Specialized Carriers | c u p c a k e s
Well designed specialized carriers can function to create ease and maximize efficacy in the way we transport the items which we purchase. As with the function and form will often change to suit the different needs of each unique item. To me, what the project entails is not only having to create a carrier that would conform to the item’s features and needs, but also a product that would take its user into consideration.
9/29
In making the first models of my cupcakes, the two models which I ended up looked quite different structurally.
I found it challenging working around a 3D object, and understanding it entirely in terms of its shape and spatial qualities. Though I had many ideas (which were not guaranteed success), the process of translating those into a creative process presented a lot of factors that I had trouble working around. The challenge with working with corrugated cardboard and being limited to that material only was finding ways to work around its unique constructive properties.
I created two prototypes of my item. I started off with a rough idea of how I would go about creating my prototype before I’d started, and I jumped into the making process without much of a plan. The resulting prototype didn’t really resemble a cupcake. Perhaps the only quality which was reminiscent of a cupcake was the flutes running on the outside of the prototype. Recalling the conversation which was had in class, even though I’d captured the general structure of how a cupcake was built, I lost one of the fundamental features of the cupcake (in its simplest form as a shape), the characteristic slant it has.
I didn’t have a lot of difficulty working on the base of this first prototype as its shape was so simplified. Since the corrugated cardboard has three layers, I was able to peel away one of the top layers to expose the flutes in between. It was then enclosed around a circular base. One of the main challenges which I faced was making the domed shape of the cake itself. I’d originally thought of having leaf-like panels that would fold and circle around to create the top but ended up using strips of cardboard (outside layer) to create that effect.
With the second prototype, I modified the process which I went through to create the cup. In my first prototype, I’d created the cup out of a rectangle of cardboard, which was how it resulted in a straight up and down cup.
In the second prototype, I cut out small sections of cardboard which converged at one end to create a rounded layer on the outside which would slant inwards. This is held together using tape.
Generally, I think the creative process on a whole wasn’t difficult to peel away at the layers of cardboard, once I knew what I wanted to do I felt as if the execution was not extremely difficult. However, to combine the creative process with the translation of my ideas was difficult. This was seen in my first prototype, where I had tried to create the structure of the cupcake. Though I’d sketched out and thought about what I wanted to do, applying that plan itself to create an accurate prototype was difficult.
Carrier #1
My first carrier was not far off from the conventional box-shaped carrier commonly used for cupcakes. Since I did not plan very well, I ended up with a carrier that was very segmented, though it could’ve been created from one piece. The amount of tape used in this piece was very visible, where I had attached the opening and closing flaps to the base of the structure. Instead of this method, I could have used a scoring method to achieve the same effect. Moreover, the pieces which I’d used as holders for the cupcakes could have been constructed out of a single piece as well.
The carrier focused on the display of the cupcake, as I created windows through which the frosting of the cupcakes would be visible. I felt as if the overall stability of the carrier was enough to dissuade any concerns to do with the carrier. The cupcake holders themselves were cut in half, as I wanted to create a structure that was actually supported from within. Looking from the side at the box, we can see how the box is supported from within by the cupcake.
One of the major issues which were present in this design, and also given to me as feedback was the insufficient height of the sides of the box. The lack of height created a risk of the cupcakes being damaged. In order to address this problem I could have added more height to the sides of the box, or, added height to the centerpiece of the carrier.
Carrier #2
Stability-wise, my first iteration was very stable, harboring a very large base relative to the size and amount of cupcakes, while maintaining a relatively safe space in which the cupcakes themselves were situated. However, the boxiness and angularity of the carrier did not reflect the shape of the object itself. In this respect, I decided to go with the most simple way of reflecting the qualities and appearance of my object, which in this case was the cylindrical form of the cupcake.
Some of the focuses which I had in this iteration:
- Ease of discarding the carrier
- Reflecting the fundamental quality of the carrier (circular shape)
- Stability and security of carrier
- Twist and lock component for attached handle
For my first time trying to shape cardboard into a cylinder, I attempted a scoring method that seemed to have worked well for others’ carriers. The process of scoring was meticulous in the steps leading up to the actual cutting, I had to make sure to measure at regular widths for each cut. Though this was how I went about the process, admittedly, I’d never attempted the same method with varying widths of cuts, which is something I could explore later on.
Carrier #3
My third iteration was a point in this project where I got very frustrated, as I’d originally started out with an idea in my head which I thought would be executable. I had thought out as well as sketched out a net which I thought would work, however after having cut out the entire thing I realized that it did not, in fact, work like I wanted it to. The main focus of that net was to “reduce”. All my previous iterations had the common problem of having too many components present in their form, components that did not have to separate. I realized after cutting it out that the proportions were off and it could not fold properly to fit without tearing at the cardboard:
One of the factors which influenced the success I had with my net was probably the fact that I did not reference any nets in the creation process. While I did look at pictures of existing carriers, I tried visualizing nets particular to what I wanted to create in my head as opposed to taking them off the internet. After all, even for the creation of pre-existing nets, whoever first thought of them, would have had to try and break down and visualize any complex 3-dimensional form as a continuation of 2-dimensional objects.
Since my initial idea had failed, I created a second carrier, as a variation of my first iteration. I essentially tried to create a similar structure but in a circular shape. Although I’d tried to do so, I did find that the result was very flimsy and lacking in protection in comparison to the first one.
It offered little protection of the cupcakes, not to mention the very visible tape which was still holding pieces together. This was by far the poorest iteration I had created so far, and it did give me a lot to reflect on, albeit the frustration it came along with. I felt as if I should have been progressing even though it clearly had become a carrier of decreased quality.
Carrier #4
The advice session following my 3rd iteration gave me a lot more ideas into factors which I did not pay enough attention to:
- protection of the cupcakes
- reveal of the cupcakes
- interaction with the carrier
A lot of people commented on how the cupcakes were exposed and there was no sense of drama in the way they were exposed. I believe a lot of the thinking and decisions made throughout this project were influenced by the context that our carrier was to be taken to a dinner party.
In reflecting back on my previous iterations I knew I wanted to combine the stability of my 1st carrier, the turning mechanism of my 2nd and the “window” reveal of my 3rd carrier. One commonality of my previous carriers was that all the cupcakes were fully visible to the user in each one. I wanted to add an element surprise, focusing on how the cupcakes were revealed, through some sort of mechanism.
The creative process for this carrier was much more complex and exhaustive compared to any of my previous carriers. Though I did have rough sketches of my idea, as someone who felt less adept in expressing my ideas in drawn form, I, later on, used Sketchup as an aide to help envision and refine my initial ideas for what I wanted to do:
The initial idea was to have a mostly enclosed cylindrical carrier, to both reflect the shape of the cupcake and create a sense of stability and security. I was able to achieve this overall structure in my product, apart from the fact that the proportions of the product were a lot higher than the Sketchup model I’d made.
One of the challenges I ran into with this carrier was creating some sort of cylindrical structure to encircle the base and create walls. In this iteration, I had taken advice from peers to try and create folds parallel to each other, to create a cylindrical form as opposed to scoring it with a knife. I’d used the scoring method in my second iteration to create one of the components of the twist and lock mechanism, though what I found was that the scoring compromised the structural integrity of the final cylindrical form. It was flexible but too flexible. In places where I had cut deeper than other areas, awkward folds were created, which created sharp distorted angles. It made the structure much harder to use effectively, albeit the rather quick and simple creation process. In this iteration, after using the method recommended to me I found that it yielded a cylindrical structure which was much sturdier than the other. It was a much longer process and involved the use of the metal ruler to create the folds. One of the other improvements from the scoring method was that it did not create the look of the cut lines running down the form.
The main difference which I noticed between the two methods was the structural integrity of the final product as well as how it would change the length of the cardboard.
With the scoring method, since each cut was creating more space around the outside of the structure, the length was not constricted by the outermost layer of cardboard:
The final product which I created was a carrier that operated almost entirely on mechanisms. The cupcakes were displayed through a small window cut into the side of the cylinder, and the center of the carrier rotated on a center to display the cupcakes one by one.
Though I did enjoy thinking out the mechanisms and seeing it work, thinking back on it I feel as if the presentation and fundamental purpose of the product being a carrier was forgotten. The mechanisms overshadowed the original intended purpose and I feel as if it became more of a toy that entertained me. I spent more time fiddling with the final mechanism and it distracted me from its intended purpose as a carrier.
Final Carrier
In the creation of my final carrier, I tried the best I could to reset my mindset and to detach myself from the mechanism ideas which I had grown so attached to. The fundamental purpose of the product was to be a carrier, less to become a gadget or source of entertainment. I went with a relatively simple design, combining the stability and protection of the 4th iteration with the removable top of the 2nd iteration. This time, I thought a lot more about the ways in which I could reduce the number of components present in my carrier, which could detract and confuse users, which is not its intended purpose.
The net became a component which, when folded, created both the base of my carrier and the handle of my carrier. I combined that with a tight-fitting centerpiece to create the base upon which my cupcake holders would fit on. The net which I created was this:
I found that over the prolonged period of working with cardboard along with the experience I had gained in the Communicative Shapes project helped me a lot in the refinement of my craft. Though not all my iterations worked well, I did find that in the making of each, I felt more familiar with the knife in my hand and the cardboard at my fingertips. It felt easier and easier to work with overall.
Finally, in the creation of the cylindrical lid which lay on to of the marrier, I used the same method which I had become familiar working with, which was the folding method as opposed to the scoring method:
In the end, my final product looked something like this. It was much more stable than some of my previous iterations while staying at a size that was neither too bulky nor too small that it would compromise stability. The lid did create a sense of reveal for users, without overcomplicating the process or being confusing, as was caused by the combination of multiple meticulous mechanisms in my 4th iteration.
