Fuse, Refined Ritual
Project Type
Personal Project
Role
Industrial Designer
Timeline
2024-2025
Recognition
Project Overview
Project Goal
To reimagine the personal blender as more than an appliance. The goal was to create a product that feels sculptural, intuitive, and emotionally resonant, transforming blending into a meaningful daily ritual.
About the Project
Fuse is a compact, sculptural blender designed as a personal exploration into form, interaction, and ritual. The design emphasizes easy cleaning with smooth surfaces and fewer parts, portability that fits into everyday life, and a magnetic attachment system that replaces traditional mechanical locks for faster and more intuitive setup. A tactile swipe interface and rhythmic surface pattern complete the experience, turning blending from a routine task into a thoughtful daily ritual.
Project Highlight
From Vision to Process
Behind the refined final form lies a design process shaped by insights, exploration, and iteration. The following sections trace how Fuse evolved from initial observations into a sculptural object for daily ritual.
01 Defining the Challenge
02 Understanding the Needs
03 Moodboards
Moodboard Form
Sculptural archetypes and minimal product references informed the silhouette, stance, and balance of geometry.
Mood board Pattern
Rhythmic surface textures and alignment cues guided the exploration of container details that could enhance usability while reinforcing identity.
04 Exploration Sketching
05 Prototyping & Refinement
Prototype Models
Scaled prototypes evaluated proportions and surface transitions in three dimensions. Subtle changes in curvature and stance revealed how form shifted from mechanical to sculptural, rigid to welcoming. Prototyping became a tool to refine the balance between precision and comfort.
06 Pattern Exploration
Linear Circular: Clean vertical rhythm across the full container but rigid in character.
Arc Transition: Soft arc pattern at the blade cover that emphasized transition but lacked alignment clarity.
Diagonal Rhythmic: Dynamic upward flow that concealed the blade and aligned seamlessly with the lid and base.
Soft Linear : Subtle tactility and visual softness but limited functional cues.
Exploration of Detailed Patterns
Surface patterns were explored to add rhythm, grip, and clarity to the container. Four variations were tested:
Chosen Direction
The diagonal rhythmic pattern was selected for its ability to merge function and form. It conceals the blade while maintaining transparency and reinforces correct assembly through alignment. The result supports the principle of form following function, while adding a sculptural rhythm that enhances the sense of daily ritual.
07 Magnetic Attachment
Inspiration
Magnetic systems are widely used to simplify alignment and eliminate unnecessary steps. Examples include Apple’s MagSafe chargers, portable speakers, and electric toothbrush charging stands. These precedents show how magnets enable intuitive “drop and connect” interactions that feel seamless, precise, and effortless.
Magnetic Attachment
Traditional locking systems on blenders require twisting, aligning, and securing multiple parts. This can be time-consuming and prone to error. Fuse reimagines this interaction with a magnetic attachment between container and base.
The design reduces the number of parts, prevents misalignment, and transforms setup into a single placement ritual: drop, connect, and blend. This reinforces the project goal of creating an intuitive and approachable daily companion.
08 User Interface
User Interface Prototypes
Several interaction approaches were explored:
Physical Button
Simple and reliable, but visually disconnected from the form. The outcome showed it was functional yet dated.
Capacitive Touch Button
Seamlessly integrated with the surface, but lacked tactile feedback. The outcome risked confusion in everyday use.
Touch Screen
Offered maximum customization, but added cost and complexity. The outcome felt less intuitive and overly digital.
Final User Interface
The final interface combined the clarity of a tactile power button with the fluidity of a swipe gesture. The indented curved surface guides the hand naturally, enabling intuitive control of speed without visual clutter. This solution grounded the experience in simplicity and ritual while maintaining consistency with the sculptural form.
09 Final Form
Final Form
The final design resolves both form and interaction into one cohesive experience.
Angular planes communicate confidence and strength.
Curved transitions invite touch and approachability.
The chosen diagonal pattern enhances grip and guides alignment.
The integrated swipe interface reinforces the balance between clarity and ritual.
Fuse transforms blending from a simple utility into a quiet, thoughtful ritual where geometry, interaction, and detail converge.
