Muji Christmas Tree

Christmas trees from Muji

Harah suggested that I could get one of these trees from Muji to see how I could package my DIY kit. Unfortunately, the tree is only available in Japan and I could only take reference from images. 

The installation seems quite simple and this is probably key when creating a DIY kit. If the installment is too difficult or takes too much time, people might lose patience halfway through. 

Initial Ideas

Sketching my ideas
Sensory tree with speaker and essential oil container

My idea is to create a family tree where family members can hang artefacts or trinkets that are meaningful to them. Each family should use the product to create their own unique family tree — developing their own shared language. I wanted to allow users to collect their memories and narratives in the form of visual, audio and smell. There could also be message bottles where family members can write messages or dreams and place them inside. 

Prototype

Separate pieces
Low-fi prototype

I created a low-fi prototype to visualise how the different pieces of the tree could be assembled together. For the upcoming weeks, I would be focusing on finalising the tree design and would probably laser cut wood or acrylic to create a better prototype. 

Feedback

Some pointers from Harah and Andreas to consider: 

  • Use better material to create a new prototype for testing
  • Ideas are good, but focus on aesthetics