Do-Not-Disturb
/ Product Design
"The best way to hang your coat". This was the theme of a 3-weeks project realized at the ENSCI-Lest Ateliers and supervised by Claire Le Sage, that revised the way we use to put coats on hangers, chairs or any object around us.
Startpoint
Some people just want to get rid of coats as fast as possible, others take time to tidy up and leave no rugs on the next day. But the question remains: did we already invent the best/fastest/most efficient way to keep our jackets out of our hands, or is the ideal object yet to be found? Coat hangers have gained several forms and materials through time, but the essence of movements didn't change.
Approach
Having this in mind, I started looking into dis- and organized ways of dressing and undressing. A fast research was made on the behavior of people towards things they can use to throw their clothes on with very interesting results. All the process of sketching and creating something new had to be done in a matter of days, due to the short production time we had for creating a functional prototype.
Photos
Victor Stelmasuk
Result
The 'Do-Not-Disturb' is composed of 2 parts of acrylic (one screwed to the wall) and powerful nickel-layered magnets. The name comes from the forms of the pieces: one refers to the classic format of do-not-disturb signs from hotels, and the other to a round and bulky doorknob. The transparent pieces attract each other by magnets glued inside and can keep heavy coats stuck to the wall. The user is meant to take the 'doorknob' with one hand, put it inside the coat while taking it out and simply let the 'sign' take it away from his hands.