As the lead designer for ECOncrete® I developed on various ecological marine infrastructure solutions. One of the more thoroughly researched and innovative products I worked on is the Droplock, an interlocking scour protection unit developed as a structurally sound and, most importantly, ecologically beneficial alternative to existing solutions.
These units are to be dropped from a barge on the surface of the water onto the ocean floor in order to stabilize offshore infrastructure, such as windfarm piles. To facilitate these requirements, several designs were considered and evaluated. The unit’s hydrodynamic performance had to be tested in multiple scale model drop tests measuring their spread radius and interlocking capabilities. The final design was further developed and optimized to fit the manufacturing capabilities, structural requirements and ecological performance.
The unit is now patented and the first pilot installation is being monitored in the eastside waters of the US.
Some other designs from the evaluation stage.
Development timeline of the chosen design.
1:10 scaled model drop testing.
First production unit.
Units transported to the pilot site.
The barge being towed to the drop site, where the hull opened and released the units to their final destination.
The Drip Baskets were presented at Freshpaint Fair 2021 as part of MISS Design, a collective founded by myself and four other friends. This project was developed for our collection as we set out to demonstrate the potential of industrial waste and byproducts as raw material for contemporary craft. We imagine a future gatherer, wandering a post industrial wasteland, and how they might use what they find to create art.
Me and Eyal Shushan developed a system by which we use agricultural waste, mainly discarded drip irrigation hoses, to create hand made baskets. We set out to combine the inherent material properties and unique aesthetic of these black plastic tubes. Through this process we created tools that allowed us to bring forward a new design language based in the physical properties of the raw material.
Freshpaint is the largest art and design fair in Israel. It brought us attention and interest from publications and design outlets in Israel and abroad. This was an important experience in brand development and marketing.
Our installation at Freshpaint Fair before the grand opening.
Freshpaint Fair opening night.
A unique drinking experience in which the user takes the role of a hummingbird, gliding through a space occupied by a variety of hanging nectar filled vessels.
The shapes of the vessels are abstract interpretations of natural forms. The colors correlate to specific tastes, as shown in research done by Charles Spence. I aim to test the intuitive human expectation for taste relating to visual stimuli.
The main material used is porcelain, with stainless steel hangers inside. A pointy glass straw allows the user to penetrate a silicone membrane at the tip of the vessel and drink the liquid inside.
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need to better our industry and resource utilization practices. This project showcases how design can work in a circular economy, where the end of a product’s life is only the beginning of another.
Plasti Fantasti is a research and development venture for innovative circular technologies using recycled plastic. In developing the mechanisms and products I followed the principle of accessibility. I deliberately emphasized the disassembly and assembly of the product, while using as few parts as possible with a limited range of raw materials. The outcome is an honest, transparent, and colorful design language, coherent to the subject matter of music playback.
The end result of this effort is a HIFI system comprising of a pair of active monitors and a turntable. The enclosures are made of recycled HDPE sheets and steel sheets, with no glue, screws or any additional connecting hardware - only integral geometric locks. As an example, the control buttons on the speakers are also part of the case itself.
A DIY kit for transforming produce boxes into backpacks for pedestrian dumpster divers. Designed to be lightweight, durable, and comfortable.
Urban dumpster divers often relay on large grocery bags for carrying produce back home. The uneven distribution of weight can result in back pain or strained muscles, and damage to the fruit and veggies, since rescued food tends to be very ripe or dirty. This kit makes sorting and transporting produce a breeze, and can be easily disassembled and stowed away in a handbag.
The plastic parts are 3D printed PETG, designed to be easily reproduced. The textile materials used are standard nylon straps, a nylon mesh, and an elastic band. The hanger is a steel telescopic rod. The box itself can usually be collected from the market floor.
Unscratch is a turntable add-on for smoothing out bent grooves in records, better known as scratches.
The technological challenge of this project was to imitate a home-brew method of reshaping grooves by hand with a needle. At the tip of the sliding head is a microscopic comb, that can be placed on the damaged area and gently turned back and forth. The pressure on the record can be adjusted with small weights placed on top of the sliding head.
The main Aesthetic objective of this product is to fit with the well established world of audiophile equipment, and to speak the same design language as other high end trinkets.
Individuals in large urban areas often find themselves powerless against isolation and the indifference of municipalities. Many communities are ether neglected or underfunded, resulting in dissatisfaction, waste of resources and alienation.
In contrast, there is a growing movement of neighborhoods taking matters into their own hands - Bettering their streets and strengthening their bonds. By working together for common goals people gain a sense of belonging and purpose. I believe that strong communities can be healthier and more sustainable.
UNIBUILD is a tool designed to bring communities together by literally building their own public spaces, art installations and events. The modular system consists of beams made of wood or recycled plastic, string made of plastic bottles, and small pegs. The texture of the beams enables precise placement in 90 and 45 degrees. The wire and pegs are for tying the beams together, creating nets and meshes, or any other application thought up by the user.
This project is the material manifestation of an associative design process. It began with a single picture and evolved through several stages, each represented by an object.
The main theme that arose through the project is one of tension - both mechanical and emotional. The basic materials - wood and red strings or bands.
Here is a selection of the objects developed through this process, with the final result being a folding stool with rubber strings functioning as the connective tissue that holds its structure together.
An oak seat, with CNC milled edges and laser cut steel legs and inserts.
The pattern on the edges is following the natural rings of the stump, creating a unique and surprising junction between the natural lumber and the fabricated steel profile.
A collaboration with Shahar Asor
A complete Hebrew typeface comprising of building blocks in 3 different shapes. The lettering is constructed from wooden chips with selectively painting edges, arranged in specific orientations.
A collaboration with Aya Dekel and Roei Alfasi.
A single week compact project made during my student exchange program at Burg University in Halle, Germany.
My group was brought to a community horse farm at the edge of town in order to make swings out of scarp materials collected by the owner.
I decided to use left over plastic fence poles to make triangular multi purpose swings. They enable the user to hang, swing, and lay down. Shown here are three possibilities out of endless others that can use the basic “rules” I developed. All three swings were hung from a tree branch by large springs, giving them softer movement and dampening any blows.