Parsons Student and Faculty Work Recognized in Core77 Design Awards
Hanky Pancreas
Parsons faculty and student work was recognized in the first Core77 Design Awards, which honors excellence in all areas of design enterprise.
Alice Chun, an assistant professor of Design and Material Culture in the School for Constructed Environments, and the director of the Donghia Materials Library, was a runner up in the DIY/Hack/Mod category for the “Solar Puff,” a foldable, inflatable light that takes one puff of air to inflate, and whose six LED lights can illuminate a room for 6 to 8 hours. Said Chun about the project: “I have traveled to Haiti and Nigeria, and witnessed thousands of people lighting kerosene cups because there is no alternative. In areas of extreme poverty, they cannot afford batteries or fuel, which is sometimes 30 percent of a person’s income. Every child should have the ability to have a light at night. The foldability and low cost of the Puff is critical, as it provides the ability to package hundreds of lights as opposed to a dozen solar flashlights.”
“Hanky Pancreas,” the thesis project of Parsons MFA Design and Technology graduate Jessica Floeh ’10, was a notable mention in the category of Soft Goods/Apparel. Hanky Pancreas‚Ñ¢ is a product for women with diabetes who wear insulin pumps, glucose monitors, and other devices, which it transforms into fashion accessories. The goal is to make these devices more wearable, as well as initiate conversations about health and bring more awareness and social acceptance to living with diabetes. Said the jury: “The idea of embellishing a necessary medical tool brought a sense of optimism, awareness and potential confidence to this illness.”
International in scope, the Core77 Design Awards engaged juries based around the globe, which gathered in eight countries to judge 15 categories of design practice. Among the jurors was Rama Chorpash, director of Product Design at Parsons, who was part of the jury for the category of products and equipment. For more information, visit the Core77 Design Awards website.