Portfolio
This selection of projects is a representation of my broad interests and a demonstration of my skills - to capture my conceptual mindset and design sensibilities.
Each work has its own distinct context and a unique focus, all of them looking to create something meaningful and beautiful.
Flickz!
A New Context
Movies and cinemas have long been a source of entertainment, comfort, and gathering - but as streaming services continue to dominate, and COVID-19 destroys the industry, it's becoming more and more difficult for people to socialize and enjoy films together.
Flickz! is an app intended to promote social connectivity despite the isolated way of life we’ve come to know. A platform with a focus on accessibility, and driven by the cinema community, seeking to provide a new kind of collective experience.
Two basic user types are defined to inform the product demographic. These are oversimplifications, but create a spectrum on which most viewers can place themselves.
Immersion and Crowd Awareness are greatly valued and impact the moviegoing experience. By acknowledging this relationship, Flickz can provide a personalized experience for a diverse base of users.
Flickstream
The Flickstream is an activity hub, where users interact and connect in real time.
Hold and release to record/post your reactions, which upload to the auto-scrolling feed. Your reactions are timestamped to specific scenes, to be opened by people in the same viewing room.
Reacts and Echoes influence the size of the Flick, the more popular reactions being promoted. An environment for meaningful virtual interaction, the Flickstream allows for a truly shared experience.
◆ ◆ ◆
Stancism + Sidewalk Labs
with Alex Burton, Deanna Badi, Stan Wong
This is not real estate. This is Stancism.
Stancism is a trend outlining the corporate strategy of catering to social awareness and the beliefs of consumers. Increasingly apparent, we see this in brands like Patagonia, who make a concerted public effort to promote environmental responsibility.
We applied this trend in formulating a new plan for Sidewalk Labs. After the failure of Quayside Toronto, how could the Alphabet subsidiary create a "smart neighborhood" that people would actually want? Would it be possible to create equitable housing using Sidewalk Labs' technology and resources? Stancism + Sidewalk Labs explores these questions.
Reaching a more diverse and in-need community was a major priority, shifting Sidewalk Labs' previous focus from economic development to equitable housing.
Any approach to equitable housing development must look to provide future homeowners with the agency they need over their own environment.
We sought to emphasize opportunities and long-term impact, providing education and employment to residents, and sustaining local economy through local communities.
Replica, Delve, and Collab enable a more user-involved, collaborative, and efficient approach to urban planning.
By investing in existing Alphabet/Sidewalk Labs subsidiaries, there's opportunity to foster community-involved infrastructure development with the help of technological means.
Shifting the philosophy of future Sidewalk Labs projects means establishing a new model - this new structure demonstrates a new concern for the community and its residents.
"Now-able": 15 Years
Implementation of this plan would cover a number of years, and require rigorous planning. This framework outlines the necessary steps within 4 different stages.
Stage 1 focuses on ensuring the involvement, interest, and consent of communities, as well as doing outreach to understand local identity.
Stage 2 sees the beginning of physical construction, implementing Sidewalk Labs "3 Pillars of Tech" to keep residents involved.
Stage 3 involves the transition from physical to digital infrastructure.
Stage 4 is when we see the social and economic benefits of investing in local communities.
◆ ◆ ◆
Athabasca
with Harcharan Jagdev and Peter Huang
Canadian Identity
Inspired by its namesake glacier, the Athabasca stationery rack is a tribute to Canadian identity, its materials and message conveying honesty and a connection to nature.
Made from acrylic and Canadian maple, the form and "transition" of the fins recalls melting glaciers, as a reminder to preserve our natural environment.
Beginning in Rhino, the idea of the serial plane "melting" fins came to life through 3D CAD modelling. This gave us an idea of how to approach fabrication, and assess proportions/material use.
A first iteration was made from MDF and maple, using a glossy white paint for a snow-like texture. The fins are removable, making for a modular, flat-packed product.
The final product is one that emphasizes the natural beauty of Canadian landscapes, and tells a story of the great Athabasca glacier. It serves as a warning of the danger that might befall humanity if greater respect is not paid to the natural world.