential to save lives, the majority of these people refuse to wear them because of their stigmatising aspect. Thus I designed a 3D knitted cap, including all the necessary technology to securely predict seizures. The product, with its subtle aesthetics, invites people with epilepsy to wear such devices to enable them to move more freely in their daily lives.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Yoosung Kim – Zest

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common diseases in the world. Despite their disability, people with CP would like to be more physically active, as evidenced by the Paralympics, which features many disabled players and sports. However, there is a lack of shoes for such people. Simply putting on the shoes and lacing them often presents a challenge for the user, who most of the time has to ask for help from their coach. My Zest shoe is easy to put on with one hand. In addition, it can be customised according to personal physical ability using knitting and 3D printing technology. This project was developed thanks to feedback from professional athletes with CP and testing in the lab of Swiss sportswear brand On.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Borja Suqué – Hand-Assembled Portable Light Series

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

When designing an object, ad hoc processes are frequently used to imitate industrial ones. These improvised methods are often as intriguing as the ones they represent. At a time when it is difficult to rely on conventional producers due to constant changes in supply chains and the market, it is engaging to seek alternatives that allow for creative interest and production outside of industrialisation. Triggered by these factors, my project explores a method of self-producing a limited series of portable lights in a way that falls outside the traditional discipline of design and the standardised processes of mass production. All the lamps are hand assembled and made using off-the-shelf materials, techniques and electrical components.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Stefan Troendle – HydrogenCooker

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

According to the WHO, the use of fossil fuels in the home, including cooking, and the resulting indoor air pollution causes 3.8 million deaths each year, mostly in developing countries. HydrogenCooker is a green hydrogen-powered cooking station developed in collaboration with EPFL’s Renewable Energy Research Laboratory and Softpower, a start-up from Cameroon. The stove can replace current open fire or natural gas cookers while using locally solar-generated hydrogen and only emitting water vapour during the cooking process. As a result, cooking becomes less harmful and more sustainable. Local production of the appliance and deviant cooking habits discovered on a research trip to Cameroon guided the design process.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Reo Koda – In Fill Out - TPU

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

In Fill Out is a new manufacturing process that inflates a 3D printed object by heating the air inside. In order to achieve the most effective use of activated air, I designed the shoe sole to take advantage of its cushioning function with TPU – a kind of material that is flexible, recyclable, and widely used in the footwear industry. The result introduces new possibilities for digital manufacturing: fewer materials, lightweight, zero waste, recyclability, short printing time, less post-processing, personalisation to the foot, and much more.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Tsubasa Koshide – Printed Picture Frame

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Picture frames are objects that have been developed for a long time to display pictures. As a designer and illustrator, I have designed a unique system that can be quickly produced and customised. A picture frame is a simple object, but it still combines many materials, costs a lot of money to produce and does not offer a choice of colours or patterns. However, when manufactured with a 3D printer, you can easily produce colours, patterns and shapes that suit illustrations and moods. It also makes it possible to create elongated shapes and circular picture frames that would have had to be custom-made in the past.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Lukas Lüttgen – Voie

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Voie is a modular, barrier-free bench for the platforms of the Swiss Federal Railways, designed to improve the quality of the experience in stations and to make travel easier for people with reduced mobility and the visually impaired. Its open, modular design allows for a variety of configurations and invites users to rest and meet spontaneously. To allow for more greenery, pots serve as a link between the modules. Locally produced and sustainably treated ash wood provides a comfortable yet robust seating surface. Voie was developed in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Railways.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Thomas Manil – Lemanne

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Jewellery is a product, the result of know-how, that raises questions about its materials, manufacturing techniques, aesthetics, etc. From high jewellery to costume jewellery, via the stances taken by contemporary jewellers, the jewellery sector – whether it comes under the heading of craftsmanship, art or design – has found its way into innovation and creativity. Lemanne is a collection of jewels inspired by the Lake Geneva region, which makes use of its traditional know-how. The refined combination of pearls, made from pure guanine of fish scales from Lake Geneva, combined with manufacturing processes and fishing techniques, generates the DNA and character of the project in its entirety.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Clemens Neureiter – A Soup a Day

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

A Soup a Day is a mobile soup kitchen concept developed in close contact with Canisibus, Vienna. Canisibus is a social project that serves up to 400 soups a day to the hungry on the street. The design concept is based on the idea of cheap reproduction and easy cleanability. It is built on a standard trailer from Hinterher, is adapted to Euronorm boxes and a Rieber thermal container. A tarp covers and protects the goods and can be easily removed for cleaning and replacement.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Beat Baumgartner – Instelloni - Local Grown Instant Pasta

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

We all know instant noodles that provide a whole menu within a few minutes. And we all know that cannot be healthy! In addition, the pasta is usually made from imported durum wheat. This is precisely what I focused on, looking at which grain grows best in my area and whether you can make pasta from it. The result: instant whole wheat pasta made from emmer, which achieves depth of flavour through two fermentation techniques. The delicate dried vegetables and spices are not packed in a plastic bag as usual but are enclosed in the pasta. In this way, we can completely dispense with plastic in the packaging. It is plastic-free, healthy, local and vegan!

PRODUCT DESIGN

Paul Rees – Futuristic Objects

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Futuristic Objects is a collection of props representing daily scenes caused by contemporary environmental issues. Existing objects are adapted to projected changes caused by environmental deterioration to make potential future realities more tangible. The resulting changes in behaviour are represented in imagery and video. The current discourse on climate change and environmental issues seems to be repetitive and stuck in a dilemma between scientific facts that call for change and immutable, established systems. The project provides an alternative communication tool to long scientific papers or legislation, intending to re-establish our emotional connection with these pressing issues.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Danpeng Cai – TEXTure

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

TEXTure is a fingerprint for physical objects that integrate information through a texture on their surface. It converts encoded texts to assigned machine-readable textures, which were once relatively arbitrary. Inspired by the Turing pattern, a reaction-diffusion system portrays how nature brings uniqueness to each creation, TEXTure can develop automatically and individuate each product through fabricating processes like 3D printing. An embedded fingerprint enables industrial products to move toward full life cycle traceability. It has a high potential for phone-scannable accessibility, anti-counterfeiting, extended producer responsibility, recycling, vintage markets, etc.

PRODUCT DESIGN

HsinHung Chou – Nimble

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Changing posture while working at a desk not only benefits your physical and mental health but also increases productivity and concentration. Unlike the desk-centric environments of the past, the office of the future will be a gathering space that facilitates interaction and collaboration. Nimble is an active task chair with an inviting shape and adaptive mechanism that encourages changes in posture and dynamic sitting. Its pared-down aesthetics and carefully selected materials break with the traditional office chair. This simple yet versatile chair is a handy companion that serves numerous contemporary work scenarios such as co-working spaces and home offices.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Carolin Schelkle – The Black Sheep of the Wool Industry

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

There are more than 1000 sheep breeds in the world, producing fibres of different colours, lengths, and textures, but only the finest wool is suitable for the textile industry. Since European wool does not reach these high standards, large amounts of raw wool have turned from a source of income into a waste product. With increasing interest in sustainable use of natural resources, wool should be re-considered as an underrated and underused renewable resource, worthy of better exploration. This project investigates the potential of European wool by exploring a new production process, i.e., automatic felting. The resulting jacket illustrates the potential of this technology and takes advantage of the natural properties of wool, turning it from waste into a valuable raw material.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Cheuk Yin Chow – M-01 Illumination-induced Multispectral Camera

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Investment in fine art painting is a huge, opaque market and art authentication is crucial. Multispectral imaging reveals erased signatures and underdrawings, helping identify artworks and providing information about their history and manufacturing process. There is a demand from art experts for a user-friendly multispectral camera that might provide instant readable results and help make comparative study more efficient and robust. My mission was to develop the hand-held multispectral camera in collaboration with the start-up MATIS and CSEM (Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology). The unibody module takes into account the ease of installation and usability for art experts when photographing paintings. The structure was developed based on cost-effective, 3D printing production in small batches.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Giacomo De Paoli – Dipolo

with Augustin Scott de Martinville, Camille Blin

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often caused by repetitive motion of the wrist tendons. The disorder mainly affects people in the manufacturing industry and those who spend long hours in front of a screen. Approximately 3-6% of the adult population suffers from it. Dipolo is a device that helps relieve and treat the pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. It consists of an electrostimulation unit strapped to the arm and a stress ball made of a conductive material. By creating an electric field between the two units, it is possible to stimulate the nerve in the wrist, which is beneficial to the user. The person can actively contribute to the therapy by exercising with the custom designed ball.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Manuel Steffan – Bing!

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Bing! is a music composition tool that enables anyone to visually compose and create melodies in an analogue way. Colourful aluminium rods that are tuned to different notes can be freely arranged and played with a sliding steel ball. Simplifying the idea of rhythm into sequence and interchanging the notes helps create intuitively – especially for people without prior musical education. The project derives from my MA thesis on how we – even as adults – need to play in order to learn, as well as from my personal passion for musical instruments.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Ecal×Yamaha Sound Machines

with Camille Blin

Master Product Design students from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne have created, in collaboration with Japanese brand Yamaha and its Design Laboratory, new types of music players in order to meet new requirements related to listening to music. Under the guidance of Camille Blin, Head of the project, the students first investigated and documented different contemporary processes and ways of listening to music, specifically through photographs and videos. The aim was to create a cartography of these practises. In a second step, they transcribed and applied these findings to new music playback devices – relevance and innovation being essential in this phase of the project. Finally, with the help of specialists from the Yamaha Design Laboratory based in Hamamatsu (Japan) and Los Angeles (USA), they developed the formal and technical qualities of their initial concepts into prototypes. Six projects were finalised, with great attention to details and materials, which are now presented thanks to a scenography by Anthony Guex. Hence, the exhibition features a music player that offers musicians a new way to practise their instruments using artificial intelligence; an installation that responds to the growing demand for live concerts at home by using a combination of sound and light to mimic a real concert environment; ASMR instruments that offer listeners a soothing moment by playing the sounds of relaxing movements; a home speaker that allows for a smoother transition between the different music players commonly used in the home; a player that offers an unexpected experience by displaying the rotation of a vinyl record vertically on a pedestal, and a speaker that allows people to listen to their music using their favourite objects as a trigger.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Diplôme 2021

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

Diploma project 2021 www.ecal-diplomes.ch

PRODUCT DESIGN

ECAL x RBM by Flokk: The Future of School Seating

with Camille Blin

Innovative architecture, technology and design are shaping the future of education, challenging the norms for those creating learning spaces more than ever before. Danish furniture manufacturers RBM by Flokk have embarked on a semester-long design project with students from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne (Switzerland). “What a great challenge for the students to collaborate with an important brand in order to create future experiences based on their experiences from the past! Back to school and to the future!” says Alexis Georgacopoulos, Director of ECAL. Based around the title, The Future of School Seating, the 1st year Master Product Design students worked with course leader and designer Camille Blin, assisted by Margo Clavier, to explore alternatives to today’s traditional school chair, specifically for children aged 6–12. “We tasked the students at ECAL to reimagine traditional school chairs and to design a product that fits seamlessly into the operating culture of future learning environments. We know that ways of teaching and learning are more diverse than ever before and we are excited to show off some great concepts from the ECAL 1st year Master Product Design students – the next generation of super talented designers,” explains .ystein Austad, Design Manager, RBM by Flokk. Located inside Konstnärshuset, a stunning and historical art gallery based in Central Stockholm,Education Reimagined invites visitors to experience an interactive exhibition of inspiring concepts presented by the students themselves. Visitors to Stockholm Design week can enjoy a fascinating glimpse into how young designers envision education spaces of the future.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Diploma 2019

with Camille Blin

Diploma Projects 2019.

Aesthetics of Sustainability

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Maxime Guyon, Nicolas Polli Margherita Banchi, Thilo Alex Brunner, Christophe Guberan, Carolien Niebling

Aesthetics of Sustainability aims to explore and define the aesthetics of a new generation of sustainable materials.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Diploma 2018

with Camille Blin, Sebastian Wrong

Diploma project 2018.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Luisa Kahlfeldt – SeaCell Diaper

with Camille Blin, Augustin Scott de Martinville

SeaCell is a fully biodegradable, absorbent and inherently antibacterial fibre made from eucalyptus wood and algae extract. Currently only available in fabric form blended with other fibres, its applications are limited to sportswear. In collaboration with a renowned fibre research institute, I developed the first functional 100% SeaCell fabric and created a range of reusable cloth diapers for babies. An end-use application that greatly benefits from more sustainable alternatives, the mono-materiality diaper fully utilises the material’s inherent skin protection and hygiene properties. SUMO diaper James Dyson Award 2019 website

PRODUCT DESIGN

ECAL Digital Market

with Camille Blin, Christophe Guberan

In partnership with the 3D printing company Formlabs, ECAL Master Product Design students present a range of innovative everyday life objects, produced through a print farm within the exhibition and sold directly on site. Projects from ECAL faculty and alumni are also available. The concept was imagined by Camille Blin, head of the Master Product Design, and Christophe Guberan, ECAL tutor. ECAL has turned Spazio Orso 16, a 17th century Milanese palazzo, into a contemporary production site and retail shop inspired by a new vision of digital manufacturing. Lately, most of the product design research into 3D printing has been focusing on new technologies and the shapes they can generate. The idea of this project is to present digital manufacturing as an industrial production tool thanks to a print farm composed of numerous machines printing the same pieces simultaneously. “ECAL Digital Market” offers functional and well-designed everyday objects, created by Master Product Design students as well as by a selection of ECAL-related designers (faculty members and alumni). The project looks into the possibilities of production on demand. It examines the changing environment of manufacturing processes, it emphasizes how fast and transparent today’s design industry could become, and experiments with new design details that are too intricate to achieve with traditional manufacturing techniques. Finally, “ECAL Digital Market” highlights the role of the designer in this new production cycle. Thanks to the 3D printers and know-how provided by Formlabs, a large variety of objects such as combs, tape dispensers, mechanical pencils, shoehorns, coat hooks, scissors, spinning tops, shelves and many more are produced and sold on site by the students. The digital files of the objects can also be purchased online:  www.ecal-digital-market.ch

PRODUCT DESIGN

USM Foundation x ECAL

with Camille Blin

On the occasion of the Design Days 2018 taking place in the framework of Habitat-Jardin in Lausanne (March 3 to 11), ECAL MA Product Design students present an exhibition on the theme of "The Lamp of Tomorrow ". This project is part of the USM Design Grant Scholarship Program launched by the USM Foundation, which promotes innovation.

PRODUCT DESIGN

ECAL x Vitra

Following a workshop led by Camille Blin and Erwan Bouroullec, Master Product Design students of ECAL present projects around the Workbays created by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec and edited by Vitra. Together with new functionalities, these prospective work environments are presented on the occasion of Design Parade Toulon  – festival international d’architecture d’intérieur. With Workbays, which they created for Vitra a few years ago, the French designers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, who regularly collaborate with ECAL, have developed a micro-architectural system that redefines the working environment and breaks with the typical rigid planning structure of offices. Thus Workbays create distinct areas where individuals or groups can retreat from the general office environment to carry out specific activities. The units come equipped with everything users need: work surfaces, seating, optional storage and power connections. The structure of Workbays consists of slim aluminium profiles and organically shaped wall elements made of pressed polyester felt. “The ECAL students suggested we devised new typologies for these working environments, adding novel features and supplying them with new accessories”, says Camille Blin, the designer and professor who headed the project. So the Master Product Design students worked for a full semester under the watchful eye of Erwan Bouroullec and invented new structures that call to mind Japanese 0capsule hotels, a prototyping workshop, a gym, a bar, a garden or a resting area. For each of these spaces, the students created specific and original objects, ranging from Bluetooth loudspeakers to miniature lamps reminiscent of stadium ones, desk pads-cum-bags, a semi-standing stool, a cable-covering carpet, in & out wastepaper baskets, multi socket trays or a desk partition with vases and drawing pins. A 3D animation film specifically created by TRAUM Inc. presenting these unusual Workbays can also be seen at the exhibition.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Picture Frame

with Camille Blin

Focusing on an industrial production method as well on a particular perception of the image or on a high aesthetic materials, students presented a series of diversified frames. Exhibition pictures by ECAL/Younès Klouche

PRODUCT DESIGN

E15

with Camille Blin

Marking the twentieth anniversary of modern design classic BACKENZAHN™, e15 invited Master Product Design students of ECAL to develop own interpretations for furniture and accessories utilising the same materials available to the company’s co-founder Philipp Mainzer when he conceived the iconic stool. With a focus on sustainability, the BACKENZAHN™ stool was created using wood offcuts from the production of celebrated table BIGFOOT™. For its signature form and detail, seasoned heartwood is used, resulting in characteristic cracks, which make every stool unique. Under the guidance of designer Camille Blin, the students produced a series of 14 objects that reflect everyday functions, such as book shelves, children’s toys or paperweights. HD Images Brochure with explanations Photo ECAL/Maxime Guyon

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Manifesto

with Camille Blin

Students were asking to create their own manifesto through tools or ustenciles they to develop a «signature» item.

PRODUCT DESIGN

#Photobooth

with Camille Blin, Nicolas Haeni, Vincent Jacquier

The ECAL students of the Bachelor Photography and Master Product Design present a series of interactive installations showing how mobile phone cameras and the selfie phenomenon changed the way we look at ourselves. How can one create objects and installations around the portrait theme in this digital age? What means are available to disseminate these? How can one make visitors interact with the exhibits and turn viewers into the main actors in the exhibition? Over a semester, 1st year Master Product Design students and 2nd year Bachelor Photography students from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne worked on these issues with the aim to present their findings as part of an exhibition. Under the watchful eye of Vincent Jacquier, Head of the Visual Communication Department, of designer Camille Blin and photographer Nicolas Haeni, the students were able to understand, using various approaches, how current – material or virtual – technology alters our traditional relationship with portraits, be they selfies or pictures of others. Using modern media as well as more run-of-the-mill devices, exhibition visitors are invited to directly experiment the processes imagined by the students, allowing them to discover new interactive and fun ways of having their picture taken 3.0 style. Based on this principle, the exhibition stages an installation playing with the visitor’s shadow; the combination of a mirror and scanner to create realistic or distorted self-portraits; an image which is altered through song; a tribute to famous departed designers through a system of filters placed in front of a smartphone; analogically merged faces; a 180° portrait produced by a range of reflective surfaces; a trompe-l’œil projection on a mask; a family of objects able to hijack the smartphone camera function to create original images; a poetic reinterpretation Instagram; and finally, self-portraits captured by the photo itself. Video Images: ECAL/Nicolas Haeni

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Diploma

with Camille Blin, Jörg Boner, Chris Kabel, Tomas Kral

Selection of diploma's projects, 2014.

PRODUCT DESIGN

In Wool We Trust

with Camille Blin, Ronan Bouroullec

With the kind support of The Woolmark Company and Mover Sportswear. Workshop led by Ronan Bouroullec and Camille Blin, assisted by Stéphane Halmaï-Voisard. Result of a one week workshop with the students of the Master in Product design, these installations are celebrating the numerous qualities of Merino wool in an unconventional way. Wool is a material that is part of our everyday lives. It has a particular meaning to everybody without having any specific shape or colour. Our goal during this workshop week was to give shape to those references we all have towards this product. It started without any preconceived idea on what the end result would look like. By experimenting and playing around with the different states of this material, the students designed some unexpected installations. Each one of them acts like a little story, using movement as a way to express itself. Information The Woolmark Company Information Mover Images: ECAL/Axel Crettenand

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Collaboration with Baccarat 2013

with Camille Blin

Following the collaboration initiated in 2011 around the iconic Harcourt glass and then in 2012 Baccarat and ECAL are continuing their common reflection in 2013. The students of the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship are all working on the same global project, create a crystal light.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Lights of Harcourt

with Camille Blin

In the wake of a collaboration initiated in 2011, Baccarat and ECAL are pursuing their joint reflection in 2013 around the iconic Harcourt range. Under the supervision of designer Camille Blin, five pairs of students in the Product Design Master and Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship designed the “Lights of Harcourt” collection for Baccarat — a panorama of intriguing, contemporary lamps. “From molten matter to the end-product, via crystal cutting, we sought to light up — in the literal and figurative sense — the qualities of this material rife with a unique historical past”, Camille Blin explains. Questioning all aspects of the glassmakers’ know-how and reinterpreting the 6-facet motif of the famous Harcourt glass, each project diverts the Baccarat emblem from its original function to delve into the magical mysteries of crystal. You discover a tribute to the sculptures of Ettore Sottsass with a modular lamp with multi-faceted effects. In the subtly playful dance-hall spirit, a traditional light bulb is robed in facets, mounted as a garland or magnified on a lamp stand. Hinting at the surrealist universe of Salvador Dali, a project diverts the crystal’s properties to turn it into a coat with a bevelled lining which wraps around a metal structure. Enshrined in a crystal goblet, a spotlight allows you to freely position the light. Available in an infinite variety of colours, another concept focuses on the refraction phenomena displayed by crystal. Boasting the obvious look of a child’s masterpiece, a lamp makes the traditional Harcourt hexagon at its heart beat with emotion.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Workshop A C E

with Camille Blin, Emmanuel Mbessé, Arnault Weber

Thinking about a local material, snow seemed to be a quite obvious choice, as it is also an important cultural and economical aspect for Switzerland. When the snow season approaches a whole aesthetics covers our streets, a lot of snow items pop up in stores. Would it be possible to invent new ones, to redesign some or just to play with this winter aesthetics? This is what we will try to find out during this week workshop.

Furniture under pressure

with Younès Klouche Camille Blin, Christophe Guberan, Anniina Koivu, Julie Richoz, Anthony Guex, Chris Kabel

The potential of shape memory materials in furniture design.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Diplomas

by Maria Beltran, Emmanuelle Besson, Camille Blin, Nina Breuker, Gregory Brunisholz, Adrien Bugari, Michel Charlot, Thomas Dromelet, Béatrice Durandard, Adrien Fasel, Jonathan Gehri, Vanessa Gerotto, Tiphaine Golaz, Martin Haldimann, Vladimir Jaccard, Michal Korolec, Laure Krayenbühl, Simon Lécureux, Emmanuel Mbessé, Lisa Ochsenbein, Valérie Pache, Sofya Angel Penedo, Julien Renault, Julien Rosina, Delphine Rumo, Valérie Sauvin, Christian Spiess, Laurence Stoffel, Arnault Weber

Diploma projects of 2009.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Visilab

with Alexis Georgacopoulos

The project was to design one pair of glasses that would fit into the product range of Visilab.

EXHIBITIONS

ECAL×On,
23.09–08.10.2022,
Zürich

Following a collaboration with the Swiss avant-garde brand On, ECAL presents the interdisciplinary work carried out jointly by the 2nd year students of the Product Design, Photography and Type Design Masters. An exclusive exhibition to discover from 23 September to 8 October 2022 in Zürich.

PARTNERSHIP

ECAL×On : interdisciplinary collaboration to rethink the brand's universe

Following a collaboration with the Swiss avant-garde brand On, ECAL is proud to present the interdisciplinary work carried out jointly by the 2nd year students of the Product Design, Photography and Type Design Masters.