For the fifth year running, Electrolux has collaborated with the Umeå Institute of Design (UID) to develop product ideas for the home of the future. Fourteen students from the Master’s program in Advanced Product Design were challenged to develop ideas for single people living in small spaces. They created concepts for so-called singletons living a micro-home lifestyle in four major cities – Hong Kong, Munich, Mumbai and New York.
The product ideas
HumiTex: a slim dehumidifier that hangs in a closet to ensure optimal conditions for clothing, with premium materials and connectivity to signal when it needs to be emptied. Designed for space-conscious singletons in humid Hong Kong. By Ellis Walker, Jinying Cheng, Mattias Nordin and Thilo Fiebig.
Adapted: a premium hub that uses the kitchen’s vertical space to organize small kitchen appliances either as a piece of furniture or wall-mounted. The modules are connected in an app. Designed for busy singletons in Munich looking to reduce visual and mental clutter. By Joel Sjödin, Corinna Diestel, and Silvester Kössler.
Jodana: an ecosystem of cooktops that adapt to the user’s circumstances. Can be stored vertically and combined with others in a modular system when cooking for more than one. Connectivity enables couples to cook together while apart. Designed for the singleton in bustling Mumbai. By Luisa Ebeling, Indalecio Gaytan, Niklas Muhs, and Yash Saboo.
Sensea: offers a ritual-like and sensory drinking experience. AI-based, the device becomes a nudging companion, using physical data readout to gauge needs, habits and moods to prepare suitable morning, midday and evening herbal blends. Designed for singletons in New York City who seek calm, comfort, and wellbeing. By Gerardo Soler, Nina Långström, and Niklas Andreasen.
