A third-year industrial design student from New Zealand has come up with a doorless open refrigeration wall that holds food and drinks out in the open, only cooling the items currently stocked in it, and consuming considerably less energy than traditional fridges.
Ben de la Roche is the creator of this unique refrigeration concept, a 21-year old from Dunedin, New Zealand studying art at Massey’s College of Creative Arts. This project has made him one of ten finalists out of more than 1,300 for the international Electrolux Design Lab 2012 Award; a competition challenging grad and undergrad industrial design students to “present innovative ideas for household appliances of the future.â€
The wall does not refrigerate when its empty and uses less power when fewer items are contained. It uses a motor in the back to act like a piston that sends vibrations that resonate through the inner chamber to create cold air. Inspiration from the design came from the child’s toy pin art, where a boxed surface of pins slide in and out depending on what is pushed against it.
Ben will present his design to a panel of judges in Milan on October 25. Entries will be considered for the award based on intuitive design, aesthetic qualities, innovation, and consumer insight. The first prize is a six-month paid internship at Electrolux global design centre and a cash prize of 5000 euros.
It’s always interesting to hear what products inspire designers to come up with ideas like this. In this case, a children’s toy. I like the idea because you can keep ceramic plates, drinks, and food leftovers all in it without overusing energy. Would you use a refrigeration wall like this?
Images courtesy of Massey University and Electrolux
via InhabitatÂ
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