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Gerda Hertscheg

gerdahertscheg@gmail.com | www.cargocollective.com/GerdaHertscheg

Design is finding problems, a lovely little insight, suggesting solutions, through passionate commitment and observing how it evolves and comes to life, certainly not always perfect, but this allows learning.

Lapis Lazuli Sun Lotion

This pigmented sun lotion will change colour from white to blue to remind you to apply the cream again.

The project started with visual impairment and special focus was drawn towards colour-blindness, more precisely red-green colour vision deficiency, due to the fact that it is the most common one. Red-Green CVD affects approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women on a global scale.

The most significant finding was that colour-blind people face problems with noticing whether they themselves or their children get sunburned. Therefore, one could argue that colour-blindness evokes the causes of skin cancer.

However, sunburn is not only an issue for colour-blind people, as merely 33 per cent of all UK citizens use sun protection, very well aware of the danger but deciding to ignore it. Many of the 70.000 new cases of skin cancer each year could be prevented by caring a little bit more.

The pigmented lotion changes colour from white when cold or dry to blue when exposed long enough to the sun or getting wet to remind you to apply cream again. It will change back to normal if cream is applied again or ones you are out of direct sunlight. To achieve this colour change the cream is mixed with thermochromic and hydrochromic pigments.

The product is advertised on the basis of a public health warning which illustrates the ignorance of the community towards severe skin damage created through sunburn in order to get tanned and delivers the message of reminding people that the sun can be dangerous.

The Grimm Box

Experience a new navigation through a book's architecture by manipulating the story. It will be a new story every day.

Stories have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and to instil moral values.

The aim was trying to merge the instant rewarding system of a game with the learning outcomes of a book. Experiencing a new navigation through a book's architecture by manipulating the story but keeping it interesting for both parties, the child and the parent. What will happen tomorrow, should be the question asked? Also it should add value to the book by making it more personal, more the story of the owner and encourage to make decisions and get involved.

The final book contains a game description, twelve cardboard cards, one red acrylic and one green acrylic, stored in a box. Each card contains two pictures and one of them disappears depending on which acrylic is placed over it. Depending on how many cards are selected, the type of card and the colour of acrylic, the story changes, shortens or gives more information. It will be a new story every day.