Innovative design talks at IUE
“FUTURIXMIR: Futurism and Innovation Talks”, organized by Izmir University of Economics to address futuristic design ideas and developments, took place at IUE Conference Hall. In his speech, David Kusuma, Member of WDO-World Design Organization Board of Directors, and Director of Tupperware Innovation and Design Department, stated that design products were created to meet the needs, and when the needs changed, changes in designs of even basic products became inevitable. Kusuma indicated that when creating a design, one needed to consider sustainability as well as functionality. Kusuma said, “Preserving water sources is one of the main duties for all of us. We are working on a technology to prevent the plates from getting dirty which in the end will decrease use of water for cleaning them. It is called ‘Lotus Effect’. The lotus effect refers to self-cleaning properties as exhibited by the leaves of lotus flower. We were inspired by this, and started doing tests. This way, more efficient products for both mother nature and users can be developed.” Kusuma also mentioned their mutual projects with NASA. Kusuma said, “When growing a plant in a zero gravity environment, the biggest issue we face is not being able to make the plant roots absorb the water. We were not concerned about such issues before, but now new designs are required for new needs.” After his speech, Kusuma held a workshop with the students of IUE Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, which focused on dependable, sustainable products that meet the user needs.