SAIL
Design a small, good quality timber product for batch production for a high-end retail outlet to be made in a commercial workshop with sustainable materials.
2025
Product Design
Ideation
I aim to make something not only high-end, but also highly functional.
My inspiration for this project was drawn from the painful experience I share with my incense holder. I usually find the holder fails to fulfil its only purpose, catch incense ash.
It prompted me to ask the question, how can I transform the incense holder to not only fulfil its intended purpose more effectively, but how can I make it visually engaging and/or useful when it’s not being used as intended?
The requirement to be highly functional and visually engaging influenced the forms to not be so literal in appearance, rather suggestive. I didn’t want the structure to dictate the function, rather accommodate the function so the user can ultimately use it however they like.
Modelling & Production
Form and tolerances dictated the greatest changes throughout the process.
Achieving its balance, whilst ensuring the functional and allure of the structure was the most important part of the design development.
Sail is designed with three points of contact to ensure its stability and function. The importance of this was revealed whilst prototyping.
Final Function
33 interlocking components, 3 different functions.
The final product features two main components, the main structure, and a stainless steel ‘catch’ dish.
The structure accommodates two forms of incense, stick and cone. To burn stick incense, the user simply places the ‘catch’ piece under the right hand side of the structure where it converges to a 1mm² hole here the incense stick can be placed to stand upright.
Alternatively, the user can place the ‘catch’ under the left hand side of the structure and place a burning cone incense.
When the structure is not being used to burn incense, it can be used as a trinket tray.
The final design is made from 32 laser cut 4mm ply wood pieces and a single stainless steel ‘catch’. The main structure is interlocked using slots without additional adhesive.
Final Product
