Cheng and her team head out on scouting trips to gather objects from a variety of places and bring them back to the studio , composing their own ever-changing mood board . In the CMF library , there are Zen-like ceramic-and-bamboo vessels picked up from an upscale housewares boutique in San Francisco alongside scores of upholstery samples in chic color palettes , hunks of charred wood , and
Nike ’ s Space Hippie trainers .
Most of these materials will never make it to production , but they offer up a rich playground for the team ’ s collective imagination . Foam made from mycelium ( i . e ., fungi threads ) is an organic material that can be grown in just two weeks . Perhaps one day it could be used as material to cover the Dragonfly chassis , even if right now it couldn ’ t survive the daily wear and tear we put on our PCs . Or its spongy , earthy texture might inspire a new textile that lends a softer feel to an otherwise hard-edged device on your desk .
“ We as designers have to think outside the box to stay creative and inspired , but we also have to develop materials that can be used for production ,”
MODEL STUDIES
A look inside the Dragonfly , including parts made with ocean-bound plastic , top left ; a pegboard of fabric swatches showcasing different printing techniques for the HP logo , top right ; foam model of the HP Chromebase All-in-One Desktop with conical bases wrapped in speaker fabric and the final product , center ; Wolff outside the CMF library , left .
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