The first step toward the design of a mixer that fits the Smeg brand, is to give an existing mixer a makeover. This may seem strange since the creation of an actual Smeg mixer requires a complete new design. However, by using the predetermined shape of an existing mixer, the focus of the design is entirely on the graphical language of the mixer. This is a valuable step since it provides the design team with a deep understanding of the graphical elements that form the Smeg language.

 

The chosen design elements need to balanced. This balance is what integrates the explicit design cues and contributes to the implicit appearance. Iterations on the mixer with several ratio’s of the main materials lead to the required insights. Chrome surfaces are one of the elements that characterise the products of the 50’s retro line. However, to much chrome will disrupt the balance of the mixer and damage the relation to the first order associations. To be able to determine whether the effort, transforming a generic mixer into a Smeg mixer, is a success, a physical model is produced. Only by actually seeing and feeling the mixer, a proper evaluation can be made.

 

In the second part of the design, the focus is on the 3D shape. In this process, three different formgiving ideation techniques are used to develop new shapes.  The final concept represent the Italian 50's, rounded body, and glossy design cues which fits with the brand values. All products come together in one single shot and reinforce each other's recognisable visual identity that makes Smeg's Italian 50's line so successful, now and for years to come.

 

This project is done in cooperation with Bastiaan Evers and Marlin Bloemberg.