Product Design
PMD Sky
A redesigned personal grooming device inspired by Gae Aulenti, combining bold geometric form with modern skincare technology to create a functional yet sculptural product.
Year :
2021
Industry :
Beauty / Personal Care Technology
Client :
Undergraduate
Project Duration :
14 weeks
Problem :
Many personal grooming devices focus heavily on function and technical features, which can make them feel quite generic or clinical.
This project explored how a skincare device could feel more considered and visually appealing, while still being practical and easy to use.
The challenge was to find a balance between function, aesthetics and usability, creating a product that would feel at home within a user's everyday skincare routine.
Research :
I looked at both PMD's existing product range and the work of Gae Aulenti to understand how the device could balance function with a stronger visual identity.
My research included:
Analysing existing PMD devices to understand their form, function and overall design language
Looking at Gae Aulenti's architecture and product design for inspiration around form and structure
Exploring geometric shapes, material contrasts and bold structural elements
Creating moodboards and style tiles to bring these references together and establish a visual direction
What I found:
PMD products tend to prioritise clear, functional forms.
Aulenti's work often uses bold geometry, strong structures and contrasting materials.
There was an opportunity to combine the practical requirements of a skincare device with a more sculptural and expressive approach.
This led me towards a design that kept the device functional and comfortable to use, while giving it a stronger visual presence.
Solution :
The final concept combines PMD’s skincare technology with a more sculptural form inspired by Gae Aulenti’s work.
The main design decisions included:
Using bold geometric forms to give the device a stronger visual character
Introducing contrasting materials to emphasise the different elements of the form
Considering ergonomics and comfort so the device remained practical to use
Keeping the core functionality of a PMD device while giving it a less conventional appearance
The result is a skincare device that feels functional and comfortable to use, while having a stronger presence as an object in its own right.
Challenge :
The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between bold form and comfortable use.
The geometric forms inspired by Gae Aulenti gave the product a strong visual character, but they also needed to work as a handheld skincare device. I had to keep refining the proportions and shape to make sure the product remained comfortable and practical to use.
Other challenges included:
Bringing a new visual direction into the existing PMD product range
Translating architectural inspiration into something that could be held and used
Making the concept feel visually distinctive while still being realistic to manufacture
This meant constantly balancing how the product looked with how it would feel and function in the hand.
Constraints :
This project was a conceptual product design exploration, focusing on how PMD's existing skincare devices could be reinterpreted through a different visual language.
The main considerations were:
Working within the functional expectations of a handheld skincare device
Creating something that still felt connected to PMD's existing product range
Translating Gae Aulenti's architectural forms into a practical, handheld object
Exploring a more expressive form while keeping the concept realistic and usable
These considerations shaped the proportions, ergonomics and material choices throughout the design process.
Outcome :
The final concept reinterprets a PMD skincare device through a more sculptural and expressive form, while keeping its core function and usability in mind.
The project:
Gives the device a stronger visual identity within the skincare category
Uses Gae Aulenti’s work as a reference for form, structure and material choices
Maintains a focus on ergonomics and practical use
Explores how an everyday skincare product can feel more considered as a physical object
The moodboards and style tiles helped establish the visual direction early on and provided a reference point throughout the design process.
More Projects
Award Winner
Read
Product Design
PMD Sky
A redesigned personal grooming device inspired by Gae Aulenti, combining bold geometric form with modern skincare technology to create a functional yet sculptural product.
Year :
2021
Industry :
Beauty / Personal Care Technology
Client :
Undergraduate
Project Duration :
14 weeks
Problem :
Many personal grooming devices focus heavily on function and technical features, which can make them feel quite generic or clinical.
This project explored how a skincare device could feel more considered and visually appealing, while still being practical and easy to use.
The challenge was to find a balance between function, aesthetics and usability, creating a product that would feel at home within a user's everyday skincare routine.
Research :
I looked at both PMD's existing product range and the work of Gae Aulenti to understand how the device could balance function with a stronger visual identity.
My research included:
Analysing existing PMD devices to understand their form, function and overall design language
Looking at Gae Aulenti's architecture and product design for inspiration around form and structure
Exploring geometric shapes, material contrasts and bold structural elements
Creating moodboards and style tiles to bring these references together and establish a visual direction
What I found:
PMD products tend to prioritise clear, functional forms.
Aulenti's work often uses bold geometry, strong structures and contrasting materials.
There was an opportunity to combine the practical requirements of a skincare device with a more sculptural and expressive approach.
This led me towards a design that kept the device functional and comfortable to use, while giving it a stronger visual presence.
Solution :
The final concept combines PMD’s skincare technology with a more sculptural form inspired by Gae Aulenti’s work.
The main design decisions included:
Using bold geometric forms to give the device a stronger visual character
Introducing contrasting materials to emphasise the different elements of the form
Considering ergonomics and comfort so the device remained practical to use
Keeping the core functionality of a PMD device while giving it a less conventional appearance
The result is a skincare device that feels functional and comfortable to use, while having a stronger presence as an object in its own right.
Challenge :
The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between bold form and comfortable use.
The geometric forms inspired by Gae Aulenti gave the product a strong visual character, but they also needed to work as a handheld skincare device. I had to keep refining the proportions and shape to make sure the product remained comfortable and practical to use.
Other challenges included:
Bringing a new visual direction into the existing PMD product range
Translating architectural inspiration into something that could be held and used
Making the concept feel visually distinctive while still being realistic to manufacture
This meant constantly balancing how the product looked with how it would feel and function in the hand.
Constraints :
This project was a conceptual product design exploration, focusing on how PMD's existing skincare devices could be reinterpreted through a different visual language.
The main considerations were:
Working within the functional expectations of a handheld skincare device
Creating something that still felt connected to PMD's existing product range
Translating Gae Aulenti's architectural forms into a practical, handheld object
Exploring a more expressive form while keeping the concept realistic and usable
These considerations shaped the proportions, ergonomics and material choices throughout the design process.
Outcome :
The final concept reinterprets a PMD skincare device through a more sculptural and expressive form, while keeping its core function and usability in mind.
The project:
Gives the device a stronger visual identity within the skincare category
Uses Gae Aulenti’s work as a reference for form, structure and material choices
Maintains a focus on ergonomics and practical use
Explores how an everyday skincare product can feel more considered as a physical object
The moodboards and style tiles helped establish the visual direction early on and provided a reference point throughout the design process.
More Projects
Award Winner
Read
Product Design
PMD Sky
A redesigned personal grooming device inspired by Gae Aulenti, combining bold geometric form with modern skincare technology to create a functional yet sculptural product.
Year :
2021
Industry :
Beauty / Personal Care Technology
Client :
Undergraduate
Project Duration :
14 weeks
Problem :
Many personal grooming devices focus heavily on function and technical features, which can make them feel quite generic or clinical.
This project explored how a skincare device could feel more considered and visually appealing, while still being practical and easy to use.
The challenge was to find a balance between function, aesthetics and usability, creating a product that would feel at home within a user's everyday skincare routine.
Research :
I looked at both PMD's existing product range and the work of Gae Aulenti to understand how the device could balance function with a stronger visual identity.
My research included:
Analysing existing PMD devices to understand their form, function and overall design language
Looking at Gae Aulenti's architecture and product design for inspiration around form and structure
Exploring geometric shapes, material contrasts and bold structural elements
Creating moodboards and style tiles to bring these references together and establish a visual direction
What I found:
PMD products tend to prioritise clear, functional forms.
Aulenti's work often uses bold geometry, strong structures and contrasting materials.
There was an opportunity to combine the practical requirements of a skincare device with a more sculptural and expressive approach.
This led me towards a design that kept the device functional and comfortable to use, while giving it a stronger visual presence.
Solution :
The final concept combines PMD’s skincare technology with a more sculptural form inspired by Gae Aulenti’s work.
The main design decisions included:
Using bold geometric forms to give the device a stronger visual character
Introducing contrasting materials to emphasise the different elements of the form
Considering ergonomics and comfort so the device remained practical to use
Keeping the core functionality of a PMD device while giving it a less conventional appearance
The result is a skincare device that feels functional and comfortable to use, while having a stronger presence as an object in its own right.
Challenge :
The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between bold form and comfortable use.
The geometric forms inspired by Gae Aulenti gave the product a strong visual character, but they also needed to work as a handheld skincare device. I had to keep refining the proportions and shape to make sure the product remained comfortable and practical to use.
Other challenges included:
Bringing a new visual direction into the existing PMD product range
Translating architectural inspiration into something that could be held and used
Making the concept feel visually distinctive while still being realistic to manufacture
This meant constantly balancing how the product looked with how it would feel and function in the hand.
Constraints :
This project was a conceptual product design exploration, focusing on how PMD's existing skincare devices could be reinterpreted through a different visual language.
The main considerations were:
Working within the functional expectations of a handheld skincare device
Creating something that still felt connected to PMD's existing product range
Translating Gae Aulenti's architectural forms into a practical, handheld object
Exploring a more expressive form while keeping the concept realistic and usable
These considerations shaped the proportions, ergonomics and material choices throughout the design process.
Outcome :
The final concept reinterprets a PMD skincare device through a more sculptural and expressive form, while keeping its core function and usability in mind.
The project:
Gives the device a stronger visual identity within the skincare category
Uses Gae Aulenti’s work as a reference for form, structure and material choices
Maintains a focus on ergonomics and practical use
Explores how an everyday skincare product can feel more considered as a physical object
The moodboards and style tiles helped establish the visual direction early on and provided a reference point throughout the design process.
More Projects
Award Winner
Read