PRODUCT CONCEPT MODELS

Re-evaluating household products with a view to giving a fresh and innovative incarnation was the task set by British Steel to various design-related groups.

Product First rose to the challenge by creating prototype treatments for TV sets and dog kennels. The concepts are part of a British Steel initiative which has been going since 1993 and which is targeted at industrial designers, engineering students and secondary schools to promote a wider application of the company’s materials.

‘Working with British Steel and its pre-finished steel strip product meant that Product First could challenge the manufacturers’ and public’s perception of “brown goods” and not only inspire a wider use of steel, but encourage a new attitude to traditional household products,’ says David Scothron, director at London group Product First.

Character and personality are the core concepts behind Scothron’s design for a TV bezel frame. ‘The durability, good surface-finish and resistance to scratching and stains all make British Steel’s material ideal for housing a television,’ says Scothron. The bezel can be changed to suit the interior, he adds.

The dog kennel also specifies a British Steel product. ‘It’s ideal because of its weatherability, strength and resistance to corrosion, with the added value of colour, pattern and finish,’ says Scothron. ‘The kennel is a colourful, witty reinterpretation of a simple, moribund household product.’

Both prototypes will be displayed at the Design Museum in Shad Thames in London, from tomorrow (Friday).