Tile Project: How QReative Are You?

It was our presentation for the Tile Project today, here are our boards:

initial idea and development

research and trends

field tiles with underlying pattern

main tile and room visualization

We started our design process by looking at plant life and cellular structure. Through drawings, models and research we developed an interest in Quick Response (QR) code technology. This came about through looking at the work of OP artists, specifically FrancoisMorellet and his piece Aleatoric Distribution. 

Already aware of QR codes in advertising, our research from WGSN and Trend Union led us to believe in the advances of this growing technology as a influence for trends over the next 18 months. We decided to design the tile with this techno-savvy market in mind and looked into the possibilities available with QR coding.

Our research also showed that kitchens and technology are becoming ever more linked. You only need to look at the ipad store for the array of kitchen accessories in the form of tablet stands and screen covers currently available on the market.

This got us thinking about how people might want to use technology in the kitchen and so we developed the concept behind the QReative tile range; where the code would activate an app/website/food blog/recipe bank that the customer would make bespoke to themselves prior to ordering the tile. This then makes the kitchen not only the heart of the home but the heart of hyper-real activity!

Whilst considering hyper-reality, we found additional research on the ceramicist Andrew Tanner. He has developed the first augmented plate where, with smartphone capabilities, it  comes to life with animals and birds on your screen. Advertising is already running along this route, with Aurasma technology being employed to the fronts of magazines so that it can deliver videos to the customer as well as the content inside its pages. This got us thinking about how to apply further developments to the idea (of the tile) and we saw that there were endless capabilities. From developing the applications that the code scans, to applying augmented capabilities amongst a tile range, approaching schools with inbuilt educational tools or developing the capability of sound so that these tiles could translate into the bathroom and possibly service radio use.

Through our research I came across this interesting exhibition utilising mobile, internet and facebook integration: