December 11, 1998

Not sure what to get Dad for Christmas? Another bad tie, a stupid puzzle, power tools he'll never use? What about a cappuccino machine? Not just any cappuccino machine - the Ferrari of cappucino machines, as designed by U of A students.

One of this term's projects for Design 470 students is to redesign the home model of the frothy beverage maker. Coming up with a new look for household products is common practice in the industrial design field, says Rob Lederer, sessional instructor in the Department of Art and Design.

"As things change culturally, sometimes products have to change," he says. While the interior technology of a product may remain the same, repackaging can make a dramatic difference in sales. The Dustbuster is one example of a product that started to sell better after it was redesigned, says Roland Kurzitza, Design 470 co-instructor. And there are many more examples out there.

With new coffee shops opening up all the time on Whyte Ave, it's obvious there has been a resurgence in the coffee culture, says Lederer. With this growing trend, Lederer and Kurzitza thought it appropriate to tackle the home cappuccino machine as a learning project for their class.

The students were given six weeks and a price range of $350 to $1,000; the instructors are pleased with the results. "We have a contact with Wega, in Italy, one of the largest coffee-machine manufacturers in the world," says Lederer, who will send photos of the creations to Wega for feedback on the viability of the U of A designs.

The students worked in groups of two. Along with research about their potential market, the students have to research and decide on materials, colors, mechanics, etc. They have to think about their potential audience and the process becomes more than simply putting a new package on an old product. "There are considerations not just for the overall form, but...how do they grab the handle? What gives them the visual clues on what they should and shouldn't touch?" says Lee-Ann Houston, a second-year art and design student.

Houston likes the practical application of this project, one you can relate to when you go to a coffee shop, she says. Houston and her project partner, Heather Eadie, also second year, targeted the "baby boomers" or "Starbucks" crowd whom they thought would have the necessary expendable income for the machines.

Eadie and Houston tried to create something that not only makes cappuccinos but is also aesthetically pleasing and, hopefully, a conversation piece. Working from a limited number of letters that fit with the design, they named their creation 'Lota.'

Pauline Van Roessel and Orsolya Jakab (both second year) named their creation 'Aroga.' Van Roessel was leafing through The Gateway, saw the word and liked it. Van Roessel is serious about industrial design and likes it because, while it has structure, it also allows for creativity. "You have a goal, and you want to try and get there, and you can be as creative as you want," she says. Van Roessel and Jakab's machine had the extra feature of a hot-water spout in addition to the steam spout.

These kinds of innovations may seem small but they do lead to new designs for the machines. Three years ago, a class redesigned the toaster and while the designs seemed radical three years ago, you will see similar designs in the store this Christmas, says Kurzitza.

So if you are looking for that hard-to-buy-for person on your shopping list, you might want to stop by the Fine Arts Building Gallery from Dec. 8 - 20 to view these new cappuccino machine designs which are part of a larger exhibition on product design.

The designs you see here could be coming soon to a store near you.

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