A Designer Bedside Charging Pot by Stephanie is the best option for power strips with smart and fun reminders to turn off the unused sockets.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
“Not only for aesthetic purposes, but its appearance also serves a function and a cause. The designer implicitly uses the ‘plant/trees’ analogy to convey that the environment is affected negatively by our careless actions of leaving power strips on when not in use.”
What triggers the creation of this project 'Terra'?
‘Terra’ is born out of the designer’s concerns towards the bad habits of people who carelessly tend to leave power strips on even after usage. Oblivious to many, the “Always-On” power strip surprisingly consumes a significant amount of household electricity even during idle load consumption (when the plugged devices’ cables on it are actually not in use). The unintended electricity waste costs the environment and increases the electricity bill expenditure.
A Gentle Reminder:
for the user to turn off after use!
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
‘Terra’ is designed to resemble a mini potted plant. It can also be seen as a tiny forest consisting of small trees. Its appearance helps to integrate it aesthetically into the users’ bedrooms and their living spaces. Not only for aesthetic purposes, but its appearance also serves a function and a cause. The designer implicitly uses the ‘plant/trees’ analogy to convey that the environment is affected negatively by our careless actions of leaving power strips on when not in use.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
How does it convey the message of saving our environment by reducing energy?
Each tree on top of the power strip serves as a ‘power switch’ to turn on and off each output socket. When the user pushes down the tree, the output socket is turned on. As the trees are being pushed down (turning on the electricity power), the trees disappear from our sight, and so the landscape on top will also disappear bit by bit. This indirectly reminds us that trees will eventually disappear, and our environment will be at cost if we do not turn off each output socket after using it.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
The designer also provides a ‘master switch’ in the middle of the power strip to make it easier in turning off the output sockets all at once, ‘regrowing’ back all the ‘trees buttons’ on the power strip and making them visible.
Hence, instead of using indicator light to show whether the output socket is still on, ‘Terra’ creatively plays with the visibility of each tiny tree/plant above the power strip to indicate each output socket's on and off status on the power strip.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
Having a round shape, ‘Terra’ enables the users to plug in electronic devices’ cables within 360 degrees rotation range. Additionally, there is a built-in suction at the bottom of ‘Terra’ to secure it down when using it. ‘Terra’ is also designed with a rotating base to adjust its cable length to fit the required distance in reaching out to the intended electronic devices' locations.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
Seasons of ‘Terra’ comes in four different models: Forest Green, Titanium White, Tawny Brown, and Black Ash.
Video Courtesy of Stephanie Devina Widjaja
This product has gained recognition with the following awards which goes to show, its effectiveness and usability in day to day basis.
Jul 2019: Product Innovation Excellence Award - Best of Category (Student)
Sep 2019: Taiwan International Student Design Competition (TISDC) - Finalist in Product Design Category
Project Information
Name: Terra, Bedside Charging Pot
Designer: Stephanie Devina Widjaja
Year: 2018
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For other product designed by Stephanie Devina Widjaja,
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