A Very Poor Kettle.
Cherry wood, stainless steel, copper & porcelainInspired by a deeply cherished 80 year old wooden spoon with zero materialistic value, this is an exploration on how to design for emotional value.
What if a water kettle was redesigned with the only design criteria being the formation of an emotional bond?
The water kettle is an essential tool in the modern household. But it’s also disposable. When it breaks down, you order a new one online and it will be waiting for you at your doorstep before you’ve even had the time to throw the old one out. With current kettles, we only care about it’s functionality. The object itself is so anonymous that it is fully replaceable by- and interchangeable with any other kettle.
The water boiler developed in this project turns that around. It’s so highly inefficient to a point where it almost becomes entirely dysfunctional. Boiling a larger volume of water takes a good 20 minutes of constant delicate stirring.
But it’s sensitive, understandable and valuable. Spending this much time with the boiler, the boiling of water becomes a ritual. The inside is fully accessible without any tools and made to last, with porcelain connectors. The boiler reshapes itself to your body and your movements, reflects age and past experiences.
It’s an object with which you can live together.
