With U
Focus : Product Design
Tool : Biomaterial, AI
Why?
Everyday household appliances, especially inexpensive ones like humidifiers, are designed for convenience but rarely for emotional connection. They support our lives, yet are easily consumed, replaced, and forgotten. I began to question whether an object could exist quietly in our lives, supporting comfort without interrupting it and helping us feel less alone in our everyday environments.
— Project Goal
With U proposes furniture not as something to be used, but as something to live with. Rather than prioritizing technological control, This project places time, material, and care at the center of interaction.
— Material Research
Four criteria were considered in material selection: air purification, humidification, ease of care, and emotional engagement through cultivation. While many sustainable materials satisfied some of these aspects, moss was the only material that balanced all four, making it the most suitable choice for long-term domestic use.
— Material Research
Over six weeks of cultivating moss, I learned that even materials considered easy to grow require careful environmental balance. Sustained but moderate moisture, adequate humidity, sufficient air contact, and a cover that allows light to pass through all proved to be critical factors.
In response, I focused on designing a moss case that satisfies these functional requirements while minimizing user effort, enabling users to care for the moss with ease and, in return, experience gentle humidification, air purification, and a sense of joy through cultivation.
System Structure
1. Water Supply
Water is refilled through an opening at the top of the dome and stored in a small reservoir beneath the moss. A wool felt layer draws the water upward through capillary action, providing steady moisture without over-saturation.
2. Structural Support
A lightweight plastic skeleton supports the felt and moss, maintaining the dome shape while allowing sufficient airflow. This prevents the wet felt from collapsing and keeps the structure stable over time.
3. Passive Humidification
The dome-shaped form maximizes the moss’s air contact area, enabling gentle humidification and air purification through passive evaporation. The system operates entirely without electricity or mechanical components.
Non-Electric
Eco-Friendly
User Comfort
With U
This project explores how everyday furniture can support environmental comfort without electricity, complexity, or intrusion, offering a quiet balance between function, care, and daily life.
Location
314 Benefit St.
Providence, RI
02903
2025 Jungsoo Lee