Inspiring Interactive Candlestick

Press Kit

Unique Properties

1.Compared with the static candlesticks matching small volume candle in the market, what distinguishes this product is that people can interact with it and arrange its state by their will which can inspire the user and bring funny experiences to the user. Single candle holder can stay stably and flexibly on the U-shaped iron frame with the magnets. User can decide any position of single candle holder on the U-shaped frame and participates into the cocreation of this changeable object which is like a dynamic and poetic picture.
2. When user don't use the candle, the single candle holder can be put into the base to protect the candle from volatilization or staining.
3.It's light and easy to be packaged into compact two pieces and taken outdoors for camping. The U-shaped frame and the base can be assembled together and disassembled repeatedly with the friction force. So it's portable and can adapt to multiple scenarios, the indoors and outdoors. And the base even can works independently as a candle platform to adapt to the uneven camping grass scenario.

Dimensions & Packaging

DIMENSIONS :
Width 100mm x Depth 100mm x Height 350mm

TECHNICAL PROPERTIES :
1. Magnets is used to hold and support the two single candle holders stably and flexibly on the U-shaped frame.
2. The U-shaped frame and the base can be assembled together and disassembled repeatly with the friction force

Tags

New candle ritual, New candlestick ritual, New candle holder ritual, Interactive candle holder , Portable candle holder, Interactive candlestick, Portable candlestick, Poetic candle holder, Poetic candlestick, Magnetic candlestick, Magnetic candle holder

Production Technology

Realization Technology :
Two small magnets are used as the technology behind to hold the single candle holder stably and flexibly on the U-shaped iron frame.
Material:
Consider the magnets principle behind ,I choose to use the iron sheet as the material of U-shaped frame and use the iron sheet bending as cost- saving manufacturing process. And I use the aluminum die-casting to make other components to make it light. So all the material can be recycled and reused.
Packaging:
The product can be disassembled and packaged into compact two pieces. So it's suitable for flat packaging which can save the transportation costs to the greatest extent.

Design Challenge

Challenge1: I need to find a wise way to make single candle holder as a flexible module that can stay stably and flexibly on the U-shaped iron frame. Finally I choose to use the small magnets to realize the idea and choose the iron sheet with big side area to make the connection stable.
Challenge2: In order to make it portable, I need to find a way to make two single candle holders fit nicely and aesthetically in the base and at the same time I need to make the single candle holders easy to be taken out of or put into the base.

Project Duration

The project started in September 2020 in Rome and finished in March 2021 in Shanghai

Operation Flow

it's a totally new set of candlestick and candle rituals. Normally the single candle holder is stored in the base. When users need to use the candles, they would take the single candle holder out of the base at first. And users can arrange the two single candle holders on the U-shaped frame after lighting the candle and decide any position of single candle holder. When user finish using the candle, the single candle holder can be put back into the base to protect the candle from volatilization or staining. Users can hold the top cruve part of the frame and move the whole product to somewhere else. This is the candle rituals indoors normally.

And if users want to use the product outdoors, they can put the single candle holder in the base and disassemb the frame and the base to package it into compact two pieces and take it outdoors for camping. They can reassemble all the components of candlesticks for use after they arrive outdoors.

Research

After marketing research and user research, I define the archetype as an interactive candle holder with scenario flexibility. Then Based on the modularity character of small volume candle , finally I conceive a “platform system” archetype that can gather and combine single candle block at your will ,while maintaining the indepence of each candle block. And then my design process is almost "designing through making". I built up many 1:1 tangible mockups to test the idea and I can get direct feedback from the processes. I tested many kinds of structure, many kinds of materials with different side area, different numbers of magnets , different proportions and details to build up the final product step by step.

Inspiration

The image of candlesticks matching this kind of small volume candle in the market is beautiful and static sculpture, I try to define a new archetype of candlestick that people can interact with it which can inspire people and change the relationship with human. And during development process , new insights are generated, not only do people have the needs of using the candle holder indoors ,they also need to use the candle holder for camping outdoors. Then I try to make it portable.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer Junqiang Lyu, Inspiring, 2020
Image #2: Photographer Junqiang Lyu, Inspiring, 2020
Image #3: Photographer Junqiang Lyu, Inspiring, 2020
Image #4: Photographer Junqiang Lyu, Inspiring, 2020
Image #5: Photographer Junqiang Lyu, Inspiring, 2020

Colors of Inspiring Interactive Candlestick