Sustainable design objects accessible for everyone and built on smart technologies, in the manufacturing of which users have the lead role. The Distributed Design Market Platform (DDMP) reinvents the process of product design, manufacturing and consumption: instead of ready-made products, it makes manufacturing data accessible globally and democratizes access to design objects.
FabLab Budapest announces its joint call as part of DDMP for the second time. The OPEN CALL 4 IDEAS welcomes open source product ideas suitable for digital production, in the categories of urban furniture, inclusive design and product design along the principle of knowledge sharing. The tender also aims to achieve a larger scale target: it wishes to contribute to the transformation of Budapest into a self-sustained city by using local resources.
We asked some of the creators of the winning applications in 2019 what effect distributed design had on design processes and why it is worth applying for the call.
Norbert Juhász | LDV Desk | Production technology: CNC milling
“Distributed design can be one of the possible answers for today’s classic production and consumption culture problem. It democratizes the body of knowledge that is now scattered all around the world – it brings together the artists creating in different fields, it eliminates geographical barriers and does all this on the path leading to sustainability and a conscious future. It globalizes without unification: if it caught on, it would offer a much better alternative than cheap mass products. It could bring incredible diversity into people’s homes and everyday lives, for an affordable price.”– sums it up Norbert Juhász, one of the winning applicants.
The desk created by the designer is called LDV Desk, the supporting structure of which has been inspired by Leonardo da Vinci: it consists of simple self-adhesive bar elements, and so neither fasteners nor tools are required for its assembly. The forms of its components strive to keep waste at a minimum.
“I liked the call very much: designing a product that can be manufactured anywhere is a serious challenge, where many factors must be kept in mind. And what is best in it is maybe that we did not stop at designing, but we ourselves had to tackle the manufacturing challenges posed by the idea drawn by us. It was an instructive process, and it adds to it quite much that we can do this job amongst competent people. I think this call could be useful for anyone working as a designer. We can apply with our own idea, for a good social cause and all of this comes to life at the end of the project. We could learn a lot about designer-manufacturer communication, and the relationship between paper and reality. We could gain an insight into the operation of FabLab, we could caught some ideas and techniques – and of course at the end, we could decide exactly how we wanted to proceed with our product. It was a fantastic experience!” – the designer adds.
Csicsics Gergő | Booklet | Production technology: CNC milling
Similarly to the LDV DESK, in the case of the BOOKLET bar stool designed by Csicsics Gergő, it is one of the product’s peculiarities that the elements are assembled together without gluing. It turned out during the product development phase of the tender (the Bootcamp) that the specially designed seat pan works with other leg structures, too, thus the BOOKLET can be even expanded into a product family.
“The Distributed Design Market Platform is interesting to me because it allows the project designs to be manufactured at any place in the world, and so they can be adjusted more to the needs of consumers. It was good to participate primarily because one of my designs was realized, and on the other hand, I could gain useful experience regarding production and I could work in a splendid community. The tender put my product designed here into orbit successfully. My further goal is for this product to continue this road, and for it to be built in several places and to further develop it based on the feedback.” – Gergő adds.
Vera Burány and Fanni Huszár | Arametry | Production technology: laser cutting
The joint project of Vera Burány and Fanni Huszár involves the customers not only in the production, but into the design process also: both the patterns and size of the Arametry coat can be tailored to our needs and taste. Personal involvement reevaluates the relationship between fashion and the person wearing it, and thus promotes more conscious consumer behavior.
The designers not only want to make their product idea accessible with the help of the DDMP platform, but they also lay emphasis on its continuous promotion:
“Our Arametry project is far from being over with product development, it rather opened many new doors for us: we debuted at an exhibition, a radio and TV interview, and an interview was also made here, on HYPEANDHYPERabout the project. We participated in the incubation program announced jointly by HFDA and Startup Campus and we were selling our product at Ajándék Terminal around Christmas. Besides this, community gave the most positive experience to me, as I got to know talented designers and the team of FabLab, who helped us in any way we needed. The call is great for designers who are interested in product development, digital production and the concept of distributed design. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!”– explains Fanni Huszár, one of the creators of Arametry.
As an accompanying event, FabLab Budapest will also hold an information day, under the name Distributed Design Meetup Vol. 2., at Loffice on February 28.
You can learn more about the details of the 2020 call and the method of application here. The deadline for submitting applications is March 9. In addition to the product development of winning project ideas, FabLab Budapest lays a great emphasis on the further promotion of the products: the best projects will also debut in the framework of Maker Faire in Vienna and Design Week Budapest.
Go and apply!
Open Call 4 Ideas application
Distributed Design Meetup Vol.2. Facebook event
FabLab Budapest Facebook | FabLab Budapest Instagram
The Distributed Design Market Platform international initiative was created under the Creative Europe Program, which lays the emphasis on smart and sustainable design along the principles of knowledge sharing. By founding a new digital market, it creates opportunities for creatives and professionals to promote and make accessible their work across Europe. Aims to support emerging creators and designers.
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