Chime
Glass
Background:
This is a project I did during my internship at Studio Monana, where they asked each intern to design a mug of their own. Finally, Chime was added to the studio's catalog and is available for purchase.
Concept:
I used sound as the object of design, so that the relationship between the hand and the glass produces another auditory feedback besides the sense of touch, vision, and taste of the drink. When the hand picks up the cup, with the action, the glass rod that automatically falls under the cup body will ring the bottom of the cup, making a crisp sound like a wind chime. Put it back on the table, the glass rod will automatically retract and the sound muted.
Inspiration:
The inspiration comes from my interest in when people proposing a toast —wine glasses can not only be used as containers, but when toasting, the glasses turn into musical instruments that make sounds, conveying ritual and people's feelings. I want people who drink alone to hear the sound of the cup, so as to get a pleasant surprise.
Challenge:
How the "bell" part fits into the overall form of the glass was a challenge in the design process. Traditional wind chimes usually have a wire running through the glass shield to connect the bell part.
Prototyping and testing:
Through my research I learnt that welding is also used in glass manufacturing, which was a new knowledge for me and gave me more scope to design. Through 3d modelling and experimenting with small models, I finally settled on a design for the bell part. For the final round of model testing I chose the plastic 3d printing process and printed three different cups in one to one scale to test the overall scale and grip in my hands.
