Space Heater

The experience of taking out the warm clothes straight out of a drier is an underrated example of thermal comfort.

Imagine walking into your home in winter, taking off your cold coat, and picking up a warm blanket.

~page work in progress~

Electric space heaters are now one of a long list of appliances and electronics that use plastic as casing.

The space heaters on the market are similar in form and in material which narrows down our imgination of what a heater can look and feel like. I explored forms that I hope would promote space heaters from an appliance to a piece of furniture.

For millenia we have been using natural resources for heating - for fuel but also for containing or guiding the heat with fireplaces, chimneys, furnaces, etc. Frankly it is not the worst use of plastic as a material, as long as heaters remain a product that is kept and looked after for as long as they remain functional and desired.

Concept Sketches

I started with a geometric, space-age aesthetic that is reminiscent of the design of TV and electronic appliances in the 60’s and 70’s (such as Panasonic’s Orbitel).

Above I found it symbolically appealing to make the heater a combintion of three orbiting bodies:
1- Large sphere on the bottom: the heater, as the sun,
2 - Medium sphere in the middle: the handle to rotate the entire thing, as the earth
3 - Small sphere on the top: the temperature dial, as the moon.

Further Exploration
After doing more readings on biophilic design and the concept of ‘wabi-sabi’ in design, I found that clay / terracotta ovens, with their imperfect finish and surface texture, can feel natural and warm in a home + can contrast nicely in an interior with smooth, geometric forms and polished finishes. The clay can be thermally insulating without being too thick, which keeps the weight of the entire heater light enough to carry and move around with little effort.

Dimensioning and scale drawing