A new modular shelving project: into ideation
There's something quite exciting about getting to the start of a new design project. The brief is agreed, the paperwork is signed, and it's time to start figuring out what this thing could actually become.
I've recently kicked off a new project exploring a modular shelving system, and I'm now getting into the ideation stage — exploring possibilities, challenging the obvious solutions and working out how all the different elements might come together.
What does modularity actually mean for this product? How can the system adapt to different needs without becoming unnecessarily complicated? What needs to be standardised, and where is there room for variation?
I'm thinking about configurations, connections, materials and all the little details that will eventually determine how the product works in the real world. There's a lot to figure out at this stage, which is exactly what makes it interesting.
I'm also conscious that the decisions made now will have a knock-on effect throughout the rest of the project — from design and development through to how the product is eventually manufactured.
So for now, it's research, sketches, exploring ideas and asking a lot of questions.