Problem
Air pollution is prevalent in Ireland & the UK. Through the burning of solid fuels in homes, particulate matter is released. This PM is very harmful to people's health. We have deep ties to fire and an emotional connection to it. However, people don't connect this behaviour to its negative consequences.
Process
We started by talking to experts in the fields of air pollution and lung diseases in Ireland. We choose to focus on the context of Ireland after learning about the impact of air pollution here. We became fascinated by people's connection to fire. We decided to focus on the aspects of fires that people love and translate them into a new interaction. Through sketching and ideation, and testing with users, we came to RE-PLACE.
The interaction between RePlace and the user.
Proposal
Re-Place is an alternative tradition, a different way to experience home heating. Through direct interaction with the object, the user builds heat and needs to maintain interaction with it to keep the heat going. Re-Place will provide the home with a social space and be an homage to our heritage.
Making
Reflection
This project was an amazing dive into a relatively unknown problem in Ireland and how to address the root causes of this. We learned how important it is to empathise with the user instead of victimising them to find a better solution for everyone.
