Mina
Client: Calyx by ClaridgeYear: 2023Incredibly versatile, the Mina Collection is designed around its L shaped leg which allows any substrate to be applied in-between. Glass, LCS Porcelain, Fabric wrapped tack, and acoustic are all standard with numerous levels of customizability.
The Challenge & Research:
The goal for the project was to design a mass market, simple to produce, style driven mobile marker board prioritizing glass as the primary material. Research began by conducting surveys within rep groups with the following being the top requests in the new product:
Printed Glass
Colorful Finishes
On-Trend Designs
Exploration: A Minimalist Approach
The best selling glass marker board at Calyx was just a simple, borderless sheet of glass. This said a lot about the industry, so I decided to explore minimalist, borderless designs first. I explored several designs including L shaped feet, T shaped feet and even some more unconventional designs like triangular shaped feet. Initially I was most drawn to the wrap around T-shaped foot due to its hug like appearance.
Incorporating Ombria:
A huge goal of the minimalist mobile was to incorporate printed glass. At this point, I was already developing Ombria and wanted to find a way to uniquely introduce it into a mobile. In case you missed learning about Ombria, you can visit my project page by clicking here.
A unique opportunity I discovered in a mobile marker board was Ombria now had the possibility to be double-sided, allowing transparency to be a possibility. The execution of the transparent portion though was crucial. Since one typically uses the top of the mobile the least, the bottom had room for opportunity. So for the next iteration of the minimalist mobile, I incorporated Ombria but allowed it to seamlessly fade from solid at the top to transparent at the bottom. Rather than appearing like a slab of whiteness, the mobile now blends beautifully into its environment.
Refining the Leg:
With its tall height and wrap around design, the T-leg design provided good security for the glass, but it was not perfect. This design only allowed for the substrate to have one thickness, making it a challenge to accommodate surfaces such as tack or LCS Porcelain.
Perfecting the Leg:
Going back to the drawing board, I realized the L-shaped leg I drew initially would be a better fit due to its ability to accommodate any thickness and it did not need to be welded, unlike the T-shaped leg which did.
Perfecting Ombria Transparency:
Although the new L-leg improved the versatility of the mobile, I still had to find a way to create a double-sided Ombria. Working with a glass supplier, I was able to print on one sheet of glass and then laminate it to another blank sheet, creating a glass surface that is writable on both sides. Notice how the top portion fades from solid yellow where one would write most to clear at the bottom where it blends into its environment.
Color Matching:
Printing, powder coating, and even fabrics would be used in the new mobile so ensuring everything matched was key.
The Final Design:
Left to right: LCS Porcelain, Zest Ombria Transparency, Fabric Wrapped
Gallery
See Mina featured in the Calyx by Claridge showroom