Extra Ordianry
Objects collection
Master graduation project 2021
Shortlisted in ein&zwanzig design competition 2022

Our modern lives are surrounded by so many objects that you could say our world is made up of them. Some of these objects have been existing for a long time and people actually use them and live with them every day. The existence of these objects creates an invisible but very close connection to people, which is mostly unnoticed. The crucial task of the "object maker" designer is to design objects and be responsible for this invisible connection between people and objects. The central aim of this Master project is to understand design as a medium to draw people's attention to the beautiful but neglected little things of everyday life.

Johannes Vermeer was already experimenting with painting in the 17th century in the Netherlands. From the study of painting, it is easy to see that painting is an art in which the arrangement of the picture draws attention to what the painter wants to express. Unlike paintings that glorify and praise gods and heroes, Vermeer's painting uses the sunlight from the window as a spotlight on the maid pouring milk. It is a mundane scene, but for Vermeer it is a forgotten pearl.

Design theory / Berlin / 2021

According to Martin Heidegger's "Aufleuchten"(Flashing) theory: if the presence of an object is missing or if the availability and the presence between objects do not correspond, this is perceived preferentially in the form of an "Aufleuchten". In this master project, the beautiful but neglected memories, experiences and details of everyday life are used as "Aufleuchten" (Extraordinary) in everyday objects (ordinary), which leads to a transformation of Zuhandenheit and Vorhandenheit. These objects have a similar aim as the paintings of Johannes Vermeer: they are meant to draw attention to the neglected but beautiful trifles of everyday life (Extra ordinary).

"Extra ordinary" as a strategy for redesigning everyday objects, 10 different objects are designed in this master project. They each represent a subtle memory, an experience, a moment and a detail about the beautiful but neglected side of everyday life.

More Information

Injection of the Ordinary
"extraordinary" to "extra ordinary"

First of all, the design strategy at the very beginning: the invisible (neglected) details of everyday life are redefined by making them visible. In this master project, the overall design strategy based on Heidegger's idea of Aufleuchten and Johannes Vermeer's paintings, which draw attention to the neglected, beautiful details and moments of everyday life that are composed of various objects. From a rational and macroscopic point of view, when an everyday object is redesigned, another, easily overlooked, beautiful detail, experience, moment of daily life The design is an irritant, a shining up. The result is a distinctive, irritating object, but whoever looks closely and simply tries to realise that the core of this object is in fact the normally neglected everyday life.

The ultimate goal of lighting up
From the results of this lighting up strategy, a unique, irritating, strange, funny, surprising object is designed. Irritating the object is not the aim of the lighting up, but merely a way of drawing the viewer's attention to the object. As in the paintings of Johannes Vermeer, it is not the position of the window or the direction of the light that matters, but what the sunlight illuminates: the routine. Illuminate aims to remind people of the overlooked, warm, beautiful moments, details, experiences, etc. of everyday life, to bring them back. From a design perspective, the design in this project that allows objects to catch the attention of others is simply a microphone and a speaker to show, communicate and share everyday life. The ultimate goal of Aufleuchten is to present these extra ordinary experiences in the form of an extraordinary object.