INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Christophe Ascençao – EC Knit

by Christophe Ascençao

EC Knit is a knitted bed designed for overnight trains, offering a lighter, more ergonomic, and intimate alternative to traditional sleeping compartments. Developed in collaboration with the TextielLab, the TextielMuseum’s professional workshop, this project makes use of 3D-knitted textiles produced on a circular knitting machine. The technique allows for precise control over support zones, adapting to the body's contours with padded areas and more flexible sections. The knit extends into panels that reduce noise, filter light, and create a sense of privacy in shared cabins. By lowering weight and simplifying maintenance, EC Knit is a washable textile system that provides a more comfortable and sustainable way to travel by night.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Newspaper

with Elric Petit

Newspaper is an industrial design project that aims to cultivate fresh ideas with the potential to seamlessly integrate into our contemporary society and its economy. Under the guidance of Elric Petit, each student had the possibility to explore a chosen topic, expressing their personal affinities and interests, thereby enhancing the overall project experience. In the spirit of multidisciplinarity, the students underwent a writing workshop with a professional journalist, which culminated in 25 articles written by the students on their individual projects, collected in a printed journal.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

SHOE REFORM

with Michel Charlot, Siddartha Berns

The Shoe Reform workshop, led by designer Michel Charlot and Siddhartha Berns, representative of AddiPole — a hub for reverse engineering and additive manufacturing — brought students together for an innovative exploration of 3D scanning technologies, in collaboration with Technopôle Sainte-Croix.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Abundance & Scarcity

with Nadine Sterk

When we live in a society with so much abundance yet at the same time so much scarcity, how do we discern the resources around us? How can we look to our surroundings to learn about where things come from, or how we might apply them in our own lives? More importantly, how can we live more harmoniously with nature by respecting it and taking only what we need? Within the workshop held by Nadine Sterk from Atelier NL the BA Industrial Design students were asked to create tableware around the theme ‘Abundance & Scarcity' from vernacular earth collected together in the Sauvabelin woods in Lausanne. Students and crew had no hesitation in getting their hands (and clothes) dirty to knead, turn, form, glaze, and fire ceramic tableware that tells a story.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Hands On

with Adrien Rovero

The 1st year BA Industrial Design was invited by the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich to design wooden toys that were exhibited as part of the retrospective exhibition 'Willy Guhl: thinking with your hands'.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Molds

with Elric Petit

The aim of this project was to approach industrial casting techniques through a playful, experimental laboratory. The students produced objects in plaster, which did not necessarily have to have a function. However, they must be technically interesting, i.e. their molds must be simple to produce, and the molded parts must feature singular characteristics inherent in the molding process. The molds (free materials), together with the plaster castings, were shown for evaluation in the form of a group exhibition.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Junkyard Diving

with Philippe Malouin

"Form follows function" is an expression attributed to the modernist architect Louis Sullivan. It is a statement that is quite relevant to industrial design. On the other hand, form can sometimes also determine function in a process of reverse exploration. During the workshop with Philippe Malouin, students were encouraged to look for new functions inspired by forms found in a metal recycling center. In this process, random discoveries and associations were made to generate a new and surprising vocabulary of forms.

FOUNDATION YEAR

Dessin créatif

EXHIBITIONS

ECAL MILANO 2023: Junkyard Diving,
17–23.04.2023,
House of Switzerland, Milano

On the occasion of the Milan Design Week (17-23 April 2023), ECAL presents Junkyard Diving at the House of Switzerland. Under the guidance of the designer Philippe Malouin, ECAL’s Bachelor students in Industrial Design invite us to question our consumption habits, the role of designers and the world of tomorrow.