This project was developed in correspondence to a design brief surrounding capacitative, inclusive, and sustainable living spaces, and focusses on improving the accessibility of a living space to enable its users to work from home effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project focusses on the idea of lockdown as a form of social exclusion, and the daily impact that Coronavirus and working from home can have on the mental health of the user and how this can be improved. Through primary research in the form of questionnaires and interviews, I found that a lack of motivation and daily routine and outdoor elements such as natural light was a common problem that affected mental health and the user’s ability to be productive.
Rae is a time management desk lamp that aims to enable the user to be motivated and productive, by making a solid and easy-to-follow daily routine accessible to the user.
The user can set their wake, work, leisure, and sleep time using the minimalistic user interface on the base of the lamp, and the light will change to the activities’ corresponding colour, to gently remind the user that it is time to work, or to take a break. By encouraging breaks and a designated “leisure” time, Rae aims to encourage a healthy work/life balance for all users.
(Initial ideation of the lamp, aiming to keep the design as simple, versatile, and space-efficient as possible in order to fit into a variety of environments throughout the home.)
