Tomato vending machine

 

This is a project I did for a tomato company. The objective was to build a housing around a working inventive mechanism that produces a handling with which you can get small tomatoes out.

    After a period of research I presented three different concepts to show what was possible regarding different materials, shapes and characteristics. The three concepts were very different compared to each other. This was done on purpose to provide a wide selection in the available design space and make the client decide which way they wanted to go. It is a way of designing in an orienting way, like ideation, but purposefully selecting very different approaches: after a concept decision was made it was time to diverge and explore some of the design space, and so I made several varieties.
     The main goal was to make a machine that was fun, but serious, practical and not too childish. This was done by combining different materials which, when combined, met the customer needs. The housing had to be built by a “form follows function” way of designing because the machine lying underneath had an outspoken silhouette. The option that was finally selected is shown here. With friendly, familiar shapes, yet noticeably coloured - inspired by old telephones from the ‘70s - the machine should easily attract consumers in the supermarket. In combination with clear user keys, the machine is recognizable at first sight and also very approachable.

 

Project: Tomato machine, 2016

Client:   Tommies