The finalized design are finally submitted--it was a good project and a good semester. Thanks go out to Eastman for giving us such a great opportunity, and thanks to our teacher for helping us along the way. That being said, I just want to leave some closing thoughts about one my finalized designs.
The Totes umbrella display was a originally born of a drugstore probem--finding a way to prove that Spectar could take the place of metals in a multitude of way throughout the store. I set out to prove and to show that Spectar had enough favorable qualities, and enough inherent strength, that will a little bit of design a lot of material could be saved. Not only metals can be replaced, however. If Spectar can provide a high visibiility, striking, functional and often hands-on solution to metal use throughout a typical store, think of what it could do to similar and competing materials such as acrylic? It is a material that will bend, but not break, heal itself under heat, and can provide the clarity and quality of glass.
While in the end, the umbrella display isn't really fitting for the store in which the idea was born, it does have a certain appeal that could be marketed to different outlets. Most importantly however, it displays all four qualities of Spectar extremely well, and for Eastman as a company is feasible to build, and tag a prime use of high visibility, (to reveal product color, variation, and type) purposeful, (fully-functional display with 75%+ less metal used) striking (crisp molding allows for sharp graphics and edges) , and hands-on, (a visually and physically inviting experience that forces user interaction) the four cardinal qualities of Spectar.
Thanks again Eastman, have a great Christmas!

Matt Shipp