Andrea de Chirico recently showcased the SUPERLOCAL Hairdryer 1.0 project as part of the Design Academy of Eindhoven’s exhibit at Dutch Design Week 2015. In an artist’s statement, Chirico states his belief “that the future of production will be characterized by making things locally…that there is a need for an alternative to the traditional, industrial way of producing goods…[and that] producing locally means less shipping and therefore less pollution.”
Made from all locally sourced materials in the town of Eindhoven, Hairdryer 1.0 is primarily constructed from glass and cork, chosen for their reusable properties. Chirico salvaged the electrical components from the Teunissen metal junkyard. The designer collaborated with glassblower Kees Berende for the glazed shell; Fab Lab Brainport Eindhoven, where he 3D-printed the joint and filter; the DAE wood workshop to construct the cork handle and bands; and Sami Sabik, who made the electrical components operable.
Related: Design Academy of Eindhoven tackles real-world problems through innovative thinking
The difficult and ambitious Hairdryer 1.0 project was completed for 100 euros in 15 hours with a total travel distance of 4.5 kilometers. Chirico hopes to put the hairdryer on the market soon. The SUPERLOCAL project has spawned the development of similar hyper-local everyday products, including a dressing table, mirror, lamp, and a stool. He has also made SUPERLOCAL’s first production attempts open source and available online to encourage others to build their own products and improve on the process.
+ Andrea de Chirico
Images via Andrea de Chirico, lead image via Ana Lisa Alperovich for Inhabitat
