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Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ) by Smallgran studio

Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ) by Smallgran studio is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2017 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz in Nhazi Ngwá Ụlọ Competition Category.


BronzNgwá Ụlọ· 2017

Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ)

by Smallgran studio

Client: Smallgran

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz Winner in Ngwá Ụlọ Category

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The Design

About Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ)

Ihe Odide Akwụkwọ: Xanxan bụ shelf enwere ike ịhazigharị n'ụdị dị iche iche, ka e mere ka o were obere ohere maka mbupu na nchekwa. Nhazi ya gụnyere ogidi ndọtụ abụọ nke e kekọtara ụdọ ndị a chịkọtara ọnụ na ha. Otu usoro dị mfe na-enye onye ọrụ ohere ịhazi arọ nke ụdọ ọ bụla ma na-emeputa elu nkwado kwụ ọtọ. Xanxan pụrụ ijide ihe ndị otu shelf nkịtị na-ejide ma nwekwa ike iji ya dịka ihe a na-anyanye ihe. Mgbe atụnyere ya na shelf nkịtị, Xanxan na-eji osisi ugboro asaa dị nta karịa, chọọ ohere nchekwa ugboro itoolu dị nta karịa, dịkwa arọ ugboro anọ dị nta karịa. E ji osisi maple mee ogidi ndọtụ ndị ahụ.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz

Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ) meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị pụtara ìhè nke a ma ama maka nzụlite ihe, ọgụgụ isi na nghọta. Ndị meriri na Bronz bụ ihe e mere nke ndị nwere nka nke ukwuu ma dị mma n'imepụta nke na-egosi ahụmahụ buru ibu, echiche na ọgụgụ isi nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ) ga-abụ ihe a na-asọpụrụ nke ukwuu, a na-eto na a hụrụ n'anya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz na-agụnye ụzọ kacha mma n'ime nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ, ma dị mma nke ukwuu maka nlebara anya ya n'obere ihe. Xanxan Ọrụ Bụ Isi: Shelf (Ebe Ndọtụ) na-emezu mkpa nke ọma, na-emetụ ọchịchọ aka, na-adọrọ mmetụta obi ma na-adọta ọchịchọ ịmara.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
Xanxan is a shelf featuring customizable configurations and optimized transport and storage space.
The product consists of two anchor posts to which a web of strings is fastened. It includes a simple mechanism that allows the user to adjust the tension of each string in order to provide a straight support surface.
Xanxan can hold everything a standard shelf holds and it can act as a hanger, too. But more importantly: compared to a standard shelf, Xanxan uses seven times less wood, requires a storage space nine times lower and weights four times less.
Dimensions & Packaging
Product: 300-1500* mm x 220 mm x 85 mm.
* This dimension depends on how it is installed.

Package: 90 mm x 70 mm x 245 mm

Weight supported: up to 20 kg.
Tags
Xanxan, Minimum Shelf, Shelf, Adaptable, Customizable, Hanger, Space Saving, Material Saving, Sustainable, Cord, Rope
Production Technology
The wooden pieces are formed by lathing the hard Maple Wood and later drilling the holes: three for the screws at the base and four for the strings at the pole. This process can be done by hand for loose units or through automated processes for industrial scale units.
The string is a standard Paracord that the user cuts at a specific length according to the distance at which the two anchor posts are installed.
Design Challenge
The main design challenge was to develop a fresh solution while reducing the material and ecological cost of an existing concept.
From the technical perspective, we had three challenges:
- Designing a tensioning mechanism. It had to fix the strings allowing for progressive tensioning and we needed to keep it simple to maintain the cost low.
- Finding a wood that is light-weight, cheap, resistant and tough enough.
- Finding a rope that holds its mechanical and dimensional properties over time.
Research
This project was driven by market research and experimentation.
After finding a market niche in adaptable shelves, the concept design phase was based on modeling and testing. We had to meet the requisites fixed by the best-selling shelves, so we developed several prototypes and tested them. The final solution was picked based on its simplicity, performance and interaction.
At the detailed design phase, we worked with master carpenters to pick the best materials and shape manufacture-wise.
Inspiration
Xanxan was first conceived under the challenge of reducing the material cost and ecological impact of an existing concept. As market research went on, the lack of flexibility and adaptability of the existing shelves to user and space needs drove the project to the final solution.
The project was self-commissioned from the studio itself as a means to prove its design skills.
Project Duration
The project started in the Polytechnical University of Valencia, where its first 5 months of development took part. After finishing their degree, Smallgran founders created the Valencia based studio where the design was then finished after 7 more months of work.
Operation Flow
For the installation, the user first needs to decide the position of each post. With the anchor posts fixed, four string segments are then tied to them in a zig-zag manner. After the strings are installed, the pegs must be turned. With every turn, the strand twists on itself increasing its tension becoming able to support weight.
Once the strings are taut, the shelf can be filled with books, Cd's, etc. Over time the shelf can lose its tension, this is fixed by giving the pegs a few more turns.
Team Members
Luis Herram
Carles Marquina Selfa
Francesc Duart Escribà
Carlos Carrasco Fraile
Borja Miret García
Image Credits
Image #1: Smallgran, Xanxan, 2016.
Image #2: Smallgran, Xanxan, 2016.
Image #3: Smallgran, Xanxan, 2016.
Image #4: Smallgran, Xanxan, 2016.
Image #5: Smallgran, Xanxan, 2016.

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