Jon Harrison

Dual Purpose

This summer, Jon Harrison added another merit to his name by becoming one of the latest students to graduate from the Royal College of Arts MA product design course.

Having already gained work experience with some of today's most notable designers – Tord Boontje and BarberOsgerby – Harrison has been developing a personal incentive to design by, and one that has led him to a number of interesting outcomes.

In his words;

Functionality and usability of everyday objects is of great importance to me. I believe if an item is to function correctly it should be able to tell the consumer what the product is for and how to use it intuitively – with no instructions or explanations. Whether realising it or not as a community of users, we share a common visual language of expectations and perceived behaviours. I try to use this ‘visual alphabet’ within my work.

This outlook seems to have inspired a number of his most recent works including, ‘Dual Purpose’, a collection of multi-functional products that attempt to address the holistic nature of objects.

Speaking on this, Harrison says;

When designing, I believe it’s important not only to focus on the product itself but to also concentrate on the environment in which the item will live, taking inspiration not only from the function of the object but also from all the varying components which surround and interlock with the product.

The outcomes, some of which can be seen below, include several innovative solutions to mundane tasks we often overlook.

For more information on Jon and his work visit www.jon-harrison.com

Jon Harrison, Dual Purpose

Jon Harrison, Dual Purpose

Jon Harrison, Dual Purpose

Jon Harrison, Dual Purpose