W

McCORD BLACKWELL

My life has been a series of opportunities created by a world immersed in aesthetics and functionality. How I choose to act on these opportunities determines who I am and my stance on the world around me. I believe my choices have guided me down the path of design and has given me the opportunity to explore my passions and turn them into reality...

GLEEM

BOLLARD

SECTOR

CO-AU

LANCA

CAFÉ SOL

QUA-GRO

4

14

22

34

48

56

68

A Coffee Table.

GLEEM

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

I wanted to reclaim the living-room from the television and give it back to the occupant.

WHY

7

HOWTaking inspiration from the bonfires, where people sit around and make eye contact and carry on conversation. I wanted to integrate the social exchange of a bonfire and the indoors.

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Topography was my key source of inspiration. Something abouts the organic shapes that exist in such a structured medium was just the notion that I wanted to achieve.

INSPIRATION

9

Corian by Du Pont was the ideal material to make a bold statement while still having the flexibility to achieve the form I was looking for.

Flanola is a type of Bioethenal that produces low emissions, allowing it to be burned indoors safely.

MATERIALS

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Manipulating the materials of choice via a heavy influence of inspiration lead me to my final form and direction.

TABLE / FIREPLACE

11

rotating the handle opens the burner cup and allows for ignition of the fuel

once light the flame can be adjusted by modulating the doors of the burner

snuffing the fire is as simple as closing the doors the entire way

The removable ethanol burner is easy to operate with a simple lever and is removable for cleaning and refilling.

HOW IT WORKS

2

12 3

4

1

5

components list:1. burner 2. corian slats 3. brass sheeting4. cast brass members

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

13

A Block

BOLLARD

METAPHORMan discovered the ability to create light early on. Fire was the dawn of technology for man.

Has the discovery done more harm than good? That is the paradox that I wanted to bring to attention.

17

Man discovered the ability to create light early on. Fire was the dawn of technology for man.

INSPIRATION

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

With my inspiration clearly spelled out, I wanted to develop a piece that played with one of human kinds most dangerous traits, curiosity.

CONCEPT

19

The public security device called a bollard, provided an ideal work space to play with.

Having a light source encapsulated in a pliable material that could be played with and peeled away from the exposed edge would reveal the light source. This interaction and curiosity seems to be uncommon in the public space.

DEVELOPMENT

Bollards are used to protect large buildings from vehicular traffic.

The bollard was ideal due to its already monolithic nature. The twist was to give it dual purpose.

BOLLARD

21

THE BASICSThe bollard became not only a security device, but a social piece with a statement.

Providing people with a seat like area and something to play with the bollard has now become a thing of play and intrigue. Stimulating the public in an area that you would not typically expect to have a interactive structure.

A Tablet.

SECTOR

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Learning is done in the class room, studying is done in the library, living is done at home. That was the thought that went into architecture and design of campus’ nationwide.

This is no longer the case, with the prevalence of personal electronics and access to the web, literally everywhere you are. learn

study

CONCEPT

25

This blurred line was my source of inspiration. Providing students the chance to make their own time and spaces to learn, but with times and locations.

social

reside

REALITY

CONCEPTS Sketching for me allows for a process of divergence and convergence.

27

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

FUNCTION

Location I Location II Location III

Provides full featured access to the device.

Is limited to the tasks and features permitted by the instructor.

Areas such as the library can be programed for studying of all subjects.

Structure is the principle of this device and it creates it by permitting access to the information and features required for a particular instance.

DEVELOPMENTNo detail was left unturned. Consideration was taken for all aspects such as the hinges, the ergonomics and materials.

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

FINAL RESULTSSector is intended to aid in concentration for the student by removing potentially distracting programs during class hours.

Classroom Laboratory Home

sector synchronizes with your academic calendar, keeping you up to date and informed of changes made to any of your courses.

in a laboratory environment the sector tablet utilizes augmented reality for hands on assignments. cameras using Microsoft technology track and identify hand movements, allow real time manipulation of virtual objects.

in the classroom the instructor takes control of all sector devices. students now have a discreet and direct connection to their instructor.

31

Sector is intended to aid in concentration for the student by removing potentially distracting programs during class hours.

Unrestricted Class I Class II

open mode the device has access to all applications and folders.

when in class the instructor can restrict as tight as they like the control over the content allowed on the device.

subjects and productivity apps can be allowed by instructors to sync their calendars with the professors schedule

FINAL UI

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

33

glass cover for tab

glass screen cover

lithium iron batteryscreen assembly

logic boardspeaker

aluminum chassis

aluminum tab enclosure

glass back cover

hinge pin

8mm

325mm

SPECIFICS

A Media Player.

CO-AU

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

PROJECT BRIEFThe objective was to take the mystery out of the products that we use on a daily basis. This day and age we seem to have little understanding of how the things around us work.

My intention was to not just reveal the internals by enclosing them in clear plastic.

Instead, I took the opportunity to not only reveal the components of a device, but to show how elegant guts can be.

37

CASSIE & KURTISTwo young adults looking to furnish their home with things that will express their personalities, not confine them.

“When I buy electronics they look like the box they came in.”

“I spent good money on something, why can’t it look like I spent that money well?”

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

Intuitive

CHEAPUsefulSLEEKCOMPACT

Anything but black

Accessible

Functional

AffordableSmall

ReasonableSimple

Idiot Proof

Target

Shiny

Slim

Glowing

Complimentary

New

DifferentReliable

Easy

The data says it all.

sizecost ease of use looksfunction

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

high

low

39

OPPORTUNITY

costexorbitant

cheep

artbrick

opportunity

appearance

IDEAS

WALL MOUNTThe wall mount design was appealing due to its effectiveness in being a piece of art.

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

ART

DESIGN

43

Simple gestures are the modest commands the are required. Right to advance, left to rewind and tap to stop

Left Tap Right

SWIPE

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

insert disc beginning of movie

TELLING TIMEThe entire system is automated from start to finish. Drop the disc in and away it goes.

45

end of the showprogress displayed

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Positioning The wall mounted design allows for the player to be oriented to in any direction. the design was intended to compliment the TV not to distract from it.

47

1.375

2.350

5.063

1.114

3.375

9.094

PARTSParts and Components

A Bike Flag

LANCA

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

WHO & WHY

With a baby on the way and an active lifestyle Roberto is struggling to find the time to maintain his current activities.

Experience Description• Santa Clara County• Range of activities associated with urban cycling• Safe and secure riding experience that supports commuting andShort distance errands in urban areas.• Other comparable regions• Suburban or rural areas• Support transportation of cargo• Intermediate security needs• Retailer - Specialized/Globe• User• Sales force• Service center• production

Mission Statement Profile

51

MOTIVE

Providing afet for riders in urban settings was a key motivating factor for me.

Safety by visibility was a way to achieve a less hostile environment for cyclists.

A way to increase visibility is by elevating the light to a eye level of the drivers.

Safety Visibility Elevation

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

THE LIGHTThe flag has two operating positions. When not in use the flag is collapsed and stows at a comfortable height that is equivalent to the radius of a typical bicycle wheel.

Extend, the pole and the flag then snaps in the upright position. Once fully extended the flag then illuminates and is ready to use.

It is that simple.

The way I discovered the function of the flag was to make multiple mock ups.

From that number of mock ups I was able to determine the best route to pursue.

GETTING THERE

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

ACTION

The light emitted was enough to remain visible from a far distance. Combined with the extension and its exaggerated movement, the light even more noticeable.

LIGHT

I wanted to keep the aesthetics simple and sleek, in order to not take away from the overall feel of the bike. The flag should compliment the bike instead of detracting from it.

In order to keep it clean and complementary I decided to use mostly brushed aluminum and acrylic. The light is a low power electro luminescents rope inside the acrylic rod. Electro luminescent wire is an concentrated light source, requiring only a small amount of energy and componentry. Electro luminescents were idea because they fit into the small space and produced the right amount of light.

A Bench

CAFÉ SOL

San Jose’s Green Vision Clean Energy Showcase was an opportunity to develop a public structure that utilizes the power of the sun.

SOL

A preliminary method to explore the possibilities of form. With a few ways to support the large solar awning I took a couple of directions and pared them down to a symmetrical design on a post. This umbrella design seemed to provide the most shade while minimizing the actual foot print of the awning.

SKETCHING

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

ESPRESSO

Looking at Italian espresso bars and American diners I wanted to create a place for people to take a break. Whether it be five minutes or forty five minutes.

61

LOCATION

The Paseo de San Antonio provides an ideal location for my structure. Major destinations near by provide ample foot traffic, not to mention the south facing sky is not prohibited by many tall buildings.

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Color Kinetics is a large scale LED company that has done many public installations. This lighting provides a great source of interest and variability to the structure.

High Flex Solar is an innovative company that produces light weight, flexible solar panels. by removing the glass substrate and replacing it with flexible plastic. The weight is dramatically reduce, and making it a prime candidate for my solar structure.

Lirtracon has developed a type of concrete that is embedded with glass or plastic rods. These rods allow light transmission in a single axis. I decided to use this material to give the large structure a lighter and more open feeling.

MATERIALS

63

IN LOCATION

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

18ft

18ft 22ft

THE DETAILSThe structure was intended to be quite large. This scale would typically make for a difficult construction and erection.

65

A simple sub structure provides rigidity for the flexible solar array.

The table top houses the outlets for charging.

The steel I-beams and concrete uprights house the wiring as well as provide the majority of the strength

The concrete base is the foot of the unit, housing the batteries and major components.

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

CONSTRUCTIONThe design I opted for was simplified in its components and in turn simplified in its construction.

67

A Plant Monitor

QUA-GRO

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

Problem

Possiblity

House plants bring a refreshing life to the home. Their only draw back is they can be quite difficult to maintain.

How do you keep a busy life and a plant alive?

Providing the plant owner with information and reminders that can work with their busy schedule, not add to it.

I wanted to design a product that tended to your plant for you.

POTENTIAL

Qua-Gro is aimed towards the user who works more than 40 hours a week, yet would like to keep their place of zen... zen like.

Different plants have different needs and qua-gro takes the guess work out of the up keep and details.

IDEAL USER

McCORDBLACKWELL.COM

8.875”

4.75”6.125”

0.565”

1.125”

2.750”

THE MONITOR

73

HOW TO USE IT

2. Allow a minimum of 24 hours for monitor to assess the conditions of the plant in its environment.

1. Insert the device in the soil of the plant desired. Making sure it is in the desired area of placement.

The device is designed to grow with the plant, there for the unit is modular and can be extended to keep sensors level with the foliage

3. Once the monitor has completed one full cycle it will relay the plants vitals and information to the program loaded on your device of choice.

THANK YOU

Thanks for taking the time to look through my portfolio.

Hopefully in doing so you now have a better understanding of not only my designs, but who I am and my view of the world around us.

McCORD

mccordblackwell.com408.676.6611

W