METROPOLITAN BACKPACK
SELF-ADJUSTING TO ITS HUMAN’S MOVEMENT
2017
This research expresses a combination of design, material technology innovation, and biology. It is placed in the seam between inanimate objects and living creatures that connects to the user’s body and moves with it as one organic unit. Through the intersection of these fields, I produced an object that has a unique, intriguing, and alluring aesthetic along with an effective function.
The backpack is a textile interpretation of a shield, in which I was able to create a dynamic solid construction made of a soft material. It adapts to the body’s natural movement and integrates with it while allowing easy and secure storage. The bag is responsive to its user’s needs and has a unique opening, located close to the user's body which creates a closed and impenetrable unit, accessible only to the user so that he feels safe and his belongings are protected.
The backpack is made of a thermoformed rigid outer shell, with flexible hinges on the sides allowing customized smooth movement alongside the body. The elastic textile hinges also enable the unique opening, which will expand when needed and allow easy access inside and provide a secure lock for the rest of the time.
Soft internal bag, protected by the rigid outer shell
The bag has a custom back system, which is padded and held to the body in a tight grip. I designed the back system while exploring the boundaries of thermoforming technology. My research has brought me to invent a mold that compresses different areas in the back system with different levels of pressure, thus creating softer and harder areas. The unique mold and back system’s ergonomic shape allows for the distribution of tension on the entire back, therefore creates comfortable and easy carrying and is coated with a soft fabric.
The backpack broadcasts toughness at first glance but softness and vitality in a closer look. The overall design and structure are simple and minimalistic, meant to emphasize the small details - the textile hinges, the custom opening buckles, and the back system, unique features to the backpack, created to benefit the user.
Research application:
Thermoforming using a multi-pressured mold to create the unique back system
Mockup testing of the side flexible hinges