Electrolux Design Lab 2010 Finalist: Michael Edenius

Published 2010-08-24 in Design Lab 2010 Competition

Michael Edenius, a Swedish design student, made it through to the 2010 finals of the Electrolux Design Lab competition with his ‘Clean Closet’ concept. Here we take a look at the background and get Michael’s thoughts on his work.

All in One Laundry Concept
The Clean Closet is essentially a closet that washes clothing. Textiles are scanned for impurities and cleaned accordingly with molecular technology that removes dirt and odours. The concept replaces the laundry basket, the washing machine, and drying cabinet to save space and, as no water is used in the process, is kinder to the environment.

What was the inspiration for your concept?
I have been inspired by learning more of how our planet looks today and how forecasts for the future looks from a sustainable perspective. A lack of clean water is one example, according to UNICEF there are over one million children dying each year of waterborne diseases, while we using clean water to do the dishes and washing our clothes. Another thing that has been interesting is to imagine living 40 years from now. What kind of home products do we really need? Can you combine two or several needs into one product? It has been really fun to play out different scenarios about life in 2050. The design of the closet was inspired by a poster holder because it’s offering the user an easy way to browse through the contents.

How does your concept fit into the theme of compact living?
Since the concept replaces the laundry basket, the washing machine, the drying cabinet and closet as well, I have to say it fits very well. Another space saving aspect of this concept is the decreasing amount of your clothes. Of course you will be able keep the variation of your closet but you won’t need ten identical pairs of socks or towels.

Why would someone want your concept (what are its main benefits)?
Because of the simplicity, imagine always having clean clothes and never having to wash them. The closet saves a lot of space in your home because of all the products it replaces. The closet does the environment a huge favor since it does not use any water. It is very understandable and easy to use for everybody. The concept fits quite well in a design for all perspective.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept?
I have been looking on how people do their laundry from fifty years ago up until the present date. It has given me a picture of how trends around washing clothes evolve and what the consumer strive for. Different people have been interviewed about their laundry habits and what they think is valued in the context. I have looked at different speakers at Ted talks about consumption. Different requiremements from a variety of potential users were considered to help me offer as much as possible in the concept. I have investigated different manufacturers in this area and talked with professional designers about trends around these type of products.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
I imagine the aggregate in a glossy hard plastic material. It has a clean, fresh feeling to it which fits in well with the concepts main function: cleaning clothes. The hangers should be in shiny aluminum, which create nice reflections through the transparent covers. It will also give the user a convincing trust, since you can relate that material on that shape within the laundry context. I imagine the covers on the closet to be in a future type of material, a transparent plastic material with the feeling of glass (most visionary). The material should be solid all the way around in the back but you can still be able to open and close the covers. In 2050 all of these materials is 100% recyclable and produced under good conditions.

Who is your favorite designer?
I have to say Naoto Fukasawa because his interesting way of thinking around peoples behaviors and the way he works as a designer. Actually I read his book during this project. I like the way he works with the function of a product in relevance to the form of the product. There are never any unnecessary shapes or materials on his work. He is paying attention to all those little things people does without thinking about it themselves.

What are your career goals?
My first goal is to finish my education at Umeå institute of design. After that, my goal is to work as a product designer on both in house and consulting basis to get a good perspective of how the business works. I and a couple of friends have talked about starting our own company; it would be cool to see that happen at some point.