- Self Intitiated
- 2020
- Industrial design, Strategy & Innovation
Softening home computing so work can disappear when the day ends
A shift in the way people work has occurred over the last few years, with many people choosing flexible or remote working. People’s home office setups don’t reflect the domestic environment they create, lacking personality, and bringing a barrier to people’s ability to shut off from work. Homework is a solution to soften and hide the hard technology with the use of domestic materiality, The computer exists in two states, ‘home’ with a fabric board for memories and ceramic trays for personal objects and ‘work’ where the screen flips around and the underside of the trays reveals a keyboard and mouse.
Customisable soft technology that can bring the personality of people’s home environments
The computer tray takes inspiration from domestic shelving using bent sheet metal and tubular bars to create the pivoting frame. The upper part of the tube can be used as a stem holder for leaves and flowers to add personality and character.
Typically unconventional materials for consumer electronics, each material used is fitting for a home environment. The keyboard and mouse have ceramic bases that can act as shallow trays when flipped over. This brings softness and warmth when put away. The back of the desktop screen has a fabric padding with a magnetic weave to allow for customisation and personalisation using magnets and a simple bungee holder to add magazines and other favourite objects.
The UX interface is unique in allowing a visual shift between work tasks and home life by using a sliding motion to manually switch between both configurations. Customised widgets can be added and optimised for the key activities of each. This helps avoid distraction while working, but also helps create a physical shut off from work.
The far right item in the tray set is a mini PC to power the screen, charging exists within the bent tray to wirelessly charge the keyboard and mouse during ‘home’ times.
