2013

HOC 45° is a simple system of decorative protection that can be applied by the users themselves to a bag where it is most exposed and by doing so extend its lifespan. 
The triangular patches are modular and bendable to fit the desired shape. The consumers have infinite options to attach the pieces by creating their own patterns and details. 
HOC 45° is an answer to planned obsolescence, it involves the consumer physically and creatively, celebrates craft and longevity, and transforms a boring or worn out bag into a more personal and durable one.

I looked at the ad hoc ways people customize their belongings and how the market responds to this need for personalization. Customization is a huge trend nowadays and there are endless commercial solutions offered on the market. However I found that there is often a physical gap between the consumer and the designer or company. Technological advances allow the customer to choose basically whatever he wants, but the production is still fully taken care of by the company or designer. The only thing the customer actually has to do is naming her or his initials, choosing the color and of course pay.

I set myself the goal to create a product that suggests ad hoc in form of creative customization by the users themselves, in order to make it suit their own preferences and needs. I wanted to give the tools to non-designers to customize what they own and stimulate their participation in the design process. The intervention should be intuitive and done by hand, without the need of power tools. The final outcome is going to be unique, it will have acquired meaning and personal value through creative participation. The result should also be open ended and subject to further modification throughout time. This will finally extend the lifecycle of the product and create more awareness and responsibility on the consumer’s side.        

HOC 45° is sustainable as a product by itself but also in the way it is intended to influence peoples’ behaviors. The product consists of only one material, its production creates close to zero waste, and the kit’s packaging is minimal and flatpacked. It is lightweight, durable, modifiable, reusable, and finally also recyclable. The way HOC 45° influences consumer behavior adds an educational aspect to the product. It should encourage people to mend, to take care of what we have instead of throwing away and buy new things. The goal is to increase instead of decrease an object’s value when repairing it.