The white goods market is saturated with me-too designs that primarily compete on price. Samsung was looking for innovative product solutions to attract premium margins.
GRO worked closely with Samsung Design Europe to identify strong themes and was responsible for developing the ‘Appliance as Furniture’ direction.
Research had identified that living and cooking areas are merging and that many people wanted their appliances to reflect the qualities of contemporary interiors.
creating an icon
This concept for a refrigerator can be transformed from the traditional vertical orientation to a horizontal 'sideboard’, giving a stronger reference to furniture than a large domestic appliance.
Thinking it through
Flexibility in orientation led to the need for a symmetrical interior where the shelves and the doors could work both vertically and horizontally.
good manners
Hidden ventilation and discrete cabling ensured it looked good even from the back, and the addition of legs gave it visual lightness in an interior.
vacuum cleaner
Another insight from the research was that many people leave their vacuum cleaner out after cleaning.
This vacuum is anonymous when not in use and relates more to furniture design than the automotive styling often applied to vacuum cleaners.
attention to detail
Accessories are hidden behind the front panel and are only presented when needed.
Moving the controls to the nozzle makes them easier to reach and further simplifies the vacuum.
‘the appliance of science’
The project started with SP forecasting undertaking a European-wide ethnographic study of how people really used their appliances. It highlighted some very interesting and unexpected insights.
GRO worked closely with Samsung Design Europe to translate this material into tangible themes and opportunities.
the crossroads of analysis and imagination
Early scenario sketches by GRO illustrating the potential of the ‘Appliance as Furniture’ theme.
a thorough process to the end
The concepts were extensively worked out and were based on existing components to prevent them being dismissed as impossible dreams.
