SUMMARY:

While in attendance at the the Fashion Institute of Technology for Spatial Experience Design BFA the department was approached by the well-known and beloved toy company Squishables to create the Design of Comfort exhibit. The goal of the exhibit was to educate visitors about the joy of stuffed toys and how these plush toys have provided emotional comfort to many people, not just children.

Each student team of 4 - 5 was tasked with creating a scene for a specific set of characters. My team was assigned the Camping theme, where we took a literal approach and designed a whimsical nighttime campfire scene. The set was filled with toys, and we provided stool stumps for visitors to sit, relaxing audio of woodland sounds, dim and warm lighting and photo opportunities with props. Additionally, we fabricated signs with jokes on the back of printed and mounted food to look like food on skewers to inspire more joy and laughter. Each team member had a specific role, and my responsibility was creating the background graphic, while we all contributed to the fabrication to meet the deadline.

PROCESS:

The process of developing this idea went through several stages of meticulous redesign and problem-solving. The first step was gaining approval from the Squishables team to move forward with fabrication. Once the design was approved, we proceeded with a six-week fabrication period during which we researched materials, implemented new techniques, and ensured the design remained true to the brand’s look and feel, without deviating from the provided graphic assets.