THE FUTURE OF MOBILE FURNITURE & BIKING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Sung wook Park / Umbra Innovates / Published: Aug-05-2020
Umbra is a global housewares design leader. Casual, modern, and functional are all important values that are top of mind when we design, but we also wanted to think unconventionally to innovate the unexpected. With over 40 years of original designs, we thought about what we could create that would resonate with the future of the Umbra consumer. We as a Design Team and housewares company, have the opportunity, now more than ever, to innovate and create change, designing without fear of limitation.
SUSTAINABLY FOCUSED FURNITURE THAT TAKES USERS ON A RIDE
SUSTAINABLY FOCUSED FURNITURE THAT TAKES USERS ON A RIDE
Umbra is a global housewares design leader. Casual, modern, and functional are all important values that are top of mind when we design, but we also try to think unconventionally to innovate the unexpected. With over 40 years of original designs, we thought about what we could create that would resonate with the future of the Umbra consumer. We as a Design Team and housewares company, have the opportunity, now more than ever, to innovate and create change, starting with how we design.
The rapid trend of urbanization makes city-dwellers one of the most vulnerable demographics, as over half of the world’s population lives in cities, and by 2050, that number is expected to reach 75%. As this generation learns more about the impact their purchasing behaviours and lifestyle choices can have on the environment, young adults are paving a way for a future that looks greener.
Setting the sky as the limit and encouraging our Design Team to continue to think beyond parameters has been paramount, especially over the last year. We wanted to design something that meets the needs of the Umbra consumer with an emphasis on healthy living and sustainability in mind. How can we help make their lives more sustainable? What kinds of problems might people be facing during these global changes?
"Umbra Design Studio is not afraid to push the limit. As a leader in the home design industry, we want our designs to be able to have a positive impact on the environment."
- Sung wook Park, Senior Design Lead
Umbra is a global housewares design leader. Casual, modern, and functional are all important values that are top of mind when we design, but we also try to think unconventionally to innovate the unexpected. With over 40 years of original designs, we thought about what we could create that would resonate with the future of the Umbra consumer. We as a Design Team and housewares company, have the opportunity, now more than ever, to innovate and create change, starting with how we design.
The rapid trend of urbanization makes city-dwellers one of the most vulnerable demographics, as over half of the world’s population lives in cities, and by 2050, that number is expected to reach 75%. As this generation learns more about the impact their purchasing behaviours and lifestyle choices can have on the environment, young adults are paving a way for a future that looks greener.
Setting the sky as the limit and encouraging our Design Team to continue to think beyond parameters has been paramount, especially over the last year. We wanted to design something that meets the needs of the Umbra consumer with an emphasis on healthy living and sustainability in mind. How can we help make their lives more sustainable? What kinds of problems might people be facing during these global changes?
"Umbra Design Studio is not afraid to push the limits. As a leader in the home design industry, we want our designs to be able to have a positive impact on the environment."
- Sung wook Park, Senior Design Lead
Setting the sky as the limit and encouraging our Design Team to continue to think beyond parameters has been paramount, especially over the last year. We wanted to design something that meets the needs of the Umbra consumer with an emphasis on well-being in mind. Healthy living is made up a variety of positive choices and habits that contribute to an overall improvement of physical, mental, and spiritual health. How can we help make their lives healthier? What kinds of problems might people be facing during these global changes? These are questions that we asked ourselves and our team which is what lead us to come up with the first draft of this bike concept.
We wanted to research how the average city-dweller consumer not only uses their bike, but also how it gets stored in their home. Many people who live in the city without a garage or shed, are forced to store their bike in their entryway, hallway, a bike rack or shoved into a closet. Not only can a bike take up precious storage space, but it also can be an eye-sore when left out in your living space. We wanted to address this storage problem to help people store their bike somewhere safe, while also ensuring that it is not in the way of their everyday lives.
Creating a concept like this is something that we have never done as a design company before. Not only did we want this bike to be more eco-friendly, but we also wanted to create something that was multi-functional. A lot of our designs are versatile, designed with small spaces in mind, but another interesting aspect is that they also can live indoors or outdoors as well.
Through a lot of our own research as a design company, we know that many of our customers are city dwellers, living an urban lifestyle. Sustainable commuting was something we began to explore, as we thought of solutions for the modern-day city commuter. After brainstorming, we thought that a bike is a perfect product to dive into. We wanted to learn how the average city-dweller consumer not only uses their bike, but also how it gets stored in their home. Many people who live in the city without a garage or shed, are forced to store their bike in their entryway, hallway, a bike rack, or shoved into a closet. Not only can a bike take up precious storage space, but it also can be an eye-sore when left out in your apartment or home. We wanted to address this storage problem so people could store their bike somewhere safe, while also ensuring it is not in the way of their everyday life.
Creating a concept like this is something that we have never done as a design company before. Not only did we want this bike to be more eco-friendly, but we also wanted to create something that was multi-functional. A lot of our designs are versatile, designed with small spaces in mind, but another interesting aspect is that they also can live indoors or outdoors as well. Developing products that have this multi-functionality of indoor and outdoor living will continue to be at the forefront of design, especially as we spend more times outdoors.
This unique bike concept allows the consumer to store it in their apartment as a unique piece of furniture while also making it easy to bring outside with them - whether commuting to work or going for a stroll. Utilizing this idea of mobile furniture, its transformative design, turns it into a bench, making it great to use as a sitting spot when out and about or easily store once at home. It makes it fun to sit and eat at the park or take a break from your ride and enjoy your surroundings, all without having to worry about public seating.
It was also important that we designed a bike was that was approachable, for people who are cyclists and even for those who may have never ridden a bike before. It features a modern twist with brass and wooden details, making it almost appear as a form of art. With small spaces in mind, the versatility of this bike makes it great for any city dweller as its changing shape turns it into a more functional and attractive piece of furniture in your home.
Folded handlebars lock in place for sleek design
Front handlebars with integrated LED light
Adjustable rotatable LED indicators
Integrated storage bin with tray-top
Rubber banded chain & foldable metal-detail foot pedals
Padded height adjustable seat
This unique bike concept allows the consumer to store the bike in their apartment as a unique piece of furniture while also making it easy to bring outside with them - whether commuting to work or going for a stroll. Utilizing this idea of mobile furniture, its transformative design, turns it into a bench, making it great to use as a sitting spot when out and about or easily store once at home. It makes it fun to sit and eat at the park or take a break from your ride and enjoy your surroundings, all without having to worry about public seating.
It was also important that we designed a bike was that was approachable, for people who are cyclists and even for those who may have never ridden a bike before. It features a modern twist with brass and wooden details, making it almost appear as a form of art. With small spaces in mind, the versatility of this bike makes it great for any city dweller as its changing shape turns it into a more functional and attractive piece of furniture in your home.
"As a global company with original design at the heart of everything we do, we ask ourselves, "How can we continue to think of ideas that are unexpected?'"
- Sung wook Park, Senior Design Lead
Through this design we can push the boundaries of what furniture can look like in the home. Achieving design for the future without limitations is a part of one of our larger design goals here at Umbra. As a global company with original design at the heart of everything we do, we ask ourselves "How can we continue to think of ideas that are unexpected?" Not only is this important for us to think big to grow as a brand but also to encourage all our designers to never let something stop you from coming up with an idea or a sketch.
The steps we take to an eco-friendlier future will have a direct impact on generations to come. As new innovations and more sustainable alternatives continue to be developed, consumers have the power to choose the role they will play, in hopes of creating a more sustainable environment. We hope to continue to design for the future, always keeping our target market in mind, with concepts like this being at the forefront of what it means to design without limits.
Through this design concept we are able to push the boundaries of what furniture can look like in the home. Achieving design for the future with less limitations is a part of one of our larger design goals here at Umbra. As a global company with original design at the heart of everything we do, we ask ourselves "How can we continue to think of ideas that are unexpected?" Not only is this important for us to think big to grow as a brand but also to encourage all our designers to never let something stop them from coming up with an idea or a sketch.
The steps we take to an eco-friendlier future will have a direct impact on generations to come. As new innovations and more sustainable alternatives continue to be developed, consumers have the power to choose the role they will play, in hopes of creating a more sustainable environment. We hope to continue to design for the future, always keeping our audience in mind, with concepts like this being at the forefront of what it means to design without limits.