The Boiling Purple, 2023

The practical master's thesis, 'The Boiling Purple,' explores the health risks of ultraviolet radiation based on scientific research. It emphasizes the urgency of raising awareness, making it a primary goal, and using data from the Deutsche Wetterdienst.

From the start, I aimed to create a regularly used everyday object that effectively conveys my message. I believe that encouraging interaction between the user and the object would enhance message communication. This concept was rigorously explored through statistical analysis, literature review, and expert discussions. The project focused on achieving a balanced result, considering scientific accuracy, circularity, and aesthetics, providing valuable insights for product ideation.

The 'Boiling Purple' collection comprises five beach towels, providing a comprehensive perspective on ultraviolet radiation's impact across present, past, and future trends. Through a harmonious balance achieved during the design process, the final outcome utilizes Econyl material, made from recycled nylon, combined with Sunkolor material. The Sunkolor material changes its color from white to intense purple when exposed to high ultraviolet radiation. The design incorporates the globally recognized UV index's semiotic color scale and features circular elements inspired by the sun.

From a textile standpoint, integrating a scientific data display into a woven surface adds material dimension, providing sensory and haptic value, and enhancing its informative capacity. My work aims to explore how the rapid development of climate change requires new design solutions in our daily lives. These solutions should actively address ongoing environmental and human changes, making it their mission to bring these changes to our attention.

Among other things, my thesis follows the logical progression of aiming to translate complex research results into practical applications with the help of design, making them accessible.

The developed prototypes in this thesis form a foundation for future product development and refinement, fostering ongoing research into weaving construction and material selection for diverse applications.