In close collaboration with SPACE10 and designer Tanita Klein, we created an open-source Bee Home that anyone can customise, visualise and download digitally, before manufacturing it physically at a local makerspace.
Bee Home
Capabilities
- Brand
- Web
- Product
Starting point
Solitary bees are essential to life on our planet; they form a vital part of our ecosystem and have shaped our natural environment for millions of years. But now, because of human impact, their place in this world is threatened. SPACE10 wanted to design better homes for bees and allow people to produce them locally. While the physical Bee Home was being designed by Tanita Klein, we developed a web-based platform and visual identity to match, committing ourselves to an extensive research process paired with a phase of rapid prototyping.
Outcome
Inspired by the shape of bees and the rounded form of their nests and tunnels, we developed a logo mark and a custom typeface. From a product point of view, we made sure that anyone visiting the web-based platform could design and preview their Bee Home in just a few clicks. One of the most important technical tasks was making sure people could view their customised Bee Home from all angles, both in 3D and AR. Since models are based on personal input, we couldn't pre-generate them—so we combined Grasshopper, Shapediver and THREE.js to allow anyone to play with a predefined set of parameters. The project won gold in the Visuelt Open Class Visual Identity and Digital Platform.
Tech stack
- React
- Three.js
- Python
- Typescript
Credits
- Physical product design
Tanita Klein - Photography
Irina Boersma (photography
Awards
Gold, in the Visuelt Open Class Visual Identity and Digital Platform
“It is particularly interesting how the project combines different disciplines. A unique fusion of tech, design, sustainability, architecture, innovation and service development, which together contribute to creating a comprehensive solution that appears very implemented and authentic.”
— Visuelt Jury