Studio-based teaching-learning tool as a RRI methodology within the design of water bottlesSOARES, T., SECO, P. [PAULOSECO@ESAD.PT]ESAD COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN PORTUGAL

This project presents the result of the commitment between a lecturer and a student from ESAD – College of Art and Design, submitted to a design contest promoted by a municipal company - Águas do Porto | Câmara Municipal do Porto - in north of Portugal. The strategic objective of the contest was to change consumer behaviour to increase tap water consumption and improve the quality of water distribution in the Porto city. One of the goals of the stakeholder was to inform, increase tap water value, consumption and enhance confidence on high quality of public water, 450 times cheaper than bottled water. Within the contest, two bottles were designed and the stakeholder requirements should include the award-winning brand image of Porto. - the new graphic identity of the city since 2014. The project was developed through a studio-based pedagogy methodology – that is “a method for cultivating students’ identities as designers, developing their conceptual understanding of design and the design process, and fostering their design thinking” (Kuhn, 2001).

The bottles designed fill the demands of different age groups, social and culturally heterogeneous public and mainly to portability issues – a recyclable plastic bottle of 0.5L and a glass bottle of 1.5L to promote the use of tap water for drinking.The different needs of potential users of the 0,5L bottle demanded:→ to drink water in informal situations, directly from the bottle: lid that can be opened/closed by threading, which is connected to the bottle through a ring;→ for inclusive users, for children, handicapped or blind people: a straw that can be used through a second lid and a texture that indicates the opening point;→ to drink water from another container in order to avoid mouth-bottle contact: a cup was designed and fixed to the bottle. The proposal for the glass bottle, potentially used in more traditional situations aims to invoke some sophistication in the act of serving water with the bottle + base set; the base is also a container with isothermal characteristics that help maintaining the water temperature. This project is an example of good practice in a higher education environment and innovative and responsible design for society.+ information please see: esad.pt/en/feeds/premio-garrafa-porto

HEIRRI (Higher Education Institutions and Responsible Research and Innovation) | 1sr HEIRRI Conference, Teaching Responsible Research and Innovation at University | 18 March 2016

Transparent glass bottle 2 mm thicknessCapacity 1.5LProduction: Blow-molding process

“Dot” embossed logo

“Porto.” bas-relief logo

Silicone basis

Cup’s adjustment to fit the bottle cap

“Dot” printed logo

Flexible cover to use a plastic straw

Clamping ring (prevent the cap release of the bottle)

Bottle - 0,5L capacity in PET (terephthalate ethylene)Production: injection and blow molding

Logo “Porto.” printed

Ledge / Limit for fitting cup

Production: injection moldingOpening threadedlyCap tight: 25 mm em High-density polyethyiene (HDPE)

Cup to 0.5L bottle in PET (polyethylene terephtalate)Production: injectionFit in the bottle by pressute on the cap and the bottle walls