2013 | Biocharger Transportable Biochar Kiln

Biocharger was the design outcome of a project focused on the design of a safe and efficient biochar production for a small business initiatives in Johannesburg, by Myles Day for a BTech Industrial Design in 2013. The project was supervised by myself and was supported by the Department of Industrial Design, UJ, Siyakhana Initiative for Ecological Health and Food Security and the Gauteng Department of  Agricultural Research and Development (GDARD). Overview: The aim of this research study was to design a safe and efficient biochar production unit to be used by employees of a small business in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study also aimed to design a system of operation for the business which could improve access to biochar for the urban farming community of Johannesburg. The design of the biochar production unit, and the system of operation for the small business, were informed by qualitative data obtained from field research ... Read More

2013 | PPE for Women in Mining

This project aimed to improve gender-inappropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for women in mining as part of a BTech Industrial Design final mini-dissertation project by Monica Monsanto in 2013. I was her supervisor for the project. Overview: The mining industry in South Africa, prior to 2007, can be labelled as a sector dominated by the masculine gender, whereby positions underground were only reserved for male workers, as women were perceived to not have the equal physical capabilities to withstand working in such a labour intensive environment. This clear labour divide between men and women in the mining production sector has been seen to restrict women from contributing to the ‘production sphere’ (Benya 2009:14). However, over time the eventual inclusion of women in the production domain, has allowed women to start out being employed in ‘low-status’ careers undertaking administrative positions as well as unskilled lower ranked activities such as being sweepers, ... Read More

2013 | Thinking Design Exhibition

Thinking Design was an exhibtion curated by me in 2013 that provided an opportunity to showcase the design processes behind the making of products. Overview: Thinking Design is an inversion of the term Design Thinking and highlights the hidden thoughtfulness that goes into a design, or the solving of a design problem. This is an overt consciously systematic and iterative process. Thinking Design focuses on the physical artefacts generated through this process from five professional industrial designers - all alumni from the University of Johannesburg's Department of Industrial Design. The artefacts included research, sketches, renderings, development models, user-testing, engineering, development prototypes and final manufactured prototypes. This exhibition was enlightening for design students and the broader public by tangibly making visible the complex process of getting to a final design ‘solution’. The exhibition opened on the 7 August 2013 and ran until the 28 August 2013 at the FADA Gallery, University ... Read More

2009-2011 | Jacqueline Rabun Jewellery

"Illustrating human experience through the medium of jewellery." Jacqueline Rabun Jacqueline Rabun is an internationally renowned American designer who has run her jewellery design studio out of London since 1990. Her signature is described as "fluid conceptual forms" and a "poetic approach to design." Overview: In 2009 Jacqueline employed me as an industrial designer at her studio in order for me to streamline the production of her pieces. My role focused on using my industrial design expertise to convert her existing collection into CAD enabling a better means for their rapid production. I was only based in London for a few months, but continued to remotely work with Jacqueline on a range of other custom jewellery projects until 2011. Jacqueline's full jewellery range and online store can be accessed here. Selected Outcomes: Jacqueline Rabun's Alphabet Collection Jacqueline Rabun's We Rings 'A Line of Love' in collaboration with Jacqueline Rabun and ... Read More

2010 | Seboko Low-cost Tunnel System

The Seboko low-cost tunnel system for small-scale farmers was the outcome of a participatory design project by Kyle Brand undertaken in his BTech Industrial Design in 2010. I was the supervisor for the project. Overview: Small-scale farmers face many problems in  South Africa and development in this area of  food production is very important to alleviate poverty. This project was approached with no preconceived idea of a specific problem, but rather a method to identify a problem with the assistance of the farmers. The methodology used was participatory action research, and more specifically user-centred design. The location and user group for this project was a farming collective know as Rainbow Nation Farmers. They are a non-profit community-based project in the Nancefield area South of Johannesburg. This collective had 28 committed farmers with 249 household dependants. They use about 6 hectares of land divided among the farmers. The produce is then sold ... Read More

2007-2009 | Vhembe Low-cost Ceramic Water Filter

This MTech Industrial Design project from 2007-2009 was undertaken by Martin Bolton with focus on the design and development of an improved low-cost ceramic water filter. The design outcome was based on the existing Potpaz home water treatment device, and was targeted for use within rural households of the Vhembe region. The project was supervised by myself with co-supervision from Dr. Paul Jagals from the UJ Water Health Research Centre. The project was undertaken in partnership with the UJ Department of Industrial Design the UJ Water Health Research Centre  and the South African Water Research Commission (WRC). Overview: This project aimed to develop the Potpaz ceramic water filter into an improved filter design, optimally suited to South African rural conditions, which could provide potable water to households. Communities that do not have access to in-house treated water often end up with a contaminated water supply since the water they consume is usually ... Read More