Project
background
In a fast-paced society like that of Hong Kong’s, where stress is a
common condition, for many a holiday means travelling abroad. “Travels are full
of pleasant surprises. Today, travelling to other countries is more important
than it has ever been” asserts Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler. Tourists
come back home relaxed, with their energy levels recharged, and their heads
full of happy memories they wish to share with family and friends. Returning
from their travels, they want to remember their sightseeing, dining, playing,
or shopping experiences, and bring back home tokens from foreign lands - aka
souvenirs - to keep as mementos, or offer to loved ones as gifts.
Design Concept
Souvenirs range from the tacky to the beautifully crafted, and are
often manufactured and branded as “authentically” extolling a country’s
cultural identity, or as safely packaged foods or scents to be experienced back
home. Most of the time tourists are not involved in the manufacturing of these
objects. The “D.I. Souvenirs” rapid D.I.Y. souvenir fabricator vending booth
allows travelers to fabricate their own travel tokens. Be the personalized “it”
thing a stamp chop tourist/users design using the in-built touch screen and
cameras, or an Augmented Reality printed postcard of a selection of local
sights users select, to include within a 3D photo of themselves, using a
similar touch-screen and camera interface. Users, friends and relatives may
then display the printed postcard in front of any computer camera at home, to
produce an on-screen 3D pop-up representation of the postcard. Do it, make your
souvenirs.
Other links related to Poly U Design Annual Show 2012: http://www.polyudesignshow.com/showcase.php?Exhibitors_ID=250
http://www.polyudesignshow.com/
http://www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/web/NewsAndEvents/News?p=8&n=513
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PolyU-Design-Annual-Show-2012/302418913139637