Eamesian Deskmate - Inspired by Charles Eames

How can design balance functionality, emotional connection and playfulness to create products that cater to both practical needs and personal attachment?

Eamesian Deskmate - Inspired by Charles Eames

How can design balance functionality, emotional connection and playfulness to create products that cater to both practical needs and personal attachment?

Eamesian Deskmate - Inspired by Charles Eames

How can design balance functionality, emotional connection and playfulness to create products that cater to both practical needs and personal attachment?

Student Name

Kripa Gulati

Studio

Disciplinary Project 1

Faculty

Priya K Iyer

Inspired by Charles Eames’ philosophy of merging elegance with function, this project explores how design can balance utility, emotional connection, and playfulness to support the fluidity of hybrid work. The Eamesian Deskmate is a portable, modular storage solution designed to adapt to shifting environments while maintaining aesthetic simplicity. Rooted in research around workspace behavior and ergonomics, the process involved unlearning static design norms and embracing adaptability, mobility, and tactile interaction. Iterative sketching, prototyping, and testing helped refine the structure—balancing storage capacity, weight, and user comfort. Material choices and modular configurations were informed by both practicality and poetic form, allowing users to form a personal attachment to the object. By scripting every interaction and building through hands-on engagement, the final product emerged as a thoughtful, human-centered tool that blends form and function—offering clarity and ease in a world of changing work dynamics.

Designed & Built with

by PGDP student at SMI

All rights reserved 2025 ©

Designed & Built with

by PGDP student at SMI

Designed & Built with

by PGDP student at SMI

All rights reserved 2025 ©