2012 portfolioRyan Hume

Eleven of my fellow classmates and I set out to design second

use scenarios for shipping containers, only to find that it was

the container itself that needed to be addressed. The result

is EightX8, a modular multi-use system that fits into today’s

standardized shipping container infrastructure.

re-defi ning the shipping container

1

When goods are shipped to America from countries around

the globe, the containers they came in are often abandoned

in shipyards stateside- they are far too expensive to ship

back empty. Ironically, these large steel boxes are designed

for no other use than shipping- they are freezers in the cold,

ovens in the heat and are engineered exclusively for maxi-

mum durability and structural integrity in their original form.

Shipping containers require difficult labor and heavy struc-

tural modification for secondary, non-standard use.

hunk of steel

diffi cult to reuse

EightX8 is a modular system in which the standard 40 foot

shipping container is broken up into five 8x8x8 foot cube

frames. These frames are bolted together to form a “con-

tainer unit” and can be fitted with wall panels for a specific

function. These panels range from very basic corrugated

steel for standard shipping container uses to much more

sophisticated panels for housing, medical clinics, offices,

shops and anything else an end user could dream up.

eightX8

The first end-use application we explored was quick,

modular housing. An EightX8 housing structure

could be erected in days, with nothing but a few

wrenches and a forklift. In addition, the house could

be expanded at any time with very little modification.

The second application explored was a portable

first-response clinic. EightX8 could be deployed to

the scene of a natural disaster or large event very

quickly, again with the possibility of rapid expan-

sion if needed.

Human kind has used dishware for thousands of years. To

bring my own addition to this legacy, I was forced to think

very critically about my aesthetic decisions, and look farther

than I thought possible to find a compelling visual solution

to the problem of designing such a ubiquitous set of objects.

bringing a setof dishwareto life

2

honestly, my brain ran out of ideas

look outside my headI learned that a compelling visual direction was not to be

found within the pre-defined visual library contained inside

my head. I must look at the world around me with a critical

eye for visual poetry and inspiration. I became fascinated

by the way in which the artist Michaelangelo rendered cloth

in marble, and the juxtaposition between soft and hard ma-

terials this creates. I then decided to synthesize this form

language into my set of dishes, at first quite literally, but

progressively in a more abstract sense, as I played with

cloth myself to find the “essence” of folded fabric and inject

this aesthetic into a collection of cups, glasses, bowls and

plates.

1 2

43

synthesize into dishware

This set of dishes is currently in fabrication, the “ceramic”

parts having been FDM printed and readied for paint, and

the “glass” moving towards clear resin casting. The alumi-

num bases will be laser cut out of sheet stock.

With the help of the designers at Teague Aviation, I decided

to explore the concept of security, and what it means to a

traveler on the go. This journey brought me to an unexpected

psychological solution to the alleviation of baggage burden.

the psychologyof travelerbaggage security

3

Moving by plane, train, or bus, it is not uncommon for a

traveller to be overburdened by their belongings. This be-

comes especially evident when the individual is not in mo-

tion, but waiting between legs of their journey. Here they

may want a bite of food at the airport, a drink at a local bar

or to check out some shopping in their terminal; however

these tasks become exceedingly difficult with a set of lug-

gage in tow.

overburdened

existing solutionsExisting solutions for the temporary storage of personal be-

longings range from racks, to lockers, to cages, to chains, all

providing a physical state of security for our baggage. The

problem with these facilities, however, is their large footprint,

high cost of installation and staffing, and possibility of physi-

cal tampering and breakage resulting in theft.

I propose a psychological solution to temporary baggage

security. Inspired by the camera and monitor set-ups in

convenience stores, this scaled-up version would be lo-

cated in any public area where people might want to free

themselves from their belongings. Acting, as a “digital mir-

ror” this wall of screens displays the live feed from cam-

eras imbedded in it’s surface. A potential tamperer would

be forced to watch themselves approach the baggage set in

front of the wall, as they know others around them are also

watching. This “communal viewing” would create a sense

of group accountability in the space in front of the wall -

you never know who is watching, so would you really steal

someone’s bag?

camerascreen

digital mirror

Every landfill contains millions of plastic shopping bags.

Accumulating these bags is an unavoidable by product of

buying groceries, food and other goods in the first world.

For such a commonly used product, plastic bags are incred-

ibly annoying to deal with after you have emptied their con-

tents. Even balled up inside themselves, they create a mas-

sive waif mess underneath kitchen sinks everywhere.

unnecessary waste

4

The Bag Bottle is a container made entirely from high

density polyethylene -the same material plastic bags are

made from. Once filled with bags, this compact unit can

be cleanly and efficiently recycled by a plastics recycling

center.

the solution.

With the guidance of Teague Product Studio, five of my class-

mates and I set out to asses the current problems with voting

in America. In 2008, roughly 50% of the US population voted

in the national election. We saw this as a problem not with

the people, but with the voting system currently in place. Our

solution, Vote +, updates our voting infrastructure to engage

the modern American.

updating theamerican votingsystem

5

Voting is time consuming and out of the way. Who

wants to go to a place they rarely attend like an elemen-

tary school gym just to cast their vote?

Government seems massive. It is intimidating to try to

understand the workings of our government and how

decisions are made for our country.

Politics as usual. Political propaganda is biased and

confusing - difficult for the average American to decipher

and evaluate for themselves.

Change takes a lot of work. Who has time to rally,

march and protest to enact the changes they seek in

their community and nation?

It seems that our vote does nothing. How can we see

the impact of a single vote in context of so many?

With Vote +, an individual can register an issue in their com-

munity to let others know how they feel about it. We lever-

aged the model of Kickstarter to bring user-created content

into the political realm.

We all have issues with our community - problems we would

like to see fixed. However, it is daunting to figure out how

to go about enacting these changes in our current system.

fi nd a problem

register an issue

A passerby can scan a QR code on the sign or visit a url

posted on it to pledge their support and “upvote” the issue

in their community- a system inspired by Reddit.

After registering their issue, this individual can order a sign

to place near the physical problem to make their local com-

munity aware.

support the issue

raise awareness

gain attention

gain momentum

Popularity means attention, as mainstream media would

catch on to the large numbers of supporters made aware

through Vote +.

As an issue gains popularity on the Vote + network, other

cities and counties might catch on and discover that they

have been dealing with the same issue.

Vote + means grassroots activism for all - the ability to make

change in your community and gather others to your cause

through a cohesive network of outlets for information and

support. However, the other main goal of the Vote + system

is to turn the average American into an active American, and

get them out to the polls.

create change

create voters

available

This voting pamphlet contains a punch out sheet where the

user can define their stance on certain issues, and then overlay

this on top of candidates’ positions on the same issues.

The first step towards active votership is to make voting in-

formation accessible. A good voter is an informed voter.

Vote + election pamphlets would be available at kiosks lo-

cated in people’s “natural habitats”, or those places they

already enjoy going such as a coffee shop, library or com-

munity center.

personal

Americans are worried about the security of their vote. Vote+

introduces a system of splitting an encrypted ballot, so that

the voter takes the side that indicates their choices, and the

ballot counters are left with the other side indicating the

choices, but without candidate or issue information. These

items are scrambled for each voter, so that the counting team

can have no bias when viewing a ballot.

Voting needs to happen in people’s natural habitats as well.

IT is very inconvenient and disconcerting to visit a foreign

location to vote- the voting center should be fun, comfortable

and familiar.

accessible

secure

skills:- sketching

- adobe photoshop CS5

- adobe i l lustrator CS5

- adobe In Design CS5

- autodesk sketchbook pro

- corel painter 11

- rhinoceros 3D

- solidworks (moderate abil ity)

- keyshot

- Vray

- apple logic 8

awards:-2012 IDSA NW Merit Awards

WWU Senior of the year

-2011 IDSA NW Merit Awards

Junior Best in Show

-2010 Mt. Baker Plywood Challenge

2nd place scholorship

experiences:concept artist, Airship

jul 2010 - nov 2010

- I was the lead conceptual designer for AIRSHIP, a

student f i lm from Chapman University

Viking Union tech crew

mar 2009 - present

- I do professional l ive sound for events that

come through WWU

Bainbridge Island Parks and Recreation, rec companion

june 2008 - aug 2010

- I worked with a boy with cerebral palsy from the age of

5 to 7 during the summers, helping him participate in

his summer camps

private tutor

june 2008 - aug 2010

- I tutored the same boy i rec-companioned, helping him learn

math, reading, writ ing, and speech skil ls

sales/stock, Sole Mates shoes

june 2006 - sept 2006

- I sold and restocked shoes

freelance audio engineer/system consultant

2007 - present

- I have recorded musical projects for many clients.

I have also designed and assembled a recording studio for a cl ient