YiAhn Bassinet http://www.yiahn.com/
A sustainable product designed by Min Kang. Originally planned for the birth of
his son, Min wanted a piece of furniture that would grow with his child. "But as
babies grow, they usually outgrow their bassinet in three months. After that time,
it is a useless object and is also too expensive to use for such a short period of
time." He designed a modular bassinet that could morph into toy bin, bookshelf,
chair, and table to suit the needs of his child at ages past infancy.
Product Details:
Dimensions: 31" H x 39" W x 17" D
Materials: Plyboo® bamboo plywood, stainless steel, chrome metal
Crafted from renewable, low-toxic materials
How was the ply
wood produced?
What resources
were consumed to
create the ply wood?
water, land use,
chemicals etc
Was the production
process efficient?
How did this
knowledge
affect the
designers
decision to use
it?
What energy is
required to make
the materials?
The designer, Min Kang, wanted to create a sustainable product.
The bassinet is sustainable in its change of use and the materials
used, true of false?
What is plywood?
What are the environmental impacts of the production of plywood?
How is plywood made?
How easy is plywood to use?
How is plywood disposed of?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of plywood?
What finishes are applied to wood to enhance its appearance and life?
Is it sustainable? If yes or no why?
Describe the lifecycle of the bassinet.
What makes the bassinet design sustainable?
How long will the plywood last?
How does plywood wear?
What will happen to the plywood at the end of its life? How can it be
disposed of at the end of its life?
Use images, diagrams and explanations
Can you suggest another material the designer could have used
instead to create a sustainable product? Would this be suitable
considering the use of the bassinet?
Use a summary of the above research to assist in developing your understanding of
Lifecycle
design
Innovation
Sustainability
 explain how lifecycle considerations determine the focus for design interventions
 explain the relationship between lifecycle design, innovation and sustainability.
 explain how lifecycle analysis is undertaken and how this determines the focus for
design intervention
 explain how issues identified by lifecycle analysis led to design innovation being
applied in a sustainable technology.
 discuss the relationship between lifecycle analysis, design innovation and a
sustainable technology
 discuss the competing priorities and compromises made as a result of lifecycle
analysis when developing a sustainable technology.
http://nlquery.epa.gov/epasearch/epasearch?querytext=plywood&fld=&areaname=&t
ypeofsearch=epa&areacontacts=http
http://europlywood.satelithost.be/index.php?page=environmentaladvantages-of-plywood