COLIN HEARON
info

sonora

c. 2018
Sonora is a temperature controlled beverage vessel, capable of heating or cooling its contents.

It was completed as a response to FirstBuild's "Smart Sip" challenge. The final solution is a visually impactful, simple to use smart mug with a distinctive brand language.

The project was awarded first place.
role
Lead designer
deliverables
concept renderings

Inspired by the desert

The thermoelectric technology of Sonora is capable of both heating and cooling beverages. This ability to shift from generating heat to rapidly chilling reminded me of the extreme temperature shifts found in the desert.
This inspired me to explore cactus-like forms, particularly focusing on the ridged texture of many cacti. A benefit of using ridges is that they increase the vessel's surface area, helping the electronics inside to thermoregulate more efficiently.

Defining the aesthetic

I gathered images of ceramic vessels, architecture, and tech products which IĀ felt displayed interesting or expressive texture and detail. This mood board helped me focus my cactus inspiration towards a product-appropriate execution.