Industrial - Bachelors

Onsabi

Onsabi is an eye-catching feature piece made for shared housing environments. It tackles the common issues flat mates face with communication and cleanliness. It has been proven that the re-introduction of physical touch strengthens positive habits, and thus Onsabi uses this approach by focusing on touch and feel. This encourages habits relating to completing chores and maintaining cleanliness, and improves communication by doing so.

James Boughen

Onsabi

Improving the flatmate experience and communication in shared housing environments.

Onsabi is an aesthetic model that compliments communal living areas, living on your coffee table, kitchen bench, or anywhere you see fit. Featuring removable magnetic pods, the user is able to physically move these around from between various areas in the home and the base structure. Each pod acts as a visual signifier that represents pending chores to be completed or other shared responsibilities between flat mates.
It aims to encourage each flat mate in maintaining cleanliness and doing their part living in a shared environment. Communication is often a struggle when it comes to a flat mate slacking off from their responsibilities, so Onsabi represents a solution which prevents this is as many ways as possible.

An image of bonsai tree's depicting how they were a focus for the visual design of the final product, through various sketches and side profiles.

The design inspiration

Onsabi is an anagram of bonsai, and takes heavy inspiration from the natural and visual cues found in various bonsai trees. As shown in the image to the left, the common slanted side profile of a small bonsai tree was transformed into that of Onsabi. The golden ratio, which is found in nature, is also a key aesthetic design choice which helped determine the proportions and angles which are found in the final product.

James Boughen

James Boughen is an Industrial Designer based in Brisbane, Australia. He has a hands-on approach in life and seeks challenging problems which encourage a deeper technical understanding. Using his background experience in Engineering and Computer Science, he aspires to implement seamless solutions into aesthetically appealing and user-focused designs.