POETRY IN DESIGN

This project is conducted during the elective of Poetry

in Design. This elective is trying to use poetry to access culture differences and diversity into design. Dear Enclosure is a redesign of an answering machine.

By integrating the cultural subtleties from the ancient Chinese poem “Deer Enclosure”.

1st year master

Dear Enclosure is an answering machine that keeps messages hidden until they are revealed to the listener going through the process of seclusion and meditation. The spoken in messages, pouring from the tap in the cup, are being recorded. All the messages together slowly  fill the cup.

The stored messages are hidden from the listener, but play muffled in the trembling water, like “echoing voices” in the poem.

Dear Enclosure will only reveal the message when the listener secludes himself and focuses on turning Dear Enclosure at the right speed. The water in the cup will form a passage through which the message is revealed.

To make space for new messages the cup needs to be poured out in the sink now and then. While pouring the message will sound as long as the water  flows.

The analysis of two poems from Wang Wei was made, along with different version of translations. Deer Enclosure was picked for concept exploration. Meditative water was the main inspiration for the final concept.