Hallo
Date
November 2019 ( 3 day Workshop)
Skills
Global Design, Industrial Design, Graphic Design
“Hallo”, a quick project designed for an eco-conception seminar, the idea came from the observation made on the number of cigarette stubs on the streets of Montréal city. It is frequent to observe smokers throwing right on the floor their cigarette butt.
Montréal is the city of festivals, and we identified these events as central points of the cigarette consumption. Many smokers increase their consumption during festivals and some people, occasional smokers, tend to smoke on this kind of events for social reasons.
Inspired by the campfire metaphor, we chose to gather smokers around an iconic ashtray.
Through this campfire metaphor, we tended to attract the user with light. However, in our eco-conception approach it would have been absurd to use a nonrenewable energy source like a battery, and the presence of power cables would have ruined the “magic touch” of the product.
So our research led us to the use of bioluminescent organisms cultures. Inspired by the start-up Glowee we have been charmed by this eco-friendly light source with an uncanny look in order to reinforce the visual impact of the product on the user
Continuing our research on the culture of bio-organisms, the work of another start-up : Purifungi gave us the idea of using the culture of fungus, mushrooms able to digest cigarette stubs, in the lower tray of Hallo. More than a simple ashtray, Hallo then becomes the ecological combination of two organisms, first inviting smokers to throw their stub and then digesting it. Adding a real poetic dimension to the project.
The conception of “Hallo” makes it dismountable and easely mobile, perfect for festival organisations.
This conception with two dismountable trays also enables a quick replacement of the two organisms during a festival. “Hallo” being imagined as a service managed by a third party (as the toilets usually), all the assembly/disassembly range and the maintenance are optimized.
The product identity is naturally strong and intriguing, however it is not enough to make the visitors understand its use. Therefore we conceived a poster campaign which could be also displayed during the festival. It will of course promote the product, but also raise awareness on the ecological impact of a cigarette stub thrown in nature. Finally, of course we count on the novelty appeal shown by the organisms used, so that people make the effort to throw their stubs in the product.
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