Sweet Cake

Cupcake wrappers are synonymous with, well, cupcakes. When we see the paper or plastic wrappers, most of us will immediately day dream about chocolate, red velvet, or lavender cupcakes with a buttercream frosting. Cupcakes are heavenly, but Beer van Stokkum, a product designer, has created a new product that embodies the shape of a cup cake case, but for entirely different uses.

"Sweet Cakes", made of synthetic material and available in 11 different colors, can be used as a baby`s bath, flower box for your garden, a basket for your dogs and cats, or a drink cooler at parties. In terms of functionality, the possibilities are endless. What makes this design so interesting is that it forces the user to rid themselves of their subjective views of the cup cake holder, alter their perceptions and find other means for it. The simplicity of the design allows the Sweet Cake to be functional as itself.

When applying the 5 concepts of ergonomic research however, Sweet Cakes may not be the most useful sort of design. Its basic shape as a cup cake holder does not give it much use other than as a place holder. Safety wise, unless you trip and hit your head on the corner of it, the product can be considered safe. Sweet babies and little children will not dare to try swallow it even if it reminds them of their favorite dessert.

Its level of performance and ease of use depends entirely on the user`s creativity. It can be made into a wonderful bed for herbs or vegetables or as a decorative accessory at parties that holds the alcohol. Sweet Cakes can also be used as a bath for babies or basket for holding your everyday materials. It is incredible easy to use for its shape and its usefulness as a product depends on how you use it.

Sweet Cakes is a design made for purely aesthetic purposes. It will stand out not only as a cup cake holder, but also for its size and color variation. Although its form is not naturalistic, its large size will catch any visitor`s attention and create an illusion of space or distance. Its level of comfort depends on how comfortable users are with branching out from their comfort zones and adding new and interesting objects into their interior lifestyle. It will add contrast and an interesting variation to your existing landscape.

As a piece of design, Sweet Cakes challenges conventional ideas of certain shapes. It makes us question our perception of everyday objects that we associate with specific uses. Any form or shape can be redesigned for entirely different uses and does not have to conform to whatever purpose it was originally created for. The writing utensil that we call a pencil can be used as a hair piece to hold a bun. The telephone that we call the IPhone can also function as a cookbook, music player, and financial planner. Design is limitless. Design can be anything. Design is about everything.