Geo
Geo is a set of placemats designed as part of a research project: Objects with Meaningful Associations. In this project, I interviewed individuals and designed personalised products inspired by their life stories. These products contain meaningful associations to significant aspects of the user's past, present and anticipated future.
“[my son]’s right into geometric tessellations and he’s really mathematical, so he loves all that and I’ve kind of grown to love that as well”
I found inspiration in Louise's and her youngest son's shared appreciation of patterns. Louise also had a personal appreciation of various styles of textiles, patterns and textures including "intricate paisley and floral design", "the art deco era" and "the grain of the wood" that were drawn upon to reflect her identity as a mother and an individual.
Experimenting with various stain finishes.
Louise's life Story
Louise is a 48-year-old mother of two working in human resources. She grew up in a rural town on the east coast of Australia, accustomed to being out in the surrounding native bushland with her older brother. Louise eventually left home to attend university in another rural town 400 kilometres away, giving her a strong sense of freedom. She has since lived and worked in Australian cities and enjoys travelling with her husband and two children. Looking forward into the future, Louise hopes to return to living in a rural area to "live a more simple life".