Of the included design concepts, many were designed by previous Electrolux Design Lab participants. You can check out the 48 creations here or simply click on the image above. ]]> http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2011/01/trend-hunters-guide-to-48-electrolux-creations/feed/ 3 http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2010/04/electrolux-shine-laundry-concept-launched-in-milan/ http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2010/04/electrolux-shine-laundry-concept-launched-in-milan/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:28:44 +0000 admin http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/?p=1708 The Electrolux SHINE washing machine concepts were launched at Eurocucina, Milan yesterday. The design concepts (not actual Electrolux products) are potential solutions to address the issue of shrinking domestic spaces, with one of the appliances being wall mountable and the other designed for integration within a bathroom (for those who may not have a dedicated space for laundry).  Both of the concepts were shown in a bathroom context at the Riva 1920 exhibition space, also at Eurocucina.  We’ve posted more images and further detail below.

According to the UN, by 2050 around 74% of the world’s population is expected to live in an urban environment. This will mean we need to be more space efficient. As a suggested solution, the Electrolux Design Team in Porcia, Italy, devised the SHINE concept appliances – true to the Electrolux design values of simplicity and purity, the concepts are able to be seemlesly integrated within the bathroom.

“We wanted to make the appliance look more like bathroom furniture than just a washing machine,” says Levente Szabo, lead designer for the SHINE concepts.”The form and high gloss finish reference porcelain and ceramics as normally found in the bathroom environment.”

There are two Shine washing machine concepts: one freestanding and one wall mounted. The free standing apliance can be integrated underneath a bathroom sink, while the wall mounted version is easily integrated with bathroom cupboards.

The importance of light: When developing the concepts, the Electrolux Design team thoroughly studied the bathroom environment and developed new design trends linked to materials, colors, lighting and ambiance.
“The bathroom is more of a relaxation room than a cleansing room,” explains Calum Armstrong, Electrolux Industrial Design Manager, Fabric Care. “The SHINE concepts are thoroughly connected to this with our intention to contribute to a therapeutic atmosphere, akin to Japanese culture.”

Around the doors of the Shine concepts there are integrated lights that act as ambient lighting and the product’s interface. The light ring around the door will visually communicate both the cycle time and the phase of the washing process. Once the washing cycle is started, the ring around the door will start to light up in a clockwise manner, reaching completion at the same time as the washing cycle.

“This not only creates nice ambient lighting, but also provides a more emotional connection to the washing cycle,” continues Calum.  “True to Scandinavian design, the SHINE concepts are sleekly designed, yet functional at the same time. The small display above the door has a smaller selection of programs, depending on the type of garments that need to be washed.”