trillo
non-stigmatizing
lumbar support pillow
march 2022
Client
n/a
timeline
6 months
role
researched, designed, and prototyped
PROJECT BRIEFIn this project, I aimed to create a home furnishing product that is inclusive to a wide variety of consumers, focused on the personal destigmatization of the user in their home. The central challenge I wanted to adress through this process was stigmatization. This includes the stigma a user faces in a daily public setting, as well as the self-stigmatization that follows when the user is in private. I narrowed my research further into a focus on temporary or chronic back pain. My objective was to create an appealing solution to help those to sit with back pain, that is aesthetically pleasing to the user, and integrates in the home in order to de-stigmatize differing levels of ability. Through this I wanted to create a design that allows for the further extension of the life cycle of a product in a users space, through the possibility of adapting to users change in ability.
PROCESSThrough prototyping, I hand crafted the hard foam insert that would act as the lumbar support inside the pillow. Mimicking the shape of the curve of the human spine, this element would be placed in the center of the pillow.I created a sewing template that can be replicated on a machine, complete with all stitching, seams, and zippers. I selected a durable, functional, yet comfortable fabric for the final prototype. The final design includes a pillow case, the foam insert, and polyfill stuffing. FINAL DESIGNThe final design is inspired by the values of biophillic design, which encourages the use of elements from nature to be used as inspiration in design form, funtion, and aesthetic. The pillow incorporates a leaf shape, pattern, and colour. The final prototype is a product that exists to fit into the users core values, specifically independence, and de-stigmatization. It is functional and comfortable, and aims to adapt to differing mobility and improve the quality of life for the user.
