Vert Design was commissioned to design a bespoke sample pot for MECCA that reflects the brand's values, strong visual identity, and commitment to sustainability. The design aims to better connect MECCA with their customers, offering an optimal user experience that mirrors the in-store experience and encourages return customers. The pots have been specified and developed to accommodate 2 ml of sample product. They were designed to embody MECCA's high perceived value and iconic aesthetics, while maintaining a neutral and universal appeal suitable for sampling their diverse range of iconic brands and products. 

In conjunction with market research, Vert undertook several visits to MECCA stores to review the in-person sampling experience. While MECCA had an existing sample pot range, they faced technical challenges related to labeling and sealing, and lacked solid brand touchpoints.

Concepts were developed to explore various forms, guided by a visual design criteria aimed at achieving a harmonious balance between structured and methodical forms, with expressive designs. The primary goal was to create a positive first impression in-store while ensuring the pots offered both functional utility and aesthetic appeal in customers' homes. 

Eight concepts were introduced, each motivated by practicality and design, guiding user interactions and drawing inspiration from the makeup industry, architecture, and beauty. Three main directions were explored: Method, a meticulous and structured approach, guaranteeing reliable and effective outcomes; Flair, daring, imaginative, and experimental, promoting playful and artistic expression; and Establishment, seasoned and professional, reflecting authority with robust forms and profiles.

Initial concept designs focused on stackability, ease of filling and labeling, with additional considerations such as custom cotton pads to enhance usability. 

The chosen concept adopted a teardrop design with natural contours. Meticulously crafted for symmetry, it includes a stopper detail for precise alignment and an internal lip to prevent spills. Vert conducted rigorous rapid prototyping to test the screwing mechanism, ensuring optimal functionality for sealing. Additionally, a tactile ‘bump-stop’ detail was implemented to provide haptic feedback, indicating whether the pot is securely closed or open.

Further refinements involved creating variations in pot sizing, logo placement, and matching MECCA's iconic colour schemes. Concepts for labeling enhancements included options for paper stickers and detachable tags, aimed at improving the experience for both Mecca representatives and end-users.

Multiple rounds of off-tool samples were manufactured to ensure the highest quality and alignment with MECCA's quality assurance and brand guidelines. This iterative process aimed to achieve the ideal balance of functionality, aesthetic appeal, and brand consistency for MECCA's product line.

Vert is proud to have developed a circular system for MECCA sample pots, harnessing recycled plastics. This system enables the pots to be curbside recycled, repurposed into one’s own sample kit, or returned to MECCA for reintegration into the system and made into future sample pot collections.

MECCA recently conducted a trial pilot program with sample pots in their HQ state of Victoria, to gain feedback and consumer insights prior to mass adoption. 

You can view MECCA’s website here and instagram here. 

Stay tuned for further sample range developments.

Founded by Mike Smith, Zero Co began with a clear and ambitious mission: to create products that reduce household waste while funding cleanups of oceans, rivers, and beaches. Vert has partnered with Zero Co since 2018 and is proud to collaborate with a company that consistently demonstrates and acts on its values. 

Four years ago, Vert supported Zero Co with developing a closed-loop system to address the single-use plastic issue. Today the company has cleaned and reused over 220,000 pouches and removed the equivalent of over 45 million plastic water bottles from waterways all around the world through cleanup efforts. While this progress is impressive, sustainability is an ongoing journey.

After analysing the data, consumer behaviours and reflecting on their original closed-loop approach, Zero Co identified key challenges. High emissions from shipping and cleaning, coupled with only 42% of customers returning their pouches, resulted in 58% of pouches contributing to the single-use plastic problem.

Enter ForeverFill™—the next step in sustainability. Built on the idea of using Forever Bottles that are durable, reusable, and made from recycled materials, in operation with paper-based refills. 

ForeverFill™ is an overhaul of the entire Zero Co range, with Vert tasked to design a Forever Bottle and refill system that operates across all products in the home. The design needed to be clean, user-friendly, and adaptable across multiple categories, with Zero Co expanding into personal care products like skincare, hair care, body care, dental, and sanitation products. A packaging identity needed to be developed to support the brands growth into this more elevated category. The Forever Bottle was to ensure a seamless user experience, encourage repeat use, and allow for easy disassembly and cleaning. 

Vert undertook a comprehensive discovery phase, applying in-depth research and design thinking to strategically bridge the transition between home care and personal care. Recognising that care products are often loud, colourful, and competing for our attention in the supermarket setting, Vert explored what sustainable personal care could look like in the home, and how it could be aspirational. 

The tagline, 'Personal care is personal,' served as a guiding principle, leading to the development of designs that are both approachable and minimalist, with subtle branding to seamlessly integrate into a variety of bathroom and living spaces. The design language was centred around ‘conscious aspiration’, inspired by the modern Australian spirit which embodies the attributes of being upbeat, capable and playful, while reflecting a purposeful connection to community and country.

Concepts were inspired by the practical value of everyday objects like mason jars and storage containers, envisioning products that can be easily integrated into a reuse system for all products in the home. During this phase, various visual identities, forms and refill methods were explored with a focus on utility. 

A custom pump was developed, setting Zero Co apart from their competitors who typically rely on off-the-shelf solutions. This was a particularly challenging aspect of the design process, as it had to meet both manufacturing requirements and align with the visual identity of the product. 

Prototyping for the Forever Bottle involved 3D printing and high resolution machining, experimenting with transparent, coloured and frosted textures. This helped test how the design could subtly conceal branded elements meant for supermarket shelves while still looking great in the home. These prototypes enabled key refinements to the bottle's form, the interlocking mechanism with the paper refill, and the sealing system. The bottle’s collar underwent several iterations, with the addition of a gasket to ensure a leak-proof design, making the system easy to swap and protected in wet environments. Injection moulding and blow moulding were explored as manufacturing methods, and recycled polypropylene was pursued as a material.

ForeverFill™ isn't just another refill system—it's a complete rethink of products in the home and its impact on the planet. According to Zero Co, paper-based refills cut plastics in the home by 87%, paper-based refills slash emissions by up to 75% and packaging can be tossed in home recycling bins.

When you support Zero Co, you reduce single-use plastics in your home and these proceeds fund ocean clean ups all around the world. 

A special thank you to Demetre Tryfiatis and Mike Smith for your dedication. Vert are proud to collaborate with a company that consistently acts on its values and is pushing sustainability in the right direction.

You can learn more about Zero Co’s switch here.

Follow along on Zero Co’s journey to Untrash The Planet on social media here.

Lead Vert Designers: Ned Mason, Charlie Payne, Vincent Tsang, Neuti Seo and Andrew Simpson

To celebrate OzHarvest’s 20th anniversary, Vert Design partnered with Frost Design to create a commemorative spoon that honours OzHarvest's remarkable work and impact. Founded by Ronni Kahn AO in 2004, OzHarvest is Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, saving surplus food from landfills and providing it to charities that feed people in need. 

Ronni has a tradition of gifting teaspoons to people as a sentiment to the work of Ozharvest. This idea was adopted from Israeli author and peace activist Amos Oz in “Order of the Teaspoon”. The story presents a simple yet powerful message about collective action in the face of challenges, presenting the scenario of a fire and the three responses one might take: running away, writing a letter of complaint, or taking direct action with a bucket of water or even a teaspoon. 

As Ronni says, “I know a teaspoon is little, and a fire is huge, but there are millions of us, and each one of us has a teaspoon.” Ozharvest’s logo is a spoon, and with their role as fundraisers and Ronnie’s offering, it made perfect sense for this to be a product. 

The brief was to design a commemorative spoon and fundraising badge that was high quality, easy to manufacture, and provided opportunities for storytelling through branded elements. Frost was responsible for the marketing and graphics, and Vert's role was in developing the product’s design and manufacturing process. 

The design drew inspiration from the iconography of spoons, transforming the emblem into a badge component. Various badge types, including snap-fit and magnetic, were explored using laser engraving and pad printing. Ultimately, a custom magnet attachment was chosen for a more discreet, elegant final design. 

Lactamo has been developed by a team of lactation specialists, led by founder Etta, who has drawn on her 15 years of experience as a corporate professional to assemble this group of experts. Vert’s role was to design a fit for purpose device, validating the design and de-risking the process. 

The Lactamo breastfeeding ball combines temperature, movement and compression to address common breastfeeding problems experienced by 92% of mums, including engorgement, blocked milk ducts, mastitis, low milk supply and oversupply. 

Lactamo functions like a massage ball, with a medical-grade silicone exterior and a temperature sensitive gel interior. It is heatable, coolable and reusable, and maintains its softness to match the elasticity of lactating breasts. Designed to support optimal milk supply, lymphatic drainage, and blood flow, the ball's surface combines solid and hollow bumps in varying sizes, allowing users to choose the firmness and motion that best suit their changing breastfeeding needs.

The design process focused on achieving the ideal shape, size, and placement of the bumps and contours for maximum effectiveness. With valuable research and expert input provided by the Lactamo team, the project moved beyond home remedies to deliver a scientifically-backed, reliable solution. 

Lactamo is clinically validated and supported by leading lactation consultants. Vert Design is proud to have contributed to the development of the Lactamo breastfeeding ball. The product has been recognised as a State Finalist in the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Awards and has received Federal Government funding through the Boosting Female Founders Initiative. Forbes also highlighted Lactamo as one of four revolutionary companies reshaping breastfeeding support through femtech innovation.

You can purchase the Lactamo breastfeeding ball here.

Vert Design were commissioned by Sydney Metro to design a bespoke suite of platform and precinct seating tailored for the railway stations along the City and Southwest line.

The objective was to develop a durable, timeless and quality addition that enriches the civic experience of those travelling via the metro in Sydney city. This new range of seating aims to better engage and elevate the transit experience, enhancing the overall journey for those passing through, with trains departing every 4 minutes. 

Sydney’s new metro railway will have a target capacity of about 40,000 customers per hour, similar to other metro systems worldwide. Sydney’s current suburban system can reliably carry 24,000 people an hour per line. 

Design criteria emphasised functionality, comfort, universality and accessibility, as well as visual cohesion and relationship with the metropolitan environment and platform architecture. 

The range represents an evolution of the suite initially designed for Metro North West (2016 Vert Design project), now specifically tailored for the CBD and Southwest region. Notable visual features retained include a 316 Stainless Steel frame and custom loop armrests, and timber battens with a subtle slot-shaped backrest profile cutout that maintains visual harmony.

The modular seating system offers versatility and comfort, accommodating two and four-person arrangements in both single-sided and back-to-back layouts, ensuring adaptability for varying needs and scenarios. These configurations allow for various station placements, including against walls, standalone, island seats, under signs, with or without armrests. The rear cross-bar frame with cantilevered seat arrangement results in clear space beneath the entire seat which improves accessibility and ease of cleaning.

The seating range prioritises operational efficiency and environmental impact, achieved through thoughtful material selection and use of common, replaceable parts for ease of service. Contractors benefit from a high-quality, cost-effective design prioritising longevity and durability in public spaces. Easy serviceability is ensured through standardised parts and durable materials, reducing production and maintenance expenses. Sustainably sourced Spotted Gum battens were chosen for their quality, provenance, neutrality, and ability to withstand the elements. All benches use the same parts, with one common timber shape being used for four, out of the five battens on each seat. The fifth batten is more simple and a lower production cost as it is the more frequently replaced part. 

Design methodologies such as discoverability, civic personality, concept longevity and cultural significance were used to apply good design principles, and present an appropriate level of design. The range balances the visual and functional requirements of the CBD and the south west metropolitan areas, not obscuring or detracting from signage and wayfinding by seamlessly blending into the space. The seating provides a sense of modernity, craft and consideration, elevating the transport experience of those who regularly use the space, whilst acknowledging the short dwell times.

We are excited to share that our work on the Sydney Metro seating range has been recognised with a Gold Award in the Product category for Furniture and Lighting at the Good Design Australia Awards. 🌟 

You can read about our Help Points for Sydney Metro here.

Lead Vert Designers: Charlie Payne and Andrew Simpson

Vert Design were engaged by EVX to design and develop a “pole-charger” to house their proprietary technology for charging electric vehicles. EVX’s vision is to make EV ownership more accessible to the population, addressing the inner city issue of providing safe vehicle charging for residents that may not have access to parking in their dwellings. Each EVX pole charger can cater for 2 vehicles at a time and allows for charging from regular on-street parking spots. The chargers are situated at the edge of the curb for ease of use, and are mounted onto the footpath side for general safety and reducing the distractions for drivers.

Verts role was to design an enclosure with adequate space for the components as well as addressing functional and environmental factors such as integration within the public space, minimal sizing, serviceability, vandalism proofing, weatherproofing and cost/ease of manufacturing.

The chosen concept direction is derived from a neo-retro tech influence to acknowledge and match existing Australian Design for the public space. The aim was to find a balance between utility and longevity, integrating the poles within residential streets amongst many different styles of architecture, materials and spaces. The design is minimal and blends in through its linear forms and discreet mounting.

The entire unit is designed to be modular and repairable so that it can be serviced on site and with minimal disruption to the general public. Door components can be opened and locked by a technician and there is no need to remove the unit or close down the footpath for seamless operation. The installation had to retrofit onto existing power poles and associated utilities such as timber or metal surfaces.

The main principle of this design direction is the protective shield analogy that is expressed in the contoured doors. These curved front panels communicate strength and sophistication, and conforms nicely to the rounded power poles. This door protects the exposed hardware and tech interface as well as offering a degree of privacy for the user. The transition between tech components and front panels are intentional, with the interfaces and LEDs integrated flush for modern impression. The graphic elements are also inspired by a neo-retro look and feel.

Payment for charging is made through a cloud based app. Visibility is a key factor that Vert explored, ensuring that the payment pathways were in zones of common reach for all ranges of people in designing for accessibility.

EVX Pole chargers are currently manufactured in Australia, with chargers rolling out selected local government areas throughout New South Wales. EVX are looking to roll out 1,000 charge points within the next 3 years!

You can check out the EVX website here, and an article on the launching unit in Newscastle here.

Lead Vert Designers: Mitchell Brown and Andrew Simpson

Original Mineral (O&M), an Australian clean hair care brand renowned for its natural extract and mineral-based salon products, engaged Vert Design to redesign their styling treatment tubs. The collaboration focused on enhancing product functionality, ease of use, user experience, and customer impressions while maintaining O&M's iconic 'slot' shape with a flip lid. Key considerations included manufacturing viability, cost-efficiency, and environmental impact.

Vert worked closely with O&M creator Josie Bryce Smith, and Mathew Kitty to develop the design of the styling tubs that hold three of their products including a paste, clay and pomade. 

The concepts focused on the design of a mechanical hinge, precise alignment of the base and lid with a recessed detail for efficient stacking, a secure seal around the product's lid, and maximising product usage by ensuring easy access to every last drop.

Careful consideration was given to the hinge's placement within the tub, ensuring effortless one-handed lid operation. The hinge was designed to secure the lid firmly, preventing it from falling off. Positioned externally, the hinge not only highlighted its functionality but also provided an excellent seal around the product's lip. Further iterations explored a concealed hinge, integrating a double wall with the sealing lip inside, resulting in a cleaner exterior appearance.

The design process involved extensive in-house 3D printing and off-tool sampling to ensure a secure seal and user-friendly closure. Additional concepts were also developed to explore refillable inserts, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.

You can shop the O&M ranges in their styling tubs here.

Follow along on their journey via instagram here.

Lead Vert Designers: Charlie Payne and Andrew Simpson

We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Motorcycle Designer and Builder Jeremy Tagand of Deus Ex Machina for over 9 years.

Introducing the BMW CE 04.

Silent but hardly subtle, the DE04 is a spark reminder that while EV’s run at a hum, it’s one that precedes instant torque and a plethora of new ways to tinker with two wheels.

Vert were engaged to develop the design of the Rear Fender, also known as a Mudguard.

The custom Mudguard is designed to seamlessly blend in with Jeremy’s bike aesthetics. It is positioned behind the scooter seat, and was reverse engineered to securely attach and screw into the pre-existing housing of the seat. Its primary function is to prevent debris from splashing onto the rider, ensuring a cleaner and more enjoyable ride. 

In the design process, we explored optimal number plate and rear indicator positioning, form and profile development to suit the aesthetics, reinforced key areas for enhanced strength and durability, and produced a high-quality 3D print that could be professionally finished and spray-painted to match the bike’s bodywork.

Credits:

BMW.

Motorcycle Design and build by Jeremy Tagand.

Surfboard Rack by Unit Garage.

Mirrors and Indicators Rizoma.

Fog Lights by Kellermann.

Videography My Media Sydney.

Lead Vert Designers: Tom McArdle

Urbnsurf parks offer high-quality waves and authentic surfing experiences through wave pool technology. Vert Design was tasked with designing and developing a lifeguard tower for the latest Urbnsurf location at Sydney Olympic Park. Opening on May 13th 2024, this park will be the brand's second location, and includes a surf academy, swimming pool, skate pad, and health and wellness center. 

The primary goals were to develop a cost-effective, purpose-built structure tailored to the unique needs of the artificial wave pool environment, while improving upon the limitations of the existing towers. The tower would serve as a central hub for lifeguard surveillance, surf check-ins, and briefings before each surfing session and be suitable for storing essential equipment. 

The initial design phase focused on addressing the specific functional and environmental challenges of the artificial wave pool setting. Unlike the original tower, which had a raked base unsuitable for concrete, concepts featured a stable base compatible with the park’s surface. Enhancements for lifeguard comfort and efficiency included expanding the cabin space, improving insulation, and enhancing airflow to maintain a comfortable temperature. 

To mitigate glare and provide the best visibility, slanted windows were incorporated into the design, inspired by traditional Californian lifeguard towers with their sloped ceilings and angled structures. The overall aesthetic was deliberately understated to ensure the tower did not detract from the park's primary attractions—the waves and the surfers. 

Safety was a paramount consideration. The design was to adhere to high safety standards and provide a clear view for lifeguards with a minimum platform height, enabling them to respond quickly and effectively in case of any emergencies. The stairs were reoriented for best access and included ample storage solutions for essential equipment like first aid kits and flotation devices. Other ground-level storage includes an aquatic wheelchair, surf helmets, staff surfboards, and a spinal backboard. Within the tower, space was allocated for communication tools such as a radio, phone, monitor, charging station, and emergency stop button. 

Constructed with a durable steel frame and marine-grade plywood joinery, the tower is both robust and practical, designed to be affixed securely to the ground while retaining the flexibility to be removed with a crane for special events.

The project demanded a swift turnaround, necessitating close collaboration with Urbnsurf and key stakeholders including builder, Michael Lowit. This included continuous feedback loops and agile adjustments to ensure the design met all specifications and safety requirements. 

Book into Sydney’s Urbnsurf wave pool here or follow them on socials here. 

Lead Designers: Mitchel Brown, Vince Tsang, Andrew Simpson and Team Vert

NON is a pioneering non-alcoholic brand, founded by entrepreneur and foodie Aaron Trotman. By championing a non-conformist ethos, NON is not just offering a product but leading a transformative movement in the cultural landscape of social drinking.

To enhance the experience of enjoying NON, Vert was commissioned to design and develop a bottle stopper that not only preserves the freshness of the beverage but also complements the brand's signature artistic and minimalist aesthetic and prevents waste. The goal was to produce a marketable item suitable for both home and bar settings, maximising utility without compromising on style or space.

The brief evolved into creating an artefact that explored gesturing, materiality and aesthetics, and would interpret the past into the present. The project started with exploring the concept of the space-time continuum, inspired by the retro-futuristic designs of the space age (1950s-1970s) that were influenced by space exploration and revolutionary materials after the Second World War. In that era, the majority of furniture and object pieces were simple, large and organic in shape, achieved by plastic or fibreglass.

The chosen stopper concept was simple and minimal in form, with two different hard and soft contrasting materials. Many iterations of prototypes underwent the process of 3D printing and casting to assess form, thickness, and user experience. Stainless steel and silicone were selected as materials and further prototyping in varying geometries was used for refinement. It was essential to find the right compression, as using metal on glass is critical. Stainless steel gives a luxurious, highly polished finish and adds rigidness to the object, while rubber parts inject a bit of fun with the dome shape to enhance the aesthetic of the space age.

After two years of development, NON launched their signature stopper. The design introduces a fresh interaction with a unique gesturing and moves away from the current bottle stopper designs in the market, which fits NON’s brand identity and direction.

The final design offers low material intensity and simple manufacturing processes, consisting of just three components with a minimal volume. Stainless steel works to apply compression when the stopper is placed. The rubber provides a plug creating an airtight seal and locks in carbonation when in place, two parts; the dome part locks onto the plug part and adds visual interest, tactility and identifiability to the design.

The NON is designed specifically to operate with NON's bottles and can preserve carbonation and freshness for up to 7 days when kept cold. It is compact in size, which is an advantage for shipping and usage in bar spaces.

You can shop The Non Stopper here, learn more about NON here, and follow along on their instagram here.

The brief was to design a surfboard rack, suited for both bikes and scooters.

The design was to enhance the user experience, providing stability, support and confidence in the product. Some key considerations were interaction, riding and when not in use, and included ease of assembly, bike compatibility, strong attachment, fastening of board, weight distribution, adjustability, packability and detachability.

The FCS bike rack is a convenient board transport solution. Locking clips ensure your straps stay secure, while thick foam protection and wide elastic bands safeguard the board and rails. Its design offers adjustability without the need for tools, except for an allen key during the initial mount connection.

Whether cruising or commuting via bike or scooter, the tubing design remains consistent, although there are distinct mount types: a machined mount for bikes and a plate mount tailored for scooters and mopeds.

These straps are fully adjustable to accommodate various board sizes and shapes, complemented by quick-release arms for swift disassembly when not in use. This visual language is also suggestive to surfing, with similarity to a leg rope leash. Additionally, the development of a dedicated connection point for straps serves as a unique feature exclusive to FCS.

You can purchase an FCS bike rack here.

Images via FCS.

We loved working on this conceptual exploration for Volkswagen with DDB Group. RooBadge is a kangaroo deterrent device with a goal to create the world's first scientifically proven solution in helping to protect drivers and wildlife. It responds to the tens and thousands of drivers that hit kangaroos every year. The RooBadge design has been in development by Volkswagen for three years, alongside DDB group, Melbourne University and Wires - using real world tests to optimise hardware, software and sounds.

Vert was commissioned to develop the aesthetic designs for two unique housings - one that can be a replacement badge for the Volkswagen Amarok model, and another as a universal version that attaches to any vehicle through number plate mount holes. The initial prototypes were created and provided to Volkswagon for further testing and development.

The RooBadge works by using directional speakers to project synthetic sound far in front of the vehicle - where existing products on the market fail to produce a sound louder than the vehicle itself.

A requirement for both RooBadge variants was in aligning the internal subsonic speakers with the external openings within the shell. Other considerations included circuit board placement, speaker pattern and clip-ability to allow for easy of installation and connection via cable.

You can learn more about RooBadge here.

We’re looking forward to seeing RooBadge in the real world, deterring kangaroos and protecting both drivers and wildlife.

In 2018, Verts Principal Designer Andrew Simpson connected with Michael Lowitt, Founder of Heritage Restorations & Renovations. Andrew was actively exploring ways to recycle helmets, and Michael had discovered an attachable handle solution. Back-Up is the weaving of two projects - a shared mission to create an improved handle design that makes shoveling more effortless and prevents injury, while harnessing the untapped potential of discarded plastics from hard hats that would otherwise end up in landfill.

According to the Australian Standards (AS/NZ 1800:1998), hard hats must be replaced every 3 years. These discarded hard hats end up in landfill, taking more than 450 years to completely break down. Back-up is converting these hard hats into valuable resources within a circular economy. The hard hats are collected, disassembled, cleaned, shredded and injection molded into shovel handles. Back Savers are manufactured with our friends at Defy Design, a local team of designers who specialise in manufacturing products made from plastic destined for landfill. Every 4 hard hats are converted into 5 shovel handles.

The design process began with concepts, exploring various handle designs and attachment methods. 3D printed prototypes were used to evaluate the form, size and design details with a keen focus on determining the optimal hand angle to reduce strain and the risk of injuries, especially back pain. Throughout the testing phase, we assessed the handle design under varying load conditions, with the goal to more easily lift heavier materials. This iterative process allowed us to fine-tune elements like material thickness, grip design, and handle angle, aligning them with ergonomic best practices.

The handle is designed to seamlessly integrate with standard hose clamps, which can be fastened onto various diameters. This adaptability makes them suitable for a wide range of tools, including shovels, brooms, and other tools that involve digging, sweeping, landscaping and cleaning, etc.

The Back Saver harnesses a durable building material, renowned for its strength, rigidity and protective qualities, and creates a handle that optimises efficiency and decreases the risk of fatigue and injury. The handle is made from 100% recycled ABS construction hard hats. The product includes a rubber stopper for best traction and 2 x butterfly clips for attaching to device.

Learn more about the Back Saver from Back-up here.

BAM BAM stands as a versatile and portable table lamp, designed by heart centred AI Tilly 2.0 under the creativity of Studio Snoop. Infused with values such as “love, kindness, joy, togetherness, imagination, innovation and sustainability” Tilly 2.0’s design philosophy is to “create impactful design-lead solutions that meet today’s pressing societal needs”.

Vert were commissioned with the realisation of prototypes for BAM BAM, translating an AI image into a manufactured object. The challenge was heightened by a two month timeline where the designs would be exhibited at the London Design Festival and later at Miami Art Week, with an intention for production in future. Leveraging our extensive professional network, Vert collaborated with local creatives and esteemed suppliers, including Asiga, Neoz Lighting, Winchester Interiors, Denizen Glass, and Edols Elliott Glass.

The primary objective was to capture the essence of the AI-generated image in the design, ensuring a seamless transition from concept to reality. We began with a form analysis, re-building BAM BAM in CAD software, translating the 2D into the 3D. It was open to our interpretation as to how the components would look from all angles and how they would fit together.

In lending dignity to the functionality of Bam Bam, we opted to collaborate with the Australian Cordless Lamp brand Neoz Lighting by incorporating their existing light system into the product. This ensured that the LED unit was reliable, high quality and suitable for both commercial and residential applications, as the battery is long-lasting and is easily chargeable via its charging base.

The component housings were designed around the Neoz lighting system, with all parts screwing together to allow for less components and easy access. Winchester Interiors skilfully made the wooden base with precision using CNC technology, tackling the challenge of its natural, intricate shape.

To achieve the milky faceted glass shades that would capture the true geometry of the shape, we produced both plastic and glass options. The transparent shade was 3D printed on the Asiga Pro 4K80 UV using Asiga’s UltraGloss™ 3D printing technique to create a polished surface finish and to capture the true geometry of the shape. The print also informed the mould designed for the glass pieces produced by Denizen Glass and Edols Eliot Glass.

Studio Snoop

London Design Week

Miami Art Week

Asiga

Original Mineral is an Australian clean hair care brand celebrated for its natural extract and mineral-based salon products, the collaboration with Vert Design revitalised their popular shampoo/conditioner bottles and closures, refreshing the brand's appearance, lessening its environmental footprint and improving overall user experience.

With two decades in the market, O&M have nurtured a devoted following through their efficacious products and iconic design language. The challenge was to modernise and evolve the old design without compromising its established visual equity or identity.

The conceptual phase of the project involved exploring variations in form and proportion for both bottle and closure, ranging from subtle tweaks to ambitious proposals, considering two volumes identical in height; 350ml on a square footprint and a slimline 250ml sister pack, ensuring graceful progression of the O&M legacy.

The functional brief was shaped by feedback and real-world insights from the brand’s customers, identifying areas for improvement with various attributes and aspects of the old design. The objectives for the project focused on elevating the user experience by increasing squeezability, product flow rate and ease of use.

The new custom pop-up closure builds on the familiar interaction established by the old design. Iteration, prototyping and testing resulted in a 25% increase in flow rate. The mechanism was detailed in CAD to refine its action, detent features create resistance and tactile feedback in the open and closed positions, and replacing the snap-on closure with a screw thread allows for future refill systems in salon environments.

The bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic and optimised for softness and squeezability. A vertical parting line runs diagonally leaving all four graphic faces clean and uninterrupted, subtle but sophisticated techniques in surfacing, geometric proportion and surface finish improve aesthetics and increase the feeling of quality.

From first impressions to usage over time, the packs embody O&M’s words-into-action attitude and customer commitment, as a company that listens and responds with care for their craft and community.

Check out their natural extract and mineral formulas here.

Over the past decade, Ecto has successfully pioneered the development of sustainable bodysurfing handplanes, helping ocean lovers get barrelled across Australia and all over the world.

In collaboration with Chris Anderson, Founder of Ecto, Vert were commissioned to design and develop the next model of Ecto’s handplanes with an intention to reach a wider audience and create a more cost effective and mass produced solution. The design was to offer product recyclability, ease of manufacture and not compromise on the design aesthetic or performance.

Our role was to identify a range of suitable materials and opportunities for manufacture, as well as develop concepts that explore viable options. The handplane was to maintain the form and ride qualities of the timber plane designs, so we used this form as a starting point.

Iterations were generated for plastic injection molding in multiple parts, one solid body and sheets, as well as compression molding of bamboo. These directions allowed us to evolve a variety of ways the straps would connect to the handplane in creating a more hidden and lightweight solution. Designs used various shapes of steel wires, the optimisation of internal ribbing structures and cut out profile combinations, although with this also new challenges with sealing and preventing leakage.

Many functional 3D printed prototypes were created to test the strap detail in the intended ocean environment. Thank you to Chris for your passion and willingness to test the many revisions of shapes, weight reductions, strap bars, and hand straps. These prototyping phases were essential in creating the best performing handplane possible, with longer ride times and better grip traction. The chosen concept was made from one solid injection moulded body. We refined the outline shape for curvature continuity and a smoother surface, adding harder rail edges, a more concave form and moon tail feature to offer further speed and control. This cut out at the bottom also allows for bending of the wrist, fitting to one's hand and ease of swimming. Polypropylene was chosen for its ability to float.

The Moon Rider theme is based on outer space as Chris believes “bodysurfing is a sort of cosmic, amazing otherworldly experience”. The intention was for there to be a range of colours and textures in visualising a crater moon vibe. We explored logo placements, as well as de-bossed and textural finishes.

The Moon rider is made in Sydney, Australia from 100% recycled materials with our friends at Defy Design. Each handplane recycles 230g (8oz) of post-consumer plastic waste, which is plastic waste once destined for landfill or the ocean. Defy Design, our local manufacturers have been experimenting with a variety of textures and recycled plastic colour mixes.

Check out Ecto Handplanes here and their instagram here.

Vert design has been collaborating with Huskee since January 2017, in supporting their vision for beautiful and practical products that are transitioning towards a waste-free world. Building on this work with Huskee, is the ‘Loop Collection’ that has been designed and developed for Nespresso.

In expressing the brand values of Nespresso, the cup was to offer a softer, more modern feel, inviting in an experience of elegance and lightness. It’s designed to be enjoyed by coffee connoisseurs within their homes, as well as in between cafes. The challenge was in maintaining the purity of Huskees’ previous form, whilst elevating the design to meet the brand language of Nespresso.

An in-depth understanding of the properties of the husk material allowed Vert to explore more sculptural and artistically led forms. Inspiration was drawn upon from the modern aesthetics of pottery and the experience of drinking from a ceramic cup. The continuous curves of the form mimic those achieved through hand sculpting in offering a smooth, human and balanced feel. The curves were created using mathematical points so that the surface looked natural and organic, yet geometrically pure. The vertical flutes (textured pattern around the cup) were softened and the count increased, making them more shallow. This has a different feel in the hand, where the Huskee is roughly textured like a rock, the Loop is smoother like a river pebble. These flutes are also functional, and operate as heat breakers in providing thermal retention so that the cup can be held with hot or cold coffee at ease.

The Loop Collection is manufactured in an overmolding process, where 2 different cups are molded together. The husk material is on the outside to offer the visual and tactiles benefits whilst the internal thin layer of virgin plastic increases the longevity and performance of the cup. It was of high priority that the Loop Collection met all of Nespressos regulations and certifications. Other materials such as silicones and PTEs were explored as well as how they may join, although the combination of the husk and virgin plastic was most suited in maintaining hygiene and meeting these high standards.

Quality products look and feel a certain way. Vert worked closely with the manufacturers to achieve a super fine and precise parting line so that the cups edges were soft and felt soothing to drink from. To further communicate quality and desirability, Vert looked into ways of reducing the mass of the cup as well as distributing the weight so that the bottom was heavier and the top lighter. This presented a challenge as plastic cups produced in the injection molding process have consistent wall thicknesses. The solution was realised in the overmolding process, where the two cups joined, mechanically bonding to one another through a ribbed-like pattern.

The cups are available in 4 sizes: the Loop Espresso, Loop Lungo, Loop Gran Lungo and the Loop Mugs. Part of the design process was targeting specific rim diameters and volumes so that the cups would fit under the gluconate of the Nespresso Coffee machines. The Nude Collection was designed to be part of an ecosystem of products, with a saucer and lid design being developed.

The husk material is a beautiful way of bringing the coffee lover closer to the roots of their coffee, and inviting them to be part of its life cycle. TheLoop Collection follows principles of circularity, a product that re-uses and reduces waste to solve environmental challenges.

You can purchase the Loop Collection here.

We have loved supporting Steph and her vision for Del Sol, in creating the Sculpt-Pop. Our role was to design and develop a vessel that would enhance the application of ice therapy for skin care—a practice that involves massaging the face using ice. The intention was to design something aspirational, that brings both simplification and sophistication to this popular ritual experience, as well as capturing the essence of Del Sol Salon’s strong brand identity.

It was essential that the product be comfortable to hold, as well as contoured to fit the facial structure. We paid meticulous attention to the user experience, especially in terms of opening and closing the Sculpt-Pop. Extensive development efforts were invested in ensuring a secure closure that would also prevent ice breakage upon opening. We also adjusted the overall dimensions and material thickness to accommodate a variety of hand sizes and strengths. The internal ceiling detail, which we refined into a flower shape, was carefully developed to optimise ice capture for ease of use.

Throughout the design process, we employed various prototyping techniques and materials, including 3D printing, vacuum casting and sample tooling. These methods were essential in ensuring that we met both the human and technical requirements of the project.

3D printing allowed us to quickly assess the overall form, appearance, and feel of the Sculpt-Pop, as well as its intended volume. Meanwhile, partnering with a third-party prototyping agency for castings enabled us to replicate the appropriate material density for testing the tool's ice-capturing action.

Del Sol has also been working diligently with a Melbourne based formula team to develop the ‘Hyaluronic Melt Treatment’ that pairs with the Sculpt-Pop as a kit. This serum is dermatologically tested and when combined with the ice therapy, is designed to boost circulation and blood flow, reduce inflammation, stimulate collagen production and hydrate the skin.

Combining comfort and ergonomics, the Sculpt-Pop is a reusable, and easy to refillable system, all in line with Del Sol’s commitment to quality.

The kit combines the benefits of ice therapy, active serums and gua-sha facial massage all into one product, reducing the complexity of steps in one's skincare routine.

The Hyaluronic Melt Kit has exclusively launched online at delsol-salon.com!

Forcite's primary mission is to enhance the motorcycling experience by ensuring utmost safety and seamlessly adapting new technologies into their range of Smart Helmets. With this goal in mind, Vert was engaged to design and develop a stand that showcases Forcite Smart Helmets in retail settings, effectively highlighting their exceptional features and embodying the essence of the brand. Our aim was to present the product in a dignified manner, as if it were on a pedestal, while maintaining a sense of realism that would resonate in various contexts. We strived to create an iconic form that sets the Forcite Smart Helmets apart from other helmets, while still evoking a strong connection to the world of motorcycling.

Using language borrowed from the motorcycle industry was essential, and the cast component reinforces its connection to this context. The sturdy and robust appearance of the stand was deliberately chosen to align with the core values of the helmet. By incorporating heavy-duty elements, we aimed to convey a sense of strength and reliability. Conversely, areas where elegance and delicacy were warranted were rendered thin and refined.

To ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness, we opted for sand casting as the manufacturing method, allowing us to produce the stand locally without compromising quality. The stand also incorporates hole slots for cable management, ensuring a neat and organised display. The bottom part of the stand is designed to securely hold a smartphone, which pairs seamlessly with the helmet. The overall form of the stand emulates a bike handlebar, further reinforcing the connection between the helmet, the stand, and the motorcycle experience.

Vert also had the privilege of contributing to the design of Forcite’s exhibition stand at the EICMA event in November 2022, including spatial and lighting design. You can view a video of the stand here. You can view the stand here.

Check out Forcite’s Smart Helmet Range here.

Vert were engaged by Julian, a guitar enthusiast who recognised an opportunity to enhance his guitar playing experience.

Session Buddy provides a quick and easy solution for adjusting your guitar strap between standing and sitting positions while maintaining proper posture.

The design seamlessly integrates with your existing strap, eliminating the need to purchase a new one or additional hardware. We carefully considered weight distribution in the guitar and underwent extensive prototyping to ensure optimal functionality.

Our goal was to create a simple yet effective solution that also pays homage to the language of guitar hardware. As noted in the product's shape, inspired by the pick, we aimed to minimise the use of technology and instead focus on providing a practical and elegant design that appeals to a broad range of users. Drawing inspiration from fasteners found in tech-wear and technical garments known for their quick adjustability, we also took cues from the language of military buckles.

You can support Julian and his vision for Session Buddy by directly purchasing from his website here.

Vert design has been collaborating with Huskee since January 2017, in supporting their vision for beautiful and practical products that are transitioning towards a waste-free world. Huskee approached us with a new brief to use a new material as an extension of their philosophy to be environmentally friendly, whilst maintaining the elegance and aesthetics of the original HuskeeCup.

We are excited to introduce the HuskeeRenew range, which is made from 50% post-consumer recycled material and features the iconic fins of the popular HuskeeCup. The Renew cups and saucers have a glass-like appearance and are crafted from a high-performance copolyester that is odor and stain resistant, dishwasher safe, and free of BPA, PBS, and BPF. The cups are designed to be reusable and durable, ensuring longevity and the lowest possible footprint.

Each HuskeeRenew cup and saucer is designed with a uniform wall thickness, as any distortions would be seen in the transparent nature of the material. This required more technical injection molding. All HuskeeRenew sizes from 6, 8 and 12 ounce have the exact same circumference and identical angles that ensures they appear uniform, are stackable and comfortable to hold.

To ensure maximum sustainability, the HuskeeRenew range is also included in the HuskeeLoop closed-loop recycling program, which collects all end-of-life cups to be repurposed into new products.

You can purchase the HuskeeRenew Collection here.

Imagery credit to Huskee.

Vert partnered with Squad Ink on the concept and design of the Papa Salt Coastal Gin Bottle. Branding agency Squad Ink provided the initial concept directions, briefing and brand essence of Papa Salt, whilst Vert were responsible for design realisation.

The bottle's form is dynamic, transitioning between a distinct front profile that feels proud with broad shoulders, and a side profile that is more humble and slim. These contrasting profiles offer a narrow and broad surface that curves nicely in the hand.

The design intent was to “embrace modern techniques to achieve hand-made traits” and is achieved through the form that is reminiscent of an old bottle you’d find in an ocean, although is only possible to manufacture within the modern context. The wrapped lip detail mimics the look and feel of traditional glass making processes and pays homage to this tradition. Verts role was to also ensure the bottle meets its required volume of 700ml and provide specification drawings.

Squad Ink specified colours and the matt sea glass appearance, as well as the graphics on the bottle and their placement. Verts responsibility was in translating these graphics into something that could be embossed and moulded.

You can purchase Papa Salt Coastal Gin here.

Read about Squad Inks creative brand approach here.

Image credit Squad Ink.

“Learning while playing everywhere you go”

The Wonderful Little Suitcase Company is on a mission to create curious, portable and educational toys for young children, as an alternative to digital devices. The toys intend to build the foundations for learning in a fun and engaging way through supporting cognitive, fine motor, problem solving skills and imaginative play.

The design intent for the suitcase and playmat designs was driven by interactive touch points across the unboxing experience, suitcase visual aesthetic and component exploration. Concepts explored the testing of a variety of tactile surfaces and textures, interactive elements and finger fine motor skills (like placing, picking up, matching shapes, pulling and pushing).

All designs review low toxicity of materials (for people and the environment) and follow the product safety standards across AS/NZ, considering the use of small parts, sharp edges, wires and rods, folding and accessibility mechanisms. Focus was placed on optimising sustainability across materials and manufacturing, as well as simplifying the overall form and production method.

The Ocean suitcase with matching playmat includes 1 treasure key, 16 wooden sea shapes, a nametag, 300 x 215 x 100 mm suitcase and 1 m x 1.4 m playmat. All materials are sustainable and include FSC certified timber, recycled felt, cardboard and 100% cotton. Suitable for Ages 3+

Thank you to Angela and Martin for trusting us in bringing your vision to life. This collaboration was special and the meaning embedded across every touch point of the product is thanks to your expertise, commitment and passion.

"Being a parent myself has inspired me to create unique toys to enhance playful learning, imagination and exploration. I also want them to be easy to carry around and grow with the child during their stages of play". – Angela, Founder of The Wonderful Suitcase Company

You can support @wonderfullittlesuitcasecompany at www.wonderfulsuitcases.com/collections/all

A fresh take on the traditional granny cart for colourful and energetic Sydney-based brand Joyrolla. The cart was designed as the flagship product for the new startup company, encompassing the values of the brand and encouraging people to act locally, and to get out and walk more.

The flat-packable concept balances essentialist design with playful style, embedding simplicity and stripping back on the fancy features to provide a functional well rounded solution that is manufactured with knowable processes. At first glance, you know exactly how it’s produced, with an intention to keep the aesthetics slightly industrial, not dressing up or hiding the micro details.

The intention was for the construction from the delivered flat-pack to be super intuitive. The design brings together a tube steel handle, rugged PU wheels and a canvas bag all in a deliberate and practical package. The textures are natural, tactical and utilitarian in nature with a considered hardware and soft goods relationship. All parts are replaceable.

The development stages of the project focused on optimising strength and weight, user self-assembly, and small considered details discoverable with interaction. Concepts explored branding placement, folding basses, varying bag volumes, changing handle forms and adding straps or other fasteners for extra storage alternatives.

You can purchase a Joyrolla here.

Follow along Joyrollas journey on instagram.

Branding by UNKL.

Refined Bag design by Softserve Company.

Vert were approached by Founders of Unwritten, Rob and Hayden to design and develop a new packaging solution for their high-quality professional hair care range of shampoo, conditioner and styling products. It’s all part of a fresh purchasing system that makes selling salon exclusive products much easier, supporting freelance hairdressers who work from their homes, leased salons, or stylist houses. Unwritten products are ordered through an app by the stylist and are delivered directly to the customer, so there’s no holding of stock.

The brief was to design a family of bottles as off shelf solutions, beginning with smaller sized designs to suit the context of being carried around, easier to use and identifiable with the Unwritten brand. All solutions were intended for high function, manufacturability and usability with varying bottle sizes including: 60 ml to be used by stylists in consults, single use samples for customer testing, 300 ml for daily use, and 1000 ml for professional use.

Focus was placed on how the customer can pump the product from the bottle, as traditionally this can be a struggle. We researched the history, from the invention of liquid shampoo in 1927, through to blow moulding of the 1950’s and newer packaging designs. Explored concepts range from sleek and elegant forms that transition to a soft and organic base, to designs featuring tactility, curves and fluidity. Other exciting directions include pad printing and embossed graphics, various types of disc-caps, nesting configurations, slim and flatter forms, colour matching of materials, and an array of lids such as lip tops, quarter turns, and cross-slit valve options.

The final solution is slim in nature for intuitive touch points and has a large flat diaphragm area for easy pumping with a mechanical advantage. The form is simple, designed to follow the function as an honest product that tells you of its intended use - as dynamic and also sits nicely when resting. The bottles are made from recycled plastics.

You can learn more about and purchase from Unwritten hair care as a business here and as s consumer here.

Vert Design was engaged by DDB to assist with the design and development of IKEA’s Car storage solution ‘Give mess the boot’. KÖR is a limited edition, easy to install flat pack that organises and declutters the car boot space. The design is customisable and can be configured with a multitude of IKEA storage solutions.

The design intent was to hero the versatility of existing IKEA products, accommodate for a range of car boot sizes effectively, provide a safe and secure attachment during travel, and prioritise user experience through an intuitive assembly process and convenient on-the-go customisation.

KÖR is designed with the Aussie lifestyle in mind, and a goal to facilitate the Spring activities of those with on the go storage needs including: the beach lover, sportaholic, adventurer, busy parent, pawrent and fashion influencer.

During the initial conceptual phase, we explored wireframe designs featuring dividers and slots, as well as modularised boxes and frames, along with base units and dividers that offer a customisable approach. Through our prototyping process, we discovered that dividers and slots emerged as the most effective solution, as they offered a more intuitive user experience, requiring less visual mapping compared to the other options.

Our focus was on achieving the right balance of strength and weight. The hidden structure of KÖR can load up to 20kg without crumpling. Fitting in all SUV boot sizings, it is a universal, one size fits all design. Made from cardboard, this product is fully recyclable at the end of life.

Thank you to DDB and Mango for a great collaboration.

You can read more about Give Mess The Boot here.

Two Good Co is a Sydney based social enterprise that aims to support, empower and employ women who have experienced domestic violence and homelessness. Through the creation of high quality foods and products, “Two Good Co is a business for good” generating opportunities for people to change their lives and rebuild their self-worth and independence.

In collaboration with Charter Hall, Two Good entered the commercial space to produce and supply soaps and sanitisers to buildings, offices and commercial bathrooms across Australia, that has potential to extend to hospitality venues and airports.

Vert was commissioned to design a manual and simple, built-in soap dispenser that would sit in line with health standards and minimise its use of plastic. The goal was to have high social impact and the lowest environmental impact in meeting Two Good Co’s standards for sustainability.

With the onset of covid 19, the requirements of the brief changed from designing an analogue dispenser to an automatic one. Vert explored proximity based sensor solutions, so that soap could be dispensed with the wave of a hand. Focus was placed on a seamless and intuitive experience, with experimentation on the form and placement of the sensor so that it was clear to the user how it functions. The bottle extends directly above to suggest its semantics.

The soap dispensers are made from recovered ocean plastics in giving waste a new life through its upcycle and minimising the amount of plastics used. Research and investigation into discarded ocean plastics, its sourcing and ability to stand up to the commercial stresses was undertaken. Fishing nylon was selected for its properties that allow it to be injection moulded. Discarded fishing nets are recovered, cleaned, ground up, blended with a base material and injection moulded. “To date the Ocean Plastic soap dispenser project has used five-tonne of ocean plastic – all within the first manufacturing run of dispensers. Each dispenser requires 0.5 kilo of recycled ocean plastic and the dispensers are manufactured and assembled in Australia using no plastic packaging.” - Rob Caslick, Founder of Two Good Co.

The form is designed to be refillable, so that a permanent 500ml bottle doesn't need replacing with each soap refill. Cleaning staff use larger containers for refill and reuse, and at the very end of its life cycle the bottle can be replaced. A security key plug is located at the top so that no one in the public domain can access and expose the product. Mounting hardware is discreetly located at the bottom of the assembly and is not visible, so as to not interrupt the visual form, and reduce the opportunity for tampering.

The internal working parts consist of tubing that runs into the housing and a vacuum liquid pump to distribute the soap down through an opening. Testing and prototyping of this system was an essential part of the process, to ensure optimal function.

Vert is proud to collaborate with people and businesses doing good things for the community and the environment. We feel as though Two Good Co and their product embodies a lot of what we stand for: purpose lead, local manufacture, marking upcycled marine plastic and beautiful design.

You can support Two Good Co here.

This bespoke green glass jar was designed for By Beth's luxury and sustainable edible beauty collection.

The jar is designed to be kept and reused for life, natural collagen refills come in 300g pouches to minimise material impact and cost to the consumer.

The jar’s square footprint and conical form blends to a circular neck and finished with a natural Ash stopper.

Artwork, branding, secondary packaging by Depot Creative.

You can purchase from By Beth here.

Find By Beth on instagram here.

Vert Design were engaged by Solmates to design and develop a Refillable Sunscreen Applicator. The dispenser is made from recycled materials with changeable parts and is designed for longevity.

Miniature and fun in size, the applicator can hold up to 100ml of sunscreen with the intention to be refilled every few months for every day or occasional use. This way, sunscreen can be purchased in bulk and stored at home to maintain the quality. It is designed to be portable, carried in a school or beach bag and is suitable for both children and adults.

The tethering ensures the sunscreen is ready for those on the go and can be attached and released effortlessly via a slip knot that loops around the bag. A variety of clip and string attachments were explored, the silicone cord was chosen for its simple and intuitive use.

As sunscreen is greasy by nature, threads within the lid components and macro grip textures on the exterior assist with twisting the casing on and off. Textural dial patterns are designed to look like rays of the sun, and are developed based on the brand language created by Unkl.

In creating a user friendly experience, the balancing of the forms volume and lid components was considered in relation to the miniature sizing.

The teflon roller material allows for effortless gliding, making the product easy to apply. The geometry around the roller ball and the design of the opening prevents clogging and provides a controlled dosage. The opening is large enough to refill and is intentionally designed to be the actual size of the product's body for ease of pouring.

The Solmates Applicator is designed with children in mind, with the parts not too small in size that they’d be choking hazards, and the inclusion of an integrated and secured fastener in case the roller ball were to become free.

Check out Solmates website here.

Check out Solmates instagram here.

Branding Design by Unkl - colors, logo, brand assets. Check out their website here.

Smileyscope is taking a powerful new approach to digital therapeutics, and is on a mission to alleviate fear for patients during medical and intravenous procedures. Vert have designed and developed a medical grade virtual reality headset that allows the clinician to perform their task in a non-obstructive way. It is adjustable, hygienic and comfortable. The patient can immerse themselves within the sensations of the VR world, with their focus shifted into 1 of 20 experiences or music therapies. The visor contains an integrated smartphone and biconvex lenses to facilitate the VR experience.

Smileyscope is lightweight and hollow in structure, manufactured from a molded subframe. EVA foam is used at the interface for comfort, as the device can be worn for up to 20 minutes at a time. The design is hybrid assembly, with an emphasis on having no separations in materials or gaps, along with anti-microbial properties for hygiene reasons. The device meets infection control standards through its fully sealed, smooth surface that allows it to be wiped down with cleaning chemicals between uses. Concealed magnetic connection points are integrated for quicker and efficient cleaning, eliminating the need for exposed hooks, toggles or exposed screws that are traditionally used in this kind of product.

The device incorporates an adjustable head strap which allows it to be worn by both adults and children. Made from medical-grade silicone, this element also meets infection-control standards as it can be steralized between uses. The headband also incorporates a tilt-function so that a clinician can reduce the immersion of a patient during a procedure, without fully removing the device.

You can check out Smileyscope’s website here.

Vert Designer - Mitchell Brown

The Seabourne Distillery crafts a range of spirits in Noosa, “creating exceptional drinking experiences that invoke a small sip of paradise”. Working in collaboration with Squad Ink studio, Vert were engaged to assist with designing a bespoke gin bottle that captures the essence of the Noosa coastline in Queensland. Creative agency Squad Ink produced the initial concept, design direction and branding, whilst Verts role was to design for manufacture and emulate the design intent.

The Seabourne bottles key design feature is the textural punt that mimics the form of a wave. Verts knowledge of glass as a material, its optic properties and manufacturing process assisted with the sizing of the ripple texture. As glass can magnify, refract light and distort images, Vert thought of the bottle as a lens to magnify the punt feature and had an understanding of how the glass would behave prior to any testing. Hollow, plastic prototypes were built to test the refractional properties in early prototyping and validated suspicions before committing to any production tooling. The glass punt is not only an aesthetic feature, but also a functional one that provides strength and reinforcement. This surface also allows for the glass to anneal as the bottle cools in the molding process. The glass molds are designed with the manufacturers in mind, with an ease to reproduce these in a large scale setting.

The general form is how you’d imagine a Caribbean rum bottle to look, with a squat-like form. The bottle appears planted and heavy, with no lift or radius between it and the table and its dynamic nature removed. The shoulder of the bottle is rounded and geometric, with the neck providing a solid way to hold it that is casual as opposed to formal.

You can view Squad Inks website here.

You can purchase from the Seabourne Distillery here.

You can view the Seabourne Distillery instagram here.

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

In 2015 Vert Design were commissioned by architectural firm Hassell Studio to design and bring to life a suite of public furniture for Sydney Metro Northwest. The original brief was to design a visually coordinated suite of public furniture elements that reflect the visual conceptual expression of the structural and environmental architecture.

Vert Design were responsible for concept design through to concept development and detailing for the full furniture suite, elements including; public benches and platform seating, bus and bike shelters, bins and drinking fountains in the public domain.

An overarching concept was created to direct the visual equity of the suite to ensure unity and continuity across the extensive range of furniture elements and architecture. The concept draws on expression of structure and open space, with linear, parallel and floating geometry. Feature stand-off fittings reoccur throughout the suite to create space and help visually light-weight elements.

Each individual element was designed under this same concept criteria while responding to the element’s unique functional requirements and integration of practical attributes determined by intended purpose.

Inclusive design was a fundamental driver for all elements in the suite with the intent to enrich the experience of efficient and sustainable collective travel whilst respecting the needs of the individual passenger.

A large portion of the project was dedicated to cross-referencing anthropometrics and other important environmental and human factors that affect the way in which people emotionally and functionally engage with the furniture elements; design for disability, design for the elderly, common and extreme weather conditions and passenger safety and security and discoverability.

After the design and development stages, Vert prepared handover and specification documentation to advance production. Fleetwood Urban took on continued detailing for manufacture, producing prototypes and managing production for the full suite of furniture.

Bus Shelters

The shelters were designed with adaptability in mind, common and interchangeable components make up the family of shelters, each delivering different functions throughout the Metro stations.

The design plays on the same principles as the other elements in the suite, expressing structure through a vertical post and frame construction, which angles back at the top to support an offset roof component providing shelter to the rear of the shelter as well as the main waiting area at the front.

The bus shelter is the most comprehensive element of the family, glass panels and a suspended glass side-wall provides extra weather protection and the bench uses the same profiled hardwood slats and loop armrests featured on the rest of the suite, all suspended with gussets from the lower crossmember. The bespoke fabricated box section posts conceal inside them a downpipe for water runoff, electronic integration for CCTV and hidden uplighting which illuminates the roof of the shelter at night.

A separate intermediate rooflet allow a number of shelters to be daisy-chained together, ensuring overlap between roofs; providing shade and protection against wet weather for waiting passengers.

Other shelters in the family include bike and rest shelters, these use the same components in different configurations for example, removing the cross member and glass panels and including the 3-seat free standing bench.

The shelters are one element in a suite of public furniture, you can see the other elements here;

Public Benches

Platform Seats

Drinking Fountains

Bins

Beginning life as a blank canvas start-up, Vert worked closely with the founders of Dresden Optics to design & develop a new, innovative glasses system with a single universal frame style & user-friendly customisability.

Setting out with the aim to make glasses more simple & less expensive without compromising quality, the flexible, lightweight & interchangeable frames & arms come in four sizes, joining with a unique hinge-pin system.

As well as all elements for the glasses, Vert designed the original tooling for the first run parts & develop the system for the Dresden team to injection mould their own frames in the Newtown shop, using waste plastic and allowing consumers to bring their old plastic products in and experience the process involved in making a new pair of glasses.

The rePlated Mealbox is a reusable takeaway container made from Ocean Bound Plastic. It is intended to replace single-use plastic and offer a sustainable alternative to compostable containers. Designed by Vert and manufactured in Sydney Australia, rePlated provides consumers, businesses and restaurants with a convenient swap system that reduces their carbon footprint.

The brief was to design and manufacture a reusable takeaway food container that would reduce waste through its circularity and operate within a convenient closed loop system. The challenge was in creating a new object from waste, developing it to be durable, benign and safe. The container needed to be suitable for freezing, lightweight, hygienic and easily stored. A variety of plastic waste materials were researched and developed with a focus on maintaining the form, mechanical properties and strength whilst also ensuring it is microwave safe, commercial and domestic dishwasher safe.

RePlated containers are stackable, with subtle rings on the base and lid that allow the boxes to nest and interlock, fitting into small commercial food premises and at home. The lid prevents spillage and any leaking through its airtight gasket, and a channel is built into the top for easy and safe opening. The form is simple and avoids any undercuts and edges where dirt may build up in maintaining cleanliness. The matt finish on the exterior communicates quality and desirability so that it’s not mistaken to be thrown away, and the gloss in the interior minimizes the adhesion of food and maintains cleanliness. The design maintains its strength and rigidity through the geometric rib features on the top and bottom to prevent warping and bending through its manufacturing. The containers are dual and flexible in size providing 1L, with a 750ml fill line that allows for a wide variety of foods including hot meals, salads and sushi. These lines help cafes and restaurants to match their serving sizes and allows for overflow. The containers are lightweight for transporting between the home and restaurants. The recycled material is durable and designed for longevity, tested to ensure its microwave and dishwasher safety in both a commercial and domestic setting. Crafted from a recycled FDA Food safe material, it is the first use of this material made in Australia.

rePlated is an elegant refinement of the common takeaway food container, with the overall shape and size designed to mimic the product it replaces. It was inspired by Bento and the way Japanese culture values the presentation of food. The blue colours were selected to highlight the vibrancy of the foods and to connect with the beauty of our oceans, while keeping them clear of plastics. The brief set out to create something functional, well adopted and visually proportionate. Rounded edges are hard wearing and visually cue to its portability.

You can purchase and learn more about rePlated here.

Vert are honoured to have collaborated with Good Design Australia to design and develop the packaging for the GDA 2022 and 2023 Trophy.

Our role was to champion and elevate the trophy designed by Clandestine Design Group and manufactured by Defy Design and Bespoke Aluminium Pty Ltd.

Through a simple and elegant design, Verts aim was to create a beautiful unboxing experience that all of the award recipients would be proud of, embedding a message of sustainability through materiality.

The packaging is proudly 100% recyclable, made from sugarcane bagasse and recycled paper.

The pulp material was chosen for its simplicity and elegance as it is sourced in a low intensity way and clean aesthetic. We have enjoyed this opportunity to design for a non-traditional material, as we love exploring emerging materials and ways of manufacturing.

The final design is an inner tray and mirrored outer tray, making use of the same tooling. The design was optimised for wet-press moulding, through supplier discussions design refinements saw the addition of ridges around the sides of the design to ensure structural rigidity of the recycled pulp material. The form is held together by a sleeve made from recycled paper and oil based ink, the sleeve’s graphics were designed by Storm Studio. The sleeve has been designed with a tab which allows for opening and closing to securely store the award.

Congratulations to all the recipients of a Good Design Award!

Vert design was engaged by @andi.health to design and develop “the world's most comfortable activity tracker”. This device is intended to assist the wearer in creating healthier habits by collecting data on sleep and movements.

Designed to feel inconspicuous and discreet, allowing people to wear the monitor day and night without drawing attention to the fact.

With the need for around-the-clock comfort, the 'sock strap’ uses a Flyknit-style construction to form a continuous band with an internal sleeve pocket to capture the monitor. No need for clasps or velcro; soft, breathable and lightweight.

Andi Healths Kickstarter campaign is launching on Monday 22nd August!

Vert Designer - Charlie Payne

In 2019 Vert were approached by Professional Martial Artist George Roditis, and Athletic Trainer Isaac Chang to collaborate in creating a highly functional and innovative, modern punching bag within the combat athletics scene. Prioritizing user safety and experience, the Striking Cell is designed to be used with or without gloves, encouraging the fighter to strike at maximum power without the fear of injury. Yenesthae’s vision is about understanding the needs of the physical and mental body, focusing on growth and emotional recalibration. “Who can you become” when pain is no longer holding you back?

The Yenesthae Striking Cell is designed to elevate the training experience for fighters of all levels, genders and ages as well as trainers in a class setting. The brief set out to create a form that was simultaneously heavy, soft and compact. 2 years were spent fine-tuning the foam configurations and suspension systems to enhance impact absorption and provide enough feedback through the sound and imprinting created in each strike. The goal was to create a soft and tactile skin-like surface that would mimic a feeling close to punching the human body, creating a feeling of plushness and emotional connection to the object. Vert design worked closely with Australian based foam supplier Dunlops Foam to test a bunch of different material densities in meeting this criteria. 45cm of premium foam that is certified by Good Environmental Choice Australia replaces the rags that would traditionally fill a boxing bag. This allows the bag to be used safely without padded gloves, as well as addressing the short product-life cycle and low quality materials previously used in boxing bags that often leads to unnecessary landfill. The bags have been tested within gyms across Australia by Yenesthae.

Vert collaborated with local upholsterer and high end furniture maker, Stellen Design in tackling the challenges faced in the production and manufacturing of the Striking Cell. A craft approach was taken in sampling different materials and processes in creating a solution that was durable and sustainable, whilst considering the structural reinforcements needed such as fasteners and hardwares. A sling and sleeve structure was developed in allowing weights to be interchanged within the internal core, whilst the suspension system is designed to limit the spin so that the bag swings to retain uniform density from top to bottom. Openings at the top and bottom assist the fighter in easily filling and un-filling the bag with their chosen weight ranging between 14-70kg, as well as improving the manoeuvrability. This modular system opens up combat athletics to groups of people that may have previously felt excluded based on their age, gender and skill level as the Striking Cell can be adjusted to meet their specific needs.

An automotive grade urethane based leather was selected to ensure longevity as well as provide an antimicrobial and UV resistant surface. Sections of panelled quilting provide target areas for punching in a solo or group setting. Through materiality and form, focus was placed on creating a product that would enhance the beauty of the workout space, complementing interiors within a home or exercise studio setting. Yenēsthae Striking Cells use no animal products and are made locally by artisans, to maintain a low carbon footprint.

Today the Yenesthae Striking Cell is being trialed at Virgin Active Gym in Pitt Street, Sydney and the goal of creating the feeling and sensation to punch without gloves has been achieved.

Designed by: Vert Design, Stellen Design & Yenēsthae

Yenēsthae won a good design award - read about it here.

You can purchase a Yentesthae boxing bag here.

You can view the Yentesthae instagram here.

The limited-edition Ricciardo Decanter is a collaboration with DR3 x St Hugo wines, designed here at Vert and hand-blown at Canberra Glassworks. It is a stylised 1:1 scale replica of Formula One driver Riccardo’s famed racing shoe, and is crafted to hold a standard bottle of wine, showcasing the DR3 x St Hugo's new wine range. It’s about curating an experience that enhances the wines unique flavours and aromas, aerating the mix in a beautiful collectors piece before consuming in the company of friends.

The challenge for Vert was “how to make it look like a shoe, whilst being made from glass?” - Andrew Simpson, Principal Designer. Although it appears to be a simple form, a lot of design thinking and development went into how the shoe would be crafted and manufactured. The team began with sketching to determine the proportions and size, documenting the key features and then into a digital sculpting program to physically develop these details further. This project was non-traditional in the sense that Industrial Designers often work within mathematically tight CAD modelLing programs like SolidWorks, although this required more free form modelLing through a program called Z-brush typically used by animators. A virtual ball of wet clay was manipulated and sculpted, starting with the base of the shoe and constantly referencing the general dimensions and elevation photos from the front, side and bottom of the shoe, with the non-symmetrical nature presenting challenges. Once the basic form was created, wrinkling was added to replicate the creases in showing the worn shoe aesthetic. Consideration was placed into the details of the shoe that would show up in the glass such as accentuating the grip texture on the sole and perforation along the sides, whilst not introducing the fine leather texture as it wouldn’t show up in the resulting glass. Three low points were strategically placed on the base of the shoe to assist with self stabilisation, ensuring it doesn’t rock on the table. These were intentionally placed to keep the shoe looking natural and organic, and not obvious to the human eye.

The glass is poured into a static mould. This is a different way of working as the molten glass needs to fall into the right place in the one way “You’ve got one shot, you got it or you don’t” - Katie-Anne Houghton, Canberra Glassworks. Vert explored 3-part moulds, testing how it would come apart and unfold without any parts colliding as well as considering where the parting lines and draft would be. These were intentionally placed so that they wouldn’t take away from the beauty and curves of Ricciardo’s famed racing shoe. Focus was placed on avoiding any material wastage and extra machining, as well as creating a mould that is long-lasting and robust. A graphite material was selected for use in the mould for its softness to machine and self lubricating properties that allow for an easy release of the glass shoe. Choosing the correct grade of graphite was essential so that the resolution to machine was high. From a cost perspective graphite is great for 500-1,000 line or production runs, whereas temperature controlled steel moulds are often used in larger scale jobs.

Design is a process that requires thoughtful risk and frequent testing. The first mould presented some challenges for the glassblowers, as there was difficulty pouring the glass into the hole that resulted in an uneven wall thickness. Vert had to consider what would work best for the glassblowers, as well as for the shoes ability to function and pour wine in an easy and sophisticated way. For the next mould design, Vert intentionally placed the shoe at more of an angle so that it sat diagonally to improve the wall thickness. We also built on a pinched opening at the top to make it wider for the glassblowers to work with, also working in a spout to improve the pour-ability of the decanter. This next mould machined perfectly and is currently crafting the Ricciardo Decanter Range in Canberra glassworks.

You can purchase the Ricciardo Decanter here.

You can watch a video on our design process here.

At the beginning of 2020 Vert were engaged by JOLT to design and develop an Electric Vehicle (EV) road-side charging station, a consumer-facing touchpoint that interacts with a smartphone app, as part of a sophisticated sustainable EV charging network being introduced across Australia.

This was the first of two projects that Vert worked on in 2020 with Jolt (second project coming soon), the charging stations offer free EV fast charging via both main charge types; CCS2 and CHAdeMO, with power supplied from 100% renewable energy sources.

The project began with concepts exploring a range of clean and timeless forms for the plinth-style charging station, looking at opportunities around environmental and human considerations, variable and optimum configurations, the integration of charging equipment and cable management.

The visually undistracting form of the plinth station allows the two large LED displays on each side to become the main visual focus of the design.

The vented frame and panel system allows airflow through the unit to prevent the charging equipment and componentry inside from overheating, whilst providing protection from weather and ingress of water.

Australia has seen a boom in EV sales over the last few years, while ‘fossil fuelled’ vehicles have experienced an annual decrease in sales. The increasing demand for renewable and zero emission travel is being encouraged by more affordable EVs coming on to the market, and a growing national EV infrastructure such as this.

JOLT began with a trial run in South Australia commencing 2021, and planned to roll-out 5,000 charging stations across the country, with the first stations set to be installed in the Hornsby and Northern Beaches Council areas in Sydney.

Jolt have today installed charging stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland and Christchurch!

Check out their website here.

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Also featured:

The Driven

Financial Review

At the beginning of 2020 Vert were engaged by Jolt Charge to design and develop an Electric Vehicle (EV) road-side charging station, a key piece of infrastructure in their vision to grow a large scale, sustainable EV service network across Australia.

This project is one of two that Vert worked on in 2020 with Jolt, the charging stations offer free EV fast charging via both main charge types; CCS2 and CHAdeMO, with power supplied from 100% renewable energy sources. The ‘enclosure’ type charging station was designed around Ausgrid’s energy distribution kiosk, an existing piece of urban infrastructure commonly located on roadsides all over Australia.

A recognised barrier to EV uptake in Australia is a phenomenon known as range anxiety - fear your EV might not have the capacity to reach your destination. Until now, a sort of chicken-and-egg scenario has meant a limited customer base for potential EV service providers, and in turn, a lack of adequate charging infrastructure for prospective EV owners.

Despite the apparent challenges, recent data reveals a noticeable shift towards electric, driven by a growing appetite for renewable powered and zero emission travel.

Global sales of ‘fossil fuelled’ vehicles dropped from the previous year by around 4.7% in 2019, as EV sales increased, surpassing two million in the same period. In Australia that trend is exaggerated, with sales of petrol and diesel cars in 2019 down 7.8%, and EV sales totalling around 3000, doubling sales from the previous year.

Responding to the clear increase in demand for cleaner transport, Jolt plans to roll out its network of EV infrastructure to equip and prepare our cities and suburbs for the rapidly growing EV market.

The project began with a range of concepts exploring clean and visually undistracting forms, and opportunities around practical and human considerations, variable configurations and technical principles. Jolt and Ausgrid highlighted the potential to refresh the visual appeal of the original kiosks and modernise Australian urban environments.

In essence the design is a series of external panels fixed to an internal chassis, which anchors to the base of the existing kiosk structure via a series of mounting brackets. The screen panel features a 75” LCD display, the vented panel allows airflow through the unit to prevent the kiosk inside from overheating.

The two panel types are configurable to suit varying conditions and locations, configuration options were compared and optimised using dynamic thermal simulation. Both panels work to provide protection from weather and ingress of water, with specific sections being IP55 rated to protect the DC charging equipment and componentry housed within.

Final design handover documentation was prepared and exported for prototype and production with an engineering and manufacturing company based in Sydney.

Jolt have today installed charging stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland and Christchurch!

Check out Jolt’s website here.

Ripples and Droplets is a public artwork by Artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso in collaboration with Architect Angelo Candalepas, Curator Amanda Sharrad and Vert Design Studio. It is an 11 storey mural in Sydney's CBD that reveals and celebrates the beauty of nature. “The patterns are like ripples in water, and if you look closer, there are droplets.” says Cardoso. Her intention is to magnify these details within nature, making them visible to those walking through the space and inviting them to experience a childlike sense of wonder and curiosity as they find something they didn’t expect to. The whole building can be thought of as an artwork, as Candalepa and Cardoso’s collaboration seeks to capture the same essence of painting as a fluid process. Ripples and Droplets explores this fluidity through the cyclical motions that move from small to large, reflecting the patterns of imperfect mineral geometries such as the ocean, rivers and wind. The building's architecture compliments this through its archways, colours and circles. The materials selected and process of building the wall also expresses this idea of fluidity as the concrete is poured, sets and is painted, the materials bond in staining the wall so that it will never fade.

Since 2010, Vert Design Studio has offered technical assistance to Maria Fernanda in bringing her visions and ideas to life in “The Museum of Copulatory Organs”, “Sandstone polon sculptures”, and “Tree of life”.

Vert provided knowledge and expertise on the making of and technical handling for Ripples and Droplets, with the brief focused on how the artwork would be translated from a small scale painting into a large scale painting that spans a 335 square meter concrete canvas. Traditional approaches to fabricate murals such as digital projection and creating grids weren’t suitable options as site access was tight, confined and located in an alleyway. Vert drew on their understanding of technologies and manufacturing processes that exist across other industries and projects. The method of pouncing was explored, using sheets of canvas with perforations and chalk as the medium of transfer. This process was tweaked, using a long roll of material typically used to create Sails and anchoring this to the top of the wall so that it fell down in a continuous spool from column to column. This method of dissecting the artwork ensures uniformity. In creating the cutting path for the artwork, Vert translated Cardoso’s artwork from analog into a digital medium, with the organic nature of the artwork maintained in this process to amplify the message of fluidity and imperfections. Maria Fernanda produced scale marquet models as well as exploring her own concept rounds of patterns and their line weights. Vert Design assisted with creating 3D renders in context so that she could visualize the artwork from multiple street level views and ensure the piece would reveal itself as you move through the space and get closer to the building.

Since 2019, Vert Design has collaborated on Slite, a powerful, professional and portable LED lighting panel for creatives. The concept was manifested when Slite’s co-founder, Alex Smith realized how bulky, hard to use, super expensive & outdated professional lighting could be. The brief set out to research, design, develop and prototype professional lighting that was easier, simpler and faster to set up. It’s built for content creators, small business owners, photographers and other creatives. Vert worked closely with Alex Smith (Technology director), Robbie Coleman (creative director), Miles Munro (Head of manufacturing), as well as a team of electrical engineers and LED manufacturers.

Focus was placed on designing an ultraportable device that would meet specific targets in thickness, weight and LED power. Slite is USB-C powered and can operate for up to 5 hours at 100% output, allowing it to be used in any location. A challenge faced by Vert was fitting the high end technology into such a menial housing design, and ensuring it’s longevity and durability. This was mitigated by going through lots of testing as well as chasing new technologies and developing a new PVS material for the circuit board. Slite was designed to slide in alongside your laptop and camera at less than 900g and 14 mm thin.

Vert design places sustainability at the forefront of all projects, building designs that are sustainable through the selection of materials, systems and processes. The Slite light is easily repaired through the mechanical screw assembly, and uses low impact premium materials and components to ensure longevity.

In meeting the technical specifications of the light, Vert collaborated with a local supplier whom they have a good relationship with. The collaboration built custom pro quality RGBWW LEDs that produce market leading and powerful white light, the same quality reserved for high-end studio lighting. These LEDs can produce over 16 million colors, adjusted via the smartphone app. Slite is designed to be intuitive and human, making it easy to operate, set up and packdown. The remote platform also allows you to connect multiple Slites at once.

Slite sits within an ecosystem of products that support how it can be mounted across many locations. A magnetic plate with universal threads allows it to be mounted onto stands, tripods, clamps or magnetic walls, in portrait or landscape. The magnetic strength was tested to ensure the right balance between strength to hold the product and the ease to dismount. A range of accessories is yet to be launched that will complement the Slite Lite range.

The Slite Light is available for presale on Kickstarter here.

Follow Silte on instagram here.

In 2021, Vert Design continued their collaboration with Melbourne-based brand MINIM Studio, in developing a series of beautiful and responsible furniture pieces to elevate ones unique instrument within the home. In this way, the experience of music can be inspirited into any room of the house, allowing music to shape the daily practices and living spaces.

The MINIM Guitar Hanger builds on 2 previous concepts: the leather string stand and the sandstone podium developed in 2018. You can read about these here.

Craig Braithwait, founder of MINIM placed a high priority on creating sustainable processes and outcomes through the design principles and materials, as well as the social and environmental impacts of the products. This meant supporting Australian designers, craftspeople, manufacturers, and makers to collaborate and cross-pollinate materials and methods of production.

Verts experimentative process, in collaboration with Judit Varga from Birdsall Leather allowed new opportunities to unfold. Initial material testing using wire presented some limitations in large-scale manufacturing as well as the quality. In pivoting, brass casting was explored, ensuring the manufacturing process was controlled and reliable. This led to new ways of working with the leather in combination with the brass, as Verts knowledge of molding processes met Judit’s craftsmanship. In an effort to bond the leather seamlessly, jogs and patterns were developed. Inspiration was taken from those timeless and romantic objects we find in contemporary homes, such as brass vessels and pots, or the detailed stitching on leather wallets. These materials were also selected for their long-lasting, recyclability, high quality and ethical production, as well as their potential for new material applications in future, like vegan leathers.

The design features of the guitar hanger were driven by simplicity and the way the form follows the function. Intention was placed on the structural components of the hanger as well as the interaction and gesturing. A flat backbone and even wall section supports the weight of the guitar, whilst the visual form builds trust and informs the placement. The leather band on top provides cushioning and creates a sense of safety and protection.

Available for online purchase here.

Read about the MINIM Guitar Stands here.

Read about the collaboration process here.

Photography: Shelley Horan

Leather: Judit Varga, Birdsall Leather

The Balmain Boat Company was launched in the spring of 2011. Since then, they have shipped boat kits to every state and territory in Australia and as far away as France and the United Kingdom. The boats are a testament to Simpson’s design acumen. They’re sold as flat sheets of timber that any pair of hands can transform into a watertight vessel. Still’s hands were two of the first to show how achievable it is – you can watch her progress on their website. They’re also cheap, functional and as elegant as anything you’ll see on the harbour or bay.

The boat kits are laser cut from certified sustainable-source marine ply and, when constructed, are just over two metres long (big enough to seat three adults). They can be fitted with sails, oars and outboard motors and there is a miniature version for kids that can be towed behind the ‘Classic’ model.

The design of the wooden clinker-built boats is a romanticised blend of ’40s-style rowboat with the contemporary clean lines and neat edges of computer-led wood-cutting. At 2.3 metres, they are big enough to fit three adults but small enough to pop on the roofracks of a small car. Cheaper and better-looking than your average tinny, the boats bring a stylish water lifestyle well within reach.

As seen in:  

Vogue Living 

Wired 

Broadsheet 

Mens Journal 

The Australian

The vertical gardens for One Central Park was a large project that required the whole team. The project was to interpret architectural plans for each and every level of the building to create the necessary design reference drawings required to fabricate support frames and structural brackets to hold the vertical gardens in place.

Central Park’s vertical gardens are designed on the concept of fluidity – to create the impression of a fluid, soft and inviting garden with gentle curves in colour, shape and texture of plants. 

The vertical gardens are designed to withstand seasonal conditions; plants which thrive with large exposure to sun and sunlight are selected for the top of the wall, such as Acacias (wattles) and Poa (grasses) while more delicate plants such as Goodenia (hop bush) and Viola (native Violet), which require more hydration, are chosen for the bottom. 

The vertical gardens at One Central Park vary in size, however the tallest vertical garden which is Blanc’s tallest vertical garden in the world, measuring 42 metres high and 4 metres wide. The gardens included 21 panels covering 1,120 sqm with over 35200 plants in total.

In 2014, The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) awarded One Central Park, Sydney, Australia, the title of Best Tall Building Worldwide at the 13th Annual CTBUH Awards Ceremony.

One Central Park was awarded Overall Winner at 2014 LEAF Awards, announced by the Leading European Architects Forum, and also took the title of Best Sustainable Development of the year. The judges said, “… the vertical gardens and green terraces providing a curtain of foliage turning the pristine floor to ceiling glazing into a high tech ‘tree house’ delight in equal measure.”

In 2015, One Central Park won Best Innovative Green Building at the MIPIM Awards (global) and has continued to receive a positive reaction from an international Architectural and Design community as well as visitors and residents of Sydney.

Check out the other awards this progressive building has claimed here.

A start-up company with years of invaluable experience in the coffee industry, Huskee approached Vert to design & develop a range of coffee cups made from waste coffee husk mixed with eco-polymers. Visually iconic and ideologically driven, HuskeeCup is known as the world’s very ‘first coffee cup’!

Vert Design combined a user-centric approach with limitless possibilities of forms driven by manufacturing processes. Injection moulding as the main method of manufacturing enabled incorporation of highly delicate details into the design, which may not possible in traditional vessel production methods such as Glass blowing or Ceramics production.

Considering every aspect of HuskeeCup, we studied production processes, heat retention rate in several materials, designed & tested complex 3D printed tooling and eventually created a unique series of cups with a human-centric and environmental approach.

Inspired by the traditional Japanese craft culture, all the design features serve a specific function. Taking cues from principles of thermal engineering the fins perform as a ‘heatsink’ for the cup containing hot liquid. Whilst reducing the complexity of manufacturing by taking away the handle, the fins became an iconic design feature, providing a unique experience for the user.

The shared passion and effort of both teams in creating environmentally-aware and uniquely designed drinking vessels was recognised at ‘2017 Design Lab Vessels Award’; an internationally recognised event held yearly by Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in USA.

Check out Huskee's Instagram page here.

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Also featured in:

The Good Design Awards 2018

Grand Designs Live

uncrate

Sprudge

Broadsheet

New Atlas

Vert were approached by Angus Ware and Jeffry Simpson of Heliograf to design and create Light Soy. Light Soy is a glass lamp inspired by the iconic single-use soy sauce packets shaped like fish found in sushi shops around the world. The light is conceived as a statement to the single-use nature of the soy sauce packets, by designing the lamp in a way that can be treasured. Using premium materials with longevity, designing for disassembly, repair and modularity, the light soy is designed to last for years.

Light Soy took over two years in design and development, ensuring each aspect of the design is reflecting its main purpose; Design for Longevity, Repairability, Disassembly and Durability. The original brief was to design the soy fish glass lamp, in a way that would work as 2 models: the portable table lamp and the pendant lamp. Drawing on the original form of the soy sauce packet which consists of the body and a small threaded lid, we treated the red lid as the universal lighting closure which would house all the hardware for both potable battery model and the pendant light. Designing a universal threaded lid means the light can be upgraded without replacing other components i.e ability to introduce smart functionality and reclaim materials from previous generation caps.

Reflecting on the principles of durability and longevity we chose premium materials and created something that will be treasured, not trashed. Drawing on years of experience in glass production, Vert Design has worked closely with glass manufacturers perfecting the glass-blowing technique, developing the right surface finish and most importantly the fitment between a hand-blown glass and an injection moulded threaded cap.

Each lamp model is accompanied by a number of accessories; A solid aluminum base for the portable model and a bespoke ceiling canopy kit for the pendant model. Light Soy can be fully disassembled to Its main components which means it can be repaired by the user or sent back to Heliograf for an upgrade. This also allows for an opportunity for the lamp to be easily recycled once/if it reaches the end of life.

With environmental awareness in mind, Vert was responsible for the design of a completely plastic-free packaging solution which is universal for both the Battery model as well as the pendant. The carry box features a wet pressed bagasse pulp tray, created using by-products of the sugarcane industry. The light is sandwiched between 2 pulp trays which take the visual impression of the glass fish shape and surface details and providing protection for the product during shipping and transit. All accessories are placed in small trays at the base of the cardboard packaging box, with the ability to be swapped out based on the light model.

The lamp is available in two forms: a USB-C rechargeable table lamp or a pendant light. Both options have a built-in 3000K LED with touch-controlled dimming. These can be pre-ordered from Heliograf’s website. You can read more about the light soy at:

Dezeen

Trendhunter

Designweekmag

Apartment Therapy

dlmag

Inhabitat

Launched in 2020, the Deus “Bombshell” kit is an all-in-one custom kit that is easy to install, bolt-on kit for any Yamaha XRS700 & MT-07, allowing you to completely transform the look of your bike.

Bike builder Jeremy Tagand from Deus Ex Machina reached out to Vert Design to help with the design of the body shell after having some issues with the fitment of a previous concept model. The bike was stripped down and 3D scanned so there was a digital copy of the frame. Then attention was turned to 3d modeling, where various iterations were quickly mocked up and rendered. The brief was to design a monocoque body that would fit over the Yamaha’s OEM frame and fuel tank, and not resort to cutting or welding the frame for installation, yet have a masculine & organic flow from nose to tail. After testing and validation, the model was then handed off to Sydney Composites for tooling and laying fiberglass.

The Deus ‘Bombshell’ kit is now available in the painted fiberglass or carbon fiber, with all the required mounting hardware, and looks cracking on either bike.

Images by Thomas Walk

Read more about the project here:

Deuscustoms

Luxuryes

Hiconsumption

Working with the mastermind herself, Tina Clark, we have been developing the Sagitine range of storage/furniture solutions that yearn to be a feature item not hidden out of sight.

The boutique high end storage system consists of 3 sizes of storage cases, made of a premium, lined card with custom leather handles that marry function and aesthetics. These cases are customised to fit into specially designed stands with a range of sizes and finishes available to suit all needs.

The chic storage system should be available later this year.

As featured on:

Space + Places Blog

Becker Minty

Mr Jason Grant

In 2018, Vert Design were approached by MINIM Studio to develop a range of guitar hooks and stands that could intertwine seamlessly within a well-considered interior. Craig Braithwait, founder of MINIM, identified the common issue that musicians face - purchase a beautiful instrument, but keep it on a cheap stand out of sight.

With the goal of complementing the interior as well as the instrument, Vert designed and developed a three concepts; a leather sling stand, a sandstone podium, and a soon to come third piece in the MINIM range.

The initial concept phase of the project took inspiration from valued materials and timeless forms, found in classic and contemporary furniture and interior design.

With a focus on material combinations, form factors and the various functional drivers, this generated a wide range of opportunities around gesturing and an emphasis on the care around one’s instruments.

The leather sling stand began with the visual of cradling and caring for one’s instrument, whereas the stone podium looks to elevate and emphasise the presence of the instrument. Both objects express their own visual language and personality, while equally considering the functional elements of safety, stability and care.

From the beginning of this project, Craig was determined to call on local craftsmen and manufacturers, as well as only work with ethically sourced materials which is most prevalent in the sustainably sourced and produced leathers that are used on both the sling and podium stand.

With the launch of the MINIM brand in 2019, these products are now available for purchase online here.

Styling: Mildred & Duck

Photography: Shelley Horan

Vert Design worked closely with the team at Good Citizens, to design and develop a unique sunglasses solution with materiality at the centre, exploring principles to reduce, reuse and recycle. The glasses are designed to be injection moulded from 100% waste PET plastic, to be repairable and to be recyclable at the end of life. This meant no metal hinges, no screws and no off the shelf components.

The project started with an exercise in universal design, examining and studying a wide range of anthropometric data focused on several head shapes as well as different facial expressions. The goal was to design the most universal frames to suit most users regardless of their gender or facial form. In addition, considering the inherent properties of waste PET plastic such as flexibility, the arms can be slightly formed and bent in order to suit most head shapes and sizes.

As well as the universal frames, Vert has designed and engineered a proprietary plastic shim hinge, creating a modular system that allows the frame and the arms to easily clip together and to be interchangeable. Confirming the premise of sustainability, the plastic hinge allows for the product to be fully recyclable as well as repairable, which increases the longevity and lifespan of it.

Good Citizen glasses launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in May 2019. The brand’s passion for reducing waste plastic and creating a meaningful and elegant solution was recognized with their inclusion in National Geographic’s innovation lab as part of Semi-Permanent Festival in 2019.

You can support Good Citizens here.

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

Video Help Points

Customers require information to feel confident and safe throughout their journey. Vert Design was engaged by Northwest Rapid Transit’s Systems Joint Venture (NRT SJV) to design a new generation of Video Help Points.

The customer help point was designed to encourage non-emergency use at Sydney Metro Northwest stations. The interface panel provides two-way video and audio communication so that customers can obtain information about their journey or station facilities, and also ask for assistance in an emergency situation.

Vert Design worked closely with NRT SJV to deliver a design that met all requirements from various stakeholders, including Sydney Metro, Northwest Rapid Transit, and the architects for the stations, parks and plazas for Sydney Metro Northwest, Hassell Studio.

Through the design process, Vert Design conducted stakeholder workshops, in-depth research, presented conceptual designs and produced prototypes for initial testing. Once a concept direction was chosen, the design was fully detailed to meet both functional and operational requirements which included signage and wayfinding guidelines, DDA compliance and a full IP65 rating for the enclosure.

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

In 2015 Vert Design were commissioned by architectural firm Hassell Studio to design and bring to life a suite of public furniture for Sydney Metro Northwest. The original brief was to design a visually coordinated suite of public furniture elements that reflect the visual conceptual expression of the structural and environmental architecture.

Vert Design were responsible for concept design through to concept development and detailing for the full furniture suite, elements including; public benches and platform seating, bus and bike shelters, bins and drinking fountains in the public domain.

An overarching concept was created to direct the visual equity of the suite to ensure unity and continuity across the extensive range of furniture elements and architecture. The concept draws on expression of structure and open space, with linear, parallel and floating geometry. Feature stand-off fittings reoccur throughout the suite to create space and help visually light-weight elements.

Each individual element was designed under this same concept criteria while responding to the element’s unique functional requirements and integration of practical attributes determined by intended purpose.

Inclusive design was a fundamental driver for all elements in the suite with the intent to enrich the experience of efficient and sustainable collective travel whilst respecting the needs of the individual passenger.

A large portion of the project was dedicated to cross-referencing anthropometrics and other important environmental and human factors that affect the way in which people emotionally and functionally engage with the furniture elements; design for disability, design for the elderly, common and extreme weather conditions and passenger safety and security and discoverability.

After the design and development stages, Vert prepared handover and specification documentation to advance production. Fleetwood Urban took on continued detailing for manufacture, producing prototypes and managing production for the full suite of furniture.

Public Benches

The public benches, platform seating and seating for shelters were designed as a family, the seating designs share common and modular elements.

The public bench is a stand alone 3-seat design, it allows for a number of different arrangements, twin benches without backrests and optional armrests that can be added or removed, creating arrangements to accommodate different locations or user scenarios.

The seat and backrest are made from the same profiled Australian hardwood and uses the same loop armrests are the other seat elements in the suite, and mounting is concealed beneath the ground.

The public bench is one element in a suite of public furniture, you can see the other elements here;

Platform Seats

Bus Shelters

Drinking Fountains

Bins

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

In 2015 Vert Design were commissioned by architectural firm Hassell Studio to design and bring to life a suite of public furniture for Sydney Metro Northwest. The original brief was to design a visually coordinated suite of public furniture elements that reflect the visual conceptual expression of the structural and environmental architecture.

Vert Design were responsible for concept design through to concept development and detailing for the full furniture suite, elements including; public benches and platform seating, bus and bike shelters, bins and drinking fountains in the public domain.

An overarching concept was created to direct the visual equity of the suite to ensure unity and continuity across the extensive range of furniture elements and architecture. The concept draws on expression of structure and open space, with linear, parallel and floating geometry. Feature stand-off fittings reoccur throughout the suite to create space and help visually light-weight elements.

Each individual element was designed under this same concept criteria while responding to the element’s unique functional requirements and integration of practical attributes determined by intended purpose.

Inclusive design was a fundamental driver for all elements in the suite with the intent to enrich the experience of efficient and sustainable collective travel whilst respecting the needs of the individual passenger.

A large portion of the project was dedicated to cross-referencing anthropometrics and other important environmental and human factors that affect the way in which people emotionally and functionally engage with the furniture elements; design for disability, design for the elderly, common and extreme weather conditions and passenger safety and security and discoverability.

After the design and development stages, Vert prepared handover and specification documentation to advance production. Fleetwood Urban took on continued detailing for manufacture, producing prototypes and managing production for the full suite of furniture.

Bins

The bins were designed as an enclosure to accommodate a standard wheelie bin, a raw stainless steel panel at the front acts as a practical easy-clean surface, a charcoal coloured hood wrapping over the top and sides help the bin blend in with the surrounding environment and provide cover to the openings, colour coded rings identify recycled waste and general waste.

The two-sided bin design was developed so that both sides appear to be visually symmetrical, whilst functionally they work to allow operation and service. One side is part of the fixed base and features fixtures which allow the bin to be mounted to the ground, the other half is hinged and secured with a lock and opened to empty.

The bin is one element in a suite of public furniture, you can see the other elements here;

Public Benches

Platform Seats

Bus Shelters

Drinking Fountains

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

In 2015 Vert Design were commissioned by architectural firm Hassell Studio to design and bring to life a suite of public furniture for Sydney Metro Northwest. The original brief was to design a visually coordinated suite of public furniture elements that reflect the visual conceptual expression of the structural and environmental architecture.

Vert Design were responsible for concept design through to concept development and detailing for the full furniture suite, elements including; public benches and platform seating, bus and bike shelters, bins and drinking fountains in the public domain.

An overarching concept was created to direct the visual equity of the suite to ensure unity and continuity across the extensive range of furniture elements and architecture. The concept draws on expression of structure and open space, with linear, parallel and floating geometry. Feature stand-off fittings reoccur throughout the suite to create space and help visually light-weight elements.

Each individual element was designed under this same concept criteria while responding to the element’s unique functional requirements and integration of practical attributes determined by intended purpose.

Inclusive design was a fundamental driver for all elements in the suite with the intent to enrich the experience of efficient and sustainable collective travel whilst respecting the needs of the individual passenger.

A large portion of the project was dedicated to cross-referencing anthropometrics and other important environmental and human factors that affect the way in which people emotionally and functionally engage with the furniture elements; design for disability, design for the elderly, common and extreme weather conditions and passenger safety and security and discoverability.

After the design and development stages, Vert prepared handover and specification documentation to advance production. Fleetwood Urban took on continued detailing for manufacture, producing prototypes and managing production for the full suite of furniture.

Drinking Fountain

The drinking fountains are placed around the Metro stations, it was designed to follow the same overarching concept principles as the rest of the suite. A large diameter tube passes through the ground grate and angles forward to project the flow of water. The rolled stainless steel plate catches excess water and directs it back into the grate at the base of the fountain.

One of the unique features of the design is a hands-free floor pedal which allows elderly people and people with disabilities another option for operation. Simply step on or apply weight to the large floor pedal to activate the fountain. The design features a separate tap for filling your water bottle.

The drinking fountain is one element in a suite of public furniture, you can see the other elements here;

Public Benches

Platform Seats

Bus Shelters

Bins

In August 2019 Vert Design were engaged to create a range of reusable bottles and refill pouches for household cleaning products offered as a circular system; ordered, delivered, returned and refilled.

Zero Co’s vision is to inspire 14,000 Australian households to switch to their new circular delivery system projecting a 1 million per year reduction in single use plastic bottles. Whilst coining the mantra ‘no new plastic’ the bottles and closures will be produced with Pack Tech’s ocean waste plastic, and the refill pouches from post industrial waste substrates (polymer substrates diverted from landfill).

The playful visual language for the packaging aims to reflect the energy and positive attitude embodied by the Zero Co brand, a happy family of home-care products and a closed-loop system ready to disrupt a notoriously wasteful FMCG category.

‘Zero Co is an Aussie start-up on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic packaging from every Aussie kitchen, laundry and bathroom. Our circular delivery system (you order, we deliver, you return, we refill) fights plastic at both ends of the supply chain’. - Zero Co co founder, Mike Smith.

Zero Co ran a successful kickstarter campaign October ‘19 reaching their funding goal of $250k AUD in just 8 days.

Keep an eye out for updates as they move towards product launch.

Brand artwork and graphic design by Born & Raised

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Manly Spirits is a well-established distillery based in Sydney’s picturesque Northern Beaches. They are renowned for producing Australian Gins, Botanical Vodkas, and Whiskies taking much of their inspiration from the surrounding marine environment of the NSW coastline.

Vert design started working with Manly Spirits in 2019 to design a bottle for the soon-to-be-released Single Malt Whisky. Emphasizing the origin of the distillery and its unique location, the conceptual phase of the project explored the visual elements and features of the surrounding natural environment.

The years of experience and knowledge in glass production resulted in a unique bottle form that combines the classic visual language of a whiskey bottle with a highly complex sculpted surface. Taking inspiration from gradual erosion patterns of coastal sandstone, organic undulations were projected onto the bottle surface. The result is an asymmetric bottle form with highly tactile features. This was made possible through digital sculpting techniques within our suite of CAD software, which was then paired with technical details such as the neck finish, bottle parting line, and annealing ring.

Launched in September 2021, the bottle is paired with a bespoke sandstone stopper and hand-applied labeling which complements the glass macrotexture. The ‘Element Series’ by Manly Spirits is available exclusively through their website.

Launched in 2018 the KNNOX lighter originated from a brief to design a lighter made using traditional methods of manufacture, from raw materials that visually mature over time and allow the environment to influence individual characteristics and surface finish.

The project started as a classic exercise in object design with concepts exploring form & proportion, visual language and user interaction. This lead to a deeper exploration into choreographic sequence; studying familiar and unexpected motions which eventually evolved into a key philosophy for the project, the idea of being functionally abstract, to create a new ritual for making a flame that people can enjoy discovering, learning and eventually mastering.

The fundamental principles of fire making are represented in the concept by three deliberate block elements;

Fuel - Flammable liquid and a cotton wick held in the central rectangular body.

Heat - Flint is pressed against a flint wheel by a spring inside the L-shaped body.

Oxygen - The two precision machined Brass bodies slide against one another to open a gap in which a flame can ignite.

The non-prescriptive configuration of the design promotes varying positions and orientations in use, the flame creates mesmeric shapes as it pours through the gap and attempts to establish new flow paths.

The lighter is made up of 13 individual components all secured together with a single socket head screw, the individual components of the lighter are designed to disassemble and reassemble like an old rifle, a nod to the masculine and utilitarian language of the concept with practical benefits of servicing and cleaning that help extend the lifespan of the product.

A custom flat spring hidden in the slider ensures the parts locate in the open & closed positions and also provides the mechanical feedback to create a gratifying snap shut.

The packaging for the lighter takes cue from the (de)constructible system it was designed around, individual parts of the lighter are nested in felt cutouts and require assembly before use, encouraging people to interact and become familiar with the workings of the design at day one. The slip-sleeve pack includes a bespoke knurled finger tool with a stamped brandmark at the butt end.

In 2017 the owners of KNNOX moved to London. Cutting no corners they pursued a vision of 100% British manufacturing. They engaged UK based specialists in all fields; precision engineers and machinists, wick makers, flint manufacturers, spring makers, wool factories, metal finishers and printing companies to produce the final piece; deliberate in form, timeless in materiality and meticulous in detail.

To see the finished product and for orders visit the KNNOX website.

Developed packaging and branding by SocioDesign

Main photography by Ash James

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Vert Design were approached by Sydney based film & TV commercial director; Al Morrow, who had the idea of creating a powerful professional level photography and video light that was small and light enough to carry in your pocket.

The brief drew from an observation made during Al’s experience in film making, a common industry practice when lighting for beauty shots is to use the biggest lights, heavily diffused to create an evenly distributed glow with gentle soft shadows.

Advancements in digital camera technology (especially in smartphones) have continued to improve year on year since their inception in the early 2000’s, but lighting in the same market has predominantly stood still. This was the idea behind BIGSOFTI; professional level lighting to fit in your pocket, an alternative to the harsh single-point flash featured on most smartphones and digital cameras today.

The initial concept stage focused closely on the idea of integrating a light with a flexible smartphone flip-case, sketch prototypes and a first pass on the light module allowed testing and review of the initial concept. Further iterations of the PCB light module were used to determine optimal light diffusion methods and configuration for the design.

From here a second round of concepts were produced, to explore number of areas in further depth; attachment principles, user scenarios and design attributes to improve user experience. The new concepts were entered into consumer testing to collect objective quantitative and qualitative feedback about BIGSOFTI’s intended audience and their preferences in relation to the concepts.

This produced the basis for the final design, a key product attribute that was taken forward into development was the idea of separating the clip from the light module, introducing a pivot point for tilt angle, the standard clip features soft rubber contacts to prevent scratching your screen, and interchangeable mount attachments like a shoe mount adaptor allow it to fit your camera or DSLR.

Al Morrow’s practical expertise in film and photography lighting helped drive the essential deliverables for the product, further development and expertise for the tech package came from lighting product specialist and manufacturer Hunter Ho, who gave the preliminary technical specification a complete overhaul, switching from LEDs to bi-colour LEDs offering 3 different colour settings; daylight, tungsten and clean mix. Increasing the number of LEDs to boost the high brightness setting, and a larger (ultra-thin) Li-ion battery charged via USB-C dramatically improved run time.

Results from lab tests assessing the colour accuracy of BIGSOFTI rated the output between 95+ and 98+ CRI (Color Rendering Index) and 98+ TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index). These indexes are charted on a scale from 0 to 100 percent, the higher the CRI and TLCI, the better the color rendering ability. Light sources with a rating of 90% or higher are considered to be excellent at color rendering and appropriate for tasks requiring the most accurate color discrimination. Putting the pocket sized product in the same league as the big players in professional lighting. The final design weighs just 75 grams.

BIGSOFTI went live on kickstarter 25th June 2020, reaching their funding goal within the first hour, and eventually raising $671,832 from 6,334 backers over the course of the 30 day campaign.

Check out the BIGSOFTI website for product details and shipping info.

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Mud Numbers are playful, coloured ceramic numbers designed for the home that stems from a collaboration between Mud Australia and the Frost Collective. Its beauty lies in how Mud interpreted Frost’s striking graphic font into a refined three-dimensional artisan hand-made object with strong sculptural qualities.

Vert was approached to develop a mounting solution to attach the numbers onto various surfaces, including brick, timber, corrugated walls and fences. The challenge was creating a backing that would fit each number despite the irregular uniformity due to the handmade nature and the physical properties of the slip-casting process. The team explored off-setting the metal backing to allow for these variables in the sizing and shape.

Through experimentation, the team explored how they could design the fixtures to utilise the ‘pouring’ holes - an existing element of the Numbers resulting from Mud’s slip-casting process, to allow the screws to be placed into the metal backing while avoiding contact with the ceramic itself.

In collaboration with Mud, the sizing of the holes and distance between the centre points were prototyped to create regularity across the entire Numbers range to optimise the casting process and to ensure the user’s ease in centring the Numbers on their chosen surface.

To mount the Numbers, Vert has created a custom-made stand-off solution, using two cylindrical stainless steel parts that are locked off with a grub screw. This locking system is secure, anti-theft, and only removable by an allen key. The customer can opt out from the stand-offs and simply bond the stainless steel backing directly onto the wall.

The stainless steel backing adds to the product's overall value through its perceived strength and aesthetic refinement, as well as in its opportunity to hide any natural surface imperfections from the casting process. The combination of glazed porcelain and stainless steel makes Numbers suitable for all outdoor environments.

The beauty of the Number backings is in the simple and discrete solution that is unseen from the front. It hovers off the wall, elevating the design and creating a shadow detail that casts onto the wall's surface depending on the time of day.

You can buy Mud Numbers for your home here.

Follow the Mud Australia Instagram here.

Follow Frost*Collective on Instagram here.

Long Rays is an Australian-based Tonic and Soda Water producer who prides itself on using natural ingredients to ensure its mixers complement the ever-growing range of craft gins. Vert Design was approached by Long Rays in 2020 to develop a liquid delivery system that aims to remove the waste generated by single-serve bottles from hospitality venues.

“We want to shine a spotlight on drinks crafted here in Australia, and the Fountain allows us to talk about how a good mixer does justice to a spirit. When a customer selects a boutique spirit from our shelf, we can complement it with an Australian tonic or soda water poured from the Long Rays Fountain, which creates the kind of bespoke experience we want to offer.” Shivam Reddy

With an increased level of interest in the craft gin and mixer trend, the Long Rays Fountain emphasizes the creation of the mixer as a distiller would in creating a carefully crafted bottle of gin. The elegant Tap form aims to reflect on the importance of the mixer in creating the perfect G&T, by adding an element of theatre in the ritual of pouring. The dispensing unit was designed to complement the artisanal finishes found in cocktail bars and distilleries, with copper tones and slender stem geometry providing the illusion that the tonic is being actively brewed at the press of a button. The high-end fit and finish of the unit complements the quality of the mixer and confirms the expectation that the drink is being made with only top-shelf mixers.

Initially launching at the Covent Garden in Brisbane and Patient Wolf Distillery in Melbourne, the Long Rays Fountain unit will be rolled out nationwide in 2021. Find out more here

Vert Design were engaged by Lion and Lady to design a new baby bottle for travel-friendly feeding, a safe and versatile alternative to the common glass and plastic bottles already on the market.

Following an initial phase of research and exploration, food-grade stainless steel was selected to become the main material for the bottle for its specific benefits; superior lightweight durability (compared to glass), anti-bacterial properties which help reduce toxic load and endocrine disruption for the baby (compared to plastic), and its high thermal conductivity allowing the contents of the bottle to warm up quickly in hot water.

The baby-friendly, soft and minimal form offers a visual indication of the key functional attributes of the design. When assembled, the PP lid sleeves over the body to read as one unified form. The lid is designed to protect the teat, and also perform as a hot water bath for warming the bottle contents on-the-go.

Measurement lines on the inside of the lid allow for it to be used as a measuring cup and puree pot when needed. The wide neck of the bottle allows for easy filling and cleaning, as well as accommodating standard teats from most other brands.

Watch this space for new projects in the pipeline for Lion and Lady that look to further extend the versatility of the product through compatible accessories that give the bottle a longer life by adapting to the needs of parent and baby.  Vert are currently working on a number of products including a sippy head and an air tight lid which transforms the bottle into a small travel canister.

Launched in 2019, the Lion and Lady baby bottle is available for purchase online, as well as through a number of outlets across Australia.

Dr. Mark’s Hygenie is a range of products focused on maintaining oral hygiene of removable dental appliances. Almost 15% of the Australian population wear dentures. That's roughly 3.5 million people bearing the burden of impeccable denture care for a healthier smile.

Originally developed by Dr.Mark Wortherspoon out of frustration with the existing practice of cleaning dental appliances with toothbrushes and soaking solutions., Vert was engaged to bring Dr.Mark’s working concept up to the level of manufacturing with subtle styling and semantic cues.

This first of its kind device cleans, stores and protects nearly all manner of removable dental appliances including mouthguards, dentures, splints, orthodontic aligners and retainers, nightguards and whitening trays.

The device featured independently rotating brush heads connected to enlarged handles, simple features like colour coding and indexing icons were used to identify the components and their correct order of assembly.

Special care was taken with developing the unique TPE bristle pattern so that the device was compatible with a large range of dental appliances. Multiple rounds of prototyping and testing allowed for fine-tuning of the device so that it could be operated by a wide range of end-users from 12 - 80+ years in age.

After validating the effectiveness of the product, the range was extended out to the SureGrip handheld brush and the HyGenie Sports Cage mouthguard case.

The products were launched in late 2019 and available for purchase through their website.

Vert was engaged to assist with the design of a bespoke glass bottle for Grand Talon premium rice spirits. Branding agency Squad Ink produced the initial concept, whilst Vert was responsible for realisation of the design. Made from the finest rice harvested fresh across China, Grand Talon Rice Whisky is a unique expression of whisky forged by master craftsmen of Guangdong Province.

The brief was to brand and package an ultra-premium barrel-aged baijiu (rice spirit) and rice wine, drawing from both Eastern and Western design influences; to honor the unique product story of “rice meets oak”; and to develop a unique and compelling brand that would appeal to both Eastern and Western markets.

The visual aesthetic of the bottle embodies the dragon scales as inspiration for a globally recognized symbol of Chinese culture. Articulating the dragon scales on the bottle was a complex part of the process, it was important to capture the essence of the dragon scale. Vert had to develop a language for communicating the nuance of scales with the client and squad ink to ensure the final manufactured bottles integrated the dragon scale in a smooth and unified way.

A decade of experience and knowledge in glass design allowed the execution of the highly technical forms, whilst maintaining the authentic expression of the careful craft and cultural provenance of the spirits. The two bottles that were developed featured different forms but were still visually unified through the scales and other key elements.

The talented team at Squad Ink studio was responsible for the creation of the brand and identity as well as all graphic elements, secondary packaging, and creative content. You can read more about the project here.

Vert design have collaborated with WEARABLE X, Designing the haptic platform for the new NADI X, the new technology infused yoga clothes, directly responding to wearers poses and guiding them through correct yoga movements.

The haptic platform is an attach-on module, housing the sensors and the technology needed to read user's body posture while performing yoga movements, providing gentle vibrations to guide their attention through correct poses. 

The organic low profile form is designed in a way that fits onto the body unobtrusively, both in physical and visual aspects, whilst echoing the yoga ethos of balance and harmony. Design Innovation and comprehensive engineering around the snap connections created a fastener that not only performs as the mechanical interface between the garment and module, it also transmits power, data and used as a means for securing and sealing the PCB to the housing during production assembly. Utilizing the ultrasonic welding process to connect parts, the housing is manufactured to be fully water and dust sealed.

NADI X is available for purchase , you can buy the product here.

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- Vogue

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Vert were engaged to design a bespoke glass fragrance bottle for Bondi based, natural fragrance company Recreation Beauty.

The conceptual phase of the project explored visual languages and themes around the brands provenance, focusing on its surrounding natural environment.

The concept started as a modern expression of a clean and classic bottle profile with subtly repeating vertical chimes on an otherwise cylindrical bottle. The early stages of the project blended muted tones and tactical finishes to create a calming visual resonance.

The bottle features an Aluminium pump-spray atomiser which crimps over the neck of the glass bottle, the custom over-cap has internal clipping features that secure the over-cap to the bottle without need for visible clipping features on the bottle itself.

Recreation launched in 2018. For the final bottle design, Depot Creative’s clean and minimal label artwork is printed directly onto the clear glass allowing the varying tones of the liquid fragrance range to show through and create a natural colour pallet.

Graphic design, brand artwork and secondary packaging by Depot Creative.

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Vert were approached by THERE to assist with the design of a large scale sculptural wall. Based on philosophical theme Constant Innovation, the wall was designed to be the centrepiece in Knight Frank's new Sydney HQ.

Through a collaborative effort, multiple iterations were generated each with varying 3D profiles, a process of evaluation & selection converged to one final form which best conveyed the concept.

The essence of the concept was a heavily abstract swept interpretation of the company logo. To achieve this the swept surface was intersected by patterned fins and the profile at each intersection was extracted. The result is a 3D geometric form that comes to life with the shifting ambient light conditions throughout the day.

The feature wall picked up DISTINCTION at the 2016 AGDA awards for Spatial; Permanent Installations.

Photography by Steve Brown.

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Interior Design Magazine: 2016 Best of Year Winner for Office Branding/Graphics

In 2016 Vert were approached by an independent client and avid road cyclist Dan Bessant, finally fed up with keeping his personal belongings in a zip-seal sandwich bag to keep them clean & dry on long rides the 'Active-Proof’ wallet was conceived.

At the early stages of the project Vert opened up the scope to include other activity categories as well as cycling and mapped a series of opportunities that helped determine the direction of the concept work before pinning down a final concept that lead into the development phase.

The design was an exercise in restraint, with the aim to create a lightweight product with a single & clear benefit of weather-proofing, holding back on unnecessary features, in turn this helped to retain an elegant & sophisticated visual language for the wallet.

Development took shape as a sequence of sampling rounds, starting with rough mockups made in the studio to flesh out basic functionality & to produce initial patterns for the next stages of sampling which included material sourcing, heat welded seams and print trials, continuously tweaking the design and focusing in on details to improve strength for longevity & practicality.

Zilfer launched their brand with the phone wallet in June 2017, available in selected stores & online at www.zilfer.com.

Vert was commissioned by Club Trading & Distribution in 2018 to undertake a packaging refresh for their Naturals brand, the update encompassed their full range of salt and pepper grinders and refill packs with both visual and functional improvements.  As one of the first salt and pepper grinders available in the supermarket, Naturals was a category leader. But over time, more and more brands copied their simple plastic packaging, the category was then to be dictated by price rather than function. Naturals are one of the few brands to incorporate a ceramic grinding element, allowing for multiple refills of their grinders. However, the element is not on display or known to the customer until after the point of purchase. 

The project started with a classic exercise in object design; exploring several forms and their impact on product-user interaction. Taking inspiration from the pattern on the ceramic grinding elements, the design features a large spiral pattern on the lid and spindle, highlighting the movement pattern required for grinding the content.

Collaborating with the product development team, Vert fine-tuned the ceramic element to obtain the “perfect grind” for salt as well as pepper to allow the same mechanism to be used for both packs. Through rigorous testing and prototyping, the form and the geometry of the ridges were optimised to provide a superior user experience; even wet hands from cooking could use the grinders without slipping.

The same design principles and a user centric approach was applied to the refill pack. Legacy brand refill packs relied on end-users to spoon out portions or create make-shift funnels when refilling grinders, leading to frustration anytime a bottle needed to be re-filled. The new packs feature a “precision-pour” spout that aligns with the opening on the grinder bottles to provide a mess-free experience during the refill process.

Launched in mid-2019, the updated packs are available for purchase both in-store and online from Woolworths nationwide.

Vert was commissioned by the leading Australian fashion brand Country Road, to facilitate the brand’s goal to move towards a more sustainable product range. Collaborating with the jewellery design team vert have designed and produced earring components from marine debris plastic.

Utilising our in-house low-pressure injection moulding machine developed as a result of years in experimentation and testing, Vert has designed and manufactured the tooling which resulted in the creation of over 4000 components made from ocean waste.

The waste was collected by Eco Barge Clean Sea in northern Queensland, Washed, Shredded and sent our facilities in Sydney, which allowed us to bring Country Road’s vision to realisation.  

SideKick is the second generation of emergency phone chargers designed by Vert Design in collaboration with startup tech company Flintu.

Building on the “emergency charge” philosophy of the original product Plan V, Sidekick expanded on this and was designed to pack as many useful features into a very small and mobile package, making it an essential everyday carry device.

Off-the-grid charging is at the heart of the device. The team at Flintu devised a way to use powerful rare earth magnets to convert power from readily available alkaline & lithium cell batteries to charge mobile phones. In addition to dry cell battery charging, Sidekick also has a built-in, Japanese made 300mAh battery for quick boosts of power on-the-go, as well as the ability to connect through USB to charge from laptops and PCs.

Vert Design was tasked with housing the components into a small, rugged footprint. The design features a steel internal chassis to provide magnetic shielding, TPR over-moulding to encapsulate the technical package and a CNC machined cover plate that protects the device from wear-and-tear that comes active use.

Through the design process, Vert Design conducted prototype testing for proof-of-concept with the use of 3d printed tooling to over-mould preliminary circuitry, in addition to high-resolution 3d printed components to validate component layout and assembly methods.

Sidekick is now live on Kickstarter , Follow the campaign here.

Vert was engaged to design a bespoke glass bottle for Brisbane based, boutique gin distillery Winston Quinn.

With a clear brief and styling direction in place, the concept initiated as a modern interpretation of a cut crystal bottle with highly tactile features and integrated branding. Vert worked closely with the team from Winston Quinn to refine the shape to create a desirable bottle.

Building on years of experience in glass design, technical details like the required neck finish, filling line and annealing ring were added before hand-off for prototype and mass-production.

Winston Quinn launched in Mid-2019. Their gin can be found in a range of bars and stockists throughout Australia. Read more about the product here.

The O Six Hundred kayak is the brainchild of Ben Cooper and Vert Design.  The kayak is true to its original concept; based on a tried and tested 4,000 year old design, but fabricated using precision CNC cut marine grade hoop pine plywood, full length red-cedar strengthening strips and a heat-welded carbon fabric skin.  The smart skeleton frame optimises the structural properties of its materials resulting in a super-lightweight kayak which is both tough and beautiful.

The kayak is available to order from the O Six Hundred website and comes as a ‘ready to assemble’ flatpack kit.  Constructed from just 30 pieces you can enjoy building you own at home.

The O Six Hundred Kayak won 'Best In Category' at the 2015 Good Design Award® under Product Design - Sport and Lifestyle.

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Vert were engaged by BioPak with a brief to redesign the previously vacuum-formed PET plastic tray for Mad Mex's takeaway taco kit.

This project explored options around volume and portion sizes for compartments, shape and layout focusing on space optimisation and user experience, whilst answering to some of the logistical requirements such as sealing and preventing contamination of ingredients between compartments.

The containers are produced by BioPak using their lightweight and compostable sugarcane fibre, the container and locking lid allow for efficient nesting and also a secure location for stacking.

Vert was engaged to assist with the design of a bespoke glass bottle for Byron based, water bottling company Mount Warning Spring Water.

Branding agency Squad Ink produced the initial concept which was a representation of rolling waves with highly tactile features. Vert Design was approached to build the CAD model which would have organic wave-forms patterns, yet fit within the limitations of glass blow moulding production lines with simple tool parting lines. Vert worked closely with the team from Squad Ink to define the bottle shape and associated label die-lines to create a desirable bottle. Multiple rounds of prototypes were used to translate and refine the wave profiles from on-screen to in-hand.

Building on years of experience in glass design, technical details like the required neck finish, filling line and annealing ring were added before hand-off for prototype and mass-production.

Mount Warning launched the new glass bottles in early 2020 to replace their existing range of plastic bottles. Their still and sparkling water can be found in a range of stockists and restaurants throughout Australia.

Fackelmann house is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of housewares products in Australia, NZ, Singapore, and the UK. Vert Design has been working with Fackelmann Houseware for a number of years, collaborating in several areas of the business, from technical delivery and production optimization to full-scale design projects and taste-making. For this project, Vert design was asked to design the ‘Pro Chamber Knife Block’ for the FURI Pro knives range.

The brief was simple; however, the main challenge was: how do we design a knife block that stands out in a saturated market and yet is economically viable for the brand and simple to manufacture. Vert design’s strategy was to leverage traditional joinery details as a point of difference in a competitive market as well as creating simplicity and scalability of production.

After going through multiple rounds of iterative testing and experimentation with woodworking joinery techniques, Vert created an elegant solution that was unique; A light and sculpted form that complements the quality and longevity of Furi knives.

Full height dovetail rails hold and suspend sculpted hardwood segments of the knife block creating a precise, stoic structure that perfectly complements the iconic range of Furi knives.

These knife blocks are currently available for purchase online and in most major retailers such as Myer, Peters of Kensington, Amazon and etc.

In 2014 Vert Design were approached by a new client requiring a bespoke glass bottle for a range of all natural facial serums formulated to harness the unique cosmetic properties from selected Australian botanical extracts.

The initial concepts took on classic forms used in traditional & historical medicine, using alchemy, mastery & natural elixirs as directional cues. The lead concept made reference to the traditional scientific florence-flask & even featured a completely spherical base & timber ring for the bottle to rest on.

As the concept developed it evolved into the organic form you see today; a glass bottle with delicate & feminine profile curves. Mismatched, flowing inner vs. outer surfaces encapsulate the serum as if it were suspended in the frosted glass bottle, a visual reference to the organic diffusion that often occurs in biological cellular imagery.

The leaf inspired applicator was developed to bring a new experience for product delivery within the serum category, the co-moulded applicator acts as a stopper to seal the bottle, and when removed captures serum in its reservoir, a series of fine fins slow the serum into a steady flow of droplets allowing controlled measurement & application.

Depot Creative generated a stunning brand identity for Baré with a comprehensive set of 2D assets which build on the initial brand positioning and bring the structural work to life. The range artwork exhibits a beautiful representation of natures hidden workings with fascinating hi-res radiographic artwork by Steven N Meyers.

The shared passion & discipline on visual language that went into this collaborative project was recognised at the 2016 A' Design Awards claiming Gold. "The Golden A' Design Award is a prestigious award given to top 3% percentile, designs that exhibit an exemplary level of excellence in design". - A' Design Award

Check out the full Baré range here.

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Baré pick up second place in The Dieline Awards 2016.

Dexigner

Vert was commissioned by the creative studio Mundane Matters, to facilitate the realisation of a 24 meter long suspended installation made from waste plastic as part of Art & About 2018.

2255 man-made oranges were injection moulded from over 100 kg of Marine debris plastic gathered by EcoBarge from the Great Barrier Reef. The material was carefully cleaned, sorted in colours and shredded and moulded into balls which resemble oranges.

Due to the exposure of Marine debris to elements and seawater, the material becomes quite unpredictable. Going through extensive amount of experimentation and refinement, Vert was able to push the boundaries of the process and utilise the material in an industrial scale injection moulding machine.

Wasteland was successfully launched on 6 October 2016 at Sydney Customs House as part of Art & About Sydney, which is a month long festival that celebrates local and international artists and allows them to bring their ideas and unique spirit to the spaces we all share.

Read the story here:

The Design Files

Time Out Sydney

Mashable Australia

Alaskan Rock is a small-batch artisanal vodka made in Australia with packaging and branding by Vert Design. The brief was to create a design that would have a masculine edge and reflect the brand’s strong and distinctive spirit.

The bottle design is made from black hand-finished Mexican glass with white-raised lettering and a distinctive sculptural punt.

Punts are a legacy of the glassblowing process that were made redundant by industrial glassmaking techniques. They now exist purely as an aesthetic detail. Vert’s team decided to exaggerate the punt’s formal qualities, creating a bottle with a sculptural form denoting an Alaskan mountain range.

The prototype was blown by a team of glassblowers at Canberra Glassworks and the finished design produced in Mexico.

Alaskan Rock was the winner of a D&AD packaging design award. 

As featured on: 

Lovely Package

The Die Line 

Blou in Art Info 

Packaging News 

Sydney Metro Northwest, opened in May 2019, is the first stage of the new Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project. The 36km metro system is set to carry up to 17,000 passengers an hour in each direction, connecting Sydney’s booming north western suburbs to Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the CBD.

In 2015 Vert Design were commissioned by architectural firm Hassell Studio to design and bring to life a suite of public furniture for Sydney Metro Northwest. The original brief was to design a visually coordinated suite of public furniture elements that reflect the visual conceptual expression of the structural and environmental architecture.

Vert Design were responsible for concept design through to concept development and detailing for the full furniture suite, elements including; public benches and platform seating, bus and bike shelters, bins and drinking fountains in the public domain.

An overarching concept was created to direct the visual equity of the suite to ensure unity and continuity across the extensive range of furniture elements and architecture. The concept draws on expression of structure and open space, with linear, parallel and floating geometry. Feature stand-off fittings reoccur throughout the suite to create space and help visually light-weight elements.

Each individual element was designed under this same concept criteria while responding to the element’s unique functional requirements and integration of practical attributes determined by intended purpose.

Inclusive design was a fundamental driver for all elements in the suite with the intent to enrich the experience of efficient and sustainable collective travel whilst respecting the needs of the individual passenger.

A large portion of the project was dedicated to cross-referencing anthropometrics and other important environmental and human factors that affect the way in which people emotionally and functionally engage with the furniture elements; design for disability, design for the elderly, common and extreme weather conditions and passenger safety and security and discoverability.

After the design and development stages, Vert prepared handover and specification documentation to advance production. Fleetwood Urban took on continued detailing for manufacture, producing prototypes and managing production for the full suite of furniture.

Platform Seating

The public benches, platform seating and seating for shelters were designed as a family, the seating designs share common and modular elements.

The platform seat is a longer 4-seat version of the bench, with seat and backrest made from the same profiled Australian hardwood and using the same loop armrests. The seat is cantilevered from a supportive frame which anchors into the ground and also displays the name of the specific Metro station overhead.

A profile support bracket fixed to the frame holds seat and backrest in a floating position, this feature allows the design to be configurable as a single-sided seat or a back-to-back seat depending on its position on the Metro platform.

The platform seats are one element in a suite of public furniture, you can see the other elements here;

Public Benches

Bus Shelters

Drinking Fountains

Bins

Vert Design sand cast new aluminium badges for Deus Ex Machina's latest custom bike, The BMW x Deus R-Nine T.   Melting down spare parts from the original bike in our furnace and re-incarnating them as one-of-a-kind badges for the sides of the hand shaped tank & front engine cover.

Photo Credit: Thomas Walk

Seeing ocean plastic as a resource....

supercyclers' Sarah K & Andrew Simpson have developed a new material created from 100% recycled plastic collected from Australian beaches after it has been dumped out of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 

We are all familiar with images of these swirling masses of plastic waste, delivered via ocean currents into two major concentrations between Japan and California. There is also microplastic so tiny that it is ingested by marine life and is devastating marine ecosystems.

Plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is washing up in our tides onto our beaches – we've have chosen to see this waste as a resource, collect it and use it to create something beautiful and useful.

supercyclers follow the premise that simply making recycled products from waste, can be improved by a bit of design thinking,  the focus is on creating something so beautiful and useful that you forget that it was once a plastic mess in our oceans.

Marine Debris Bakelite is characterised by a marbled quality that references early Bakelite in look, weight and density. It is made from 100% recycled ocean plastic by using small scale industrial and hand manufacturing processes developed entirely by us.

Our first product, the Marine Debris Bento Box was launched at Tokyo Design Week in 2015. It has been successfully sold and used by customers since.

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Building on learnings from the first pilot built developed by Vert Design in 2016 along with NRMA Insurance & M&C Saatchi's innovation partner Tricky Jigsaw, the project resumes to development of a second generation of prototypes for the Fire Blanket - an early bushfire detection & monitoring network designed to sense, locate & track bushfire smoke while spreading a virtual safety blanket over at-risk communities.

Rather than line-of-sight, the system relies on mounted sensors that can measure gas levels in the air to pin point where a bushfire has started & where it is spreading to. The live information is relayed to local fire services to help them prevent the fire from spreading.

The first generation prototype housings were produced in aluminium to provide a rugged housing that protect the internal sensors and withstand the heat of the fire long enough to provide vital sensor data.

The second generation system is able to integrate live data collected by aerial drones to allow for more comprehensive mapping of terrain, fire, smoke, wind and tree coverage. The second generation housing design was updated and tested against much tougher criteria to can withstand more intense burning conditions, testing core functionality in live trials, measuring gas detection, data transmission, risk classification and fire spread modelling.

External expert collaborators on the project include: NSW RFS, CSIRO DATA61 and Scout Aerial.

Follow the path to launch here.

Following the success of previous work with Sydney-based artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso, Vert were commissioned to facilitate the realisation of Maria’s new vision; a series of enormous Native Pollen sculptures. Transformed from their naturally microscopic scale into giant carved stone objects with fascinating organic forms & surface details.

Over the course of a two year period, the pollen forms were developed, prototyped & finally produced. The art works are dotted around the newly redeveloped Darling Harbour precinct, installed at ground level for the public to touch, study & admire.

Starting with electron-microscope scans, a series of 2D images were interpreted into complex 3D objects using free-form sculpting software. A massive 7-axis robotic milling arm was used as the method of manufacture. Various materials were tested through a prototyping phase, eventually sandstone was selected for its natural aesthetic & physical properties.

Vert design collaborated with Chivas Regal Australia, to design and produce a series of hand crafted whiskey tumblers to enhance the experience of drinking Chivas 18.

The project was commissioned by The Projects and featured a run of 120 glass and coaster sets, produced by one of Australia's most renowned glass artist, Ben Edols.

The glasses feature a clear pineapple textured base, which is joined to the upper Chivas blue ring, using an ancient Venetian technique which emphasizes the importance of hand-forming and the inclusion of colour. Each glass is accompanied by a textured blue dish that functions as a lid when whiskey is served and as a coaster during the drinking experience.

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Find out more about these bespoke glasses here;

Travel & Lifestyle

Hospitality Magazine

A Poor Man's Millions

Vert designed & developed a modular, interlocking floor panel system for ground reinforcement in industrial environments such as mining & farming, the design offers an efficient & robust water permeable solution to ground stabilisation & erosion control.

The calculated technical detail that went into the design of the paneling system makes it superior to any comparable product on the market.

Focusing on key drivers important for industrial applications for ground reinforcement including; weight & palatability / stackability, unit size & ease of installation, strength & load bearing capacity - all factors that were carefully analysed and optimised during the development of the paneling system.

Manufactured here in Australia from 100% recycled & recyclable UV-stabilised high-impact polypropylene, the lightweight honey-comb structure & unique connection system allow it to be installed quickly & efficiently in custom configurations for longterm or temporary applications.

See full details on the GEOHEX Erosion Control System website.

The exhibition “Out of Hand” explores the ever increasing role of digital manufacturing in contemporary art, science, fashion, design and architecture. The Museum of Applied Arts & Science (MAAS) commissioned the creation of 3d printed objects, which will be used as part of the 2016 exhibition.

Vert Design was asked to interpret designs of French-Australian artist Lucien Henry (1850-96), pieces were taken from his major work “Australian Decorative Arts: One Hundred Studies and Designs”, which contained watercolours that revealed his vision for public art and architecture based on Australian flora and fauna. The pieces included a cup, decanter, soup terrine and ladle. Each object featuring heavily textured surfaces that take inspiration from the iconic Australian Waratah flower.

With only 2D elevations used as guidance along with some creative licence, highly detailed CAD models were reproduced in digital form which were then fabricated using a 3D printing method called Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) which defines the intricate surface detailing included in the 3D data in nylon plastic.

Steps will now be taken to interpret the designs in other mediums such as metal and glass.

Technical assistance on the project was provided by Danil Gorskikh.

In 2020 Vert redesigned the tail pad retail packaging for FCS, the project forms part of Surf Hardware International’s continuous focus on sustainable improvement across their products.

The previous packaging used a plastic hang-sell and shrinkwrap to hold the product in position, the new packaging delivers the same functional benefits, reducing the number of parts and assembly time, and importantly eliminates the need for plastic with an entirely paper-based solution.

The tail pad is sandwiched between the front and back panels of a single-piece folded card cover and secured in place with locking features cut and folded into the dieline, the hang-sell is simply reinforced with another piece of card.

You can check out the FCS website here and instagram here, and the Surf Hardware website here.

In 2016 Vert Design were engaged to design a new product system to deliver a single serve meal replacement or meal supplement in a convenient, mess-free format. The custom shaker was designed as an integrated form with removable press cap, width at the base provides stability as well as increasing volume to improve mixing.

The cap and pod were designed to fit perfectly together, the cap features three rings over-moulded in silicone which allow it to effectively seal the liquid inside without leakage, while the pod itself is formed from a paper pulp / bagasse fibre and lined with a fine PLA film making the consumable product 100% recyclable and even home compostable.

The neck of the flask features an internal piercing cone which punctures the seal lid of the pod when pressed down, the contents of the pod falls through the open structure of the cone and drops into the flask where it can mix with the liquid.

Follow the path to launch here.

A child born today without access to technology in their formative years risks missing out on social and economic opportunities later in life. 

Vert Design are working with One Education to realise the vision of company founder Rangan Srikhanta. The Infinity is a revolutionary tablet/laptop, which aims to close the digital divide by creating a simple, affordable & universal platform for any child to use.

The child-friendly design incorporates a key innovation that makes technological obsolescence a thing of the past. The Infinity reshapes the way in which we interact with technology, it is a 'system architecture' rather than a single device.

During the lifetime of the product, it will have different screens, batteries, and even core modules installed. Owners will have the freedom to switch outdated modules as effortlessly as replacing the batteries in your TV remote.

Follow One Education for the latest updates on the laptop and visit indiegogo to back the project.

Featured on:

Gizmag

Wired

Engadget

NBC News

After of years of experimentation with low-pressure injection moulding to create new products from salvaged waste plastic, Vert finally cross paths with Emma Swann; Founder & Jewellery Designer at personalised jewellery company Recreational Studio, an entrepreneur with the talent & drive to carry the idea from concept through to a tangible product & commercial success. The result was joint venture; Ocean Collection.

Vert & Emma worked together to create the meaningful & timeless mens cuff design made from marine debris, salvaged from our ocean shores. 

The low-pressure injection moulding process makes it possible to over-mould CNC cut brass with the collected plastic, which is inherently an assortment of different polymer types.

With environmental awareness & responsibility at the forefront of the project, Vert worked hard to bring to life an ultra minimal & environmentally silent packaging solution to keep the cuffs safe during shipping, check it out here.

Vert designed & produced a series of hand-made whiskey cocktail tumblers specially for the Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned Week event that runs from 12th - 20th May 2016.

The project was commissioned by The Works and featured a run of 200 glasses based on a single design but with different characteristic attributes giving each glass a sense of individually; fitting for the notion the Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned Week where each bar participating create their own twist on the classic cocktail... so no two cocktails end up the same.

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Find out more about Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned Week;

D'Marge

TimeOut

Eat Drink Play

Mumbrella

No glue, plastic or nasty stuff… the super minimal & environmentally silent packaging for Ocean Collection protects the elegant cuff inside & embodies the revolutionary ideology of the brand.

Whilst exploring solutions for the cuff packaging, paper-pulp moulding quickly stood out as a natural fit, but in order to create packaging that follows the waste-reversal philosophy of the product itself we went back & started at the very beginning.

Considering every aspect of the life-cycle, we studied production processes, designed & tested complex 3D printed tooling and engaged a local paper-mill to help develop the system and eventually batch produce the pulp-formings using salvaged junk paper.

Each pulp-forming is processed & pressed by hand then sewn shut with a recycled card backing, and the organic cotton thread is colour-matched with the cuff inside. Even the ink used is vegetable based.

Vert Design also worked on the Cuff itself, check it out here.

Ayva Packaging is a leading plastic packaging solutions provider in Australia. Vert Design were engaged to develop a new range of 30L drums to complement their existing Elite Pail range.

In a market driven by cost & efficiency, Vert explored opportunities around injection moulding the 30L drum instead of the common process for this category; blow moulding. Injection moulding allowed for more complex detailing & features on the drum, and for the design to nest more efficiently.

A unique tear away tamper-evidence band was developed in conjunction with a new threaded closure with a large integrated handle that provides a comfort & security in handling & transport.

ADVANCE™ utilised these drums for its new 12-15kg range of dog food, now available at all major pet stores.

Vert worked with Bunsters Fresh to design a champagne inspired 250ml glass bottle for a new range of chilli sauces.

The no-nonsense Perth based sauce brand successfully crowdfunded its way to market, launching the range in late 2015 with its eye-wateringly hot flagship product; shit the bed, which contains the formidable Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Chilli.

The Bunsters Fresh range proved itself hot product, selling out its entire stock by Christmas '15.

Vert worked with Ovvio Organics to create the new packaging for their magnificent range of premium organic teas, a clean gloss white tin with an offset lid frames the company tagline in a striking colour-break.

Two sizes of tin and a single size carton were developed to become the essential & recognisable 3D assets for the iconic Australian tea company.

The Vert design team took a field-trip to Canberra to spend 2.5 days with Australia's leading Bladesmiths at Tharwa Valley Forge, brushing up their knowledge on metalwork and excising some good old fashioned craftsmanship.

Over the time at the forge they made a series of custom shaped folding knives, starting out with Steel & Brass in a raw sheet state, meticulously hand crafting the spring & pin mechanism, heat treating & tempering the Steel to achieve the required properties for each part, blade sharpening and eventually timber handle making, assembly and peening.

"Most of our studio work is digitally produced and even prototypes are 3D printed or CNC'ed so hand-making is no longer a core design skill for day-to-day work, but knowing about how materials behave and their limitations is still core to what we do, as is designing for process. That's why we get our hands dirty as often as possible, it makes us better designers”. - Andrew Simpson.

Vert Design was commissioned by BrandCulture to design & produce a set of glass trophies to be presented as part of the Telstra Licensee & Partners Conference 2016. The team at Vert utilised their experience in mould making, craft glass production & strong supplier relationships to produce these unique awards within a reasonably tight project timeframe.

During production, Vert experimented with different applications for specialty Dichroic Glass; a visually fascinating glass that uses a vaporised metallic oxide within its crystalline structure, giving the awards a dynamic reflective colour.

Refining the process in the glass blowing studio, two versions of the awards were developed.

One (earmarked for further development) displayed an impressive refractive colour but required a greater level of technical skill with a cast, over-moulded segment of dichroic glass. The second version saw a cleaner final form and includes a dichroic adhesive base film to achieve the clear iridescent shimmer.

Finally the awards were laser engraved with their respective titles & presented at the conference. The end result; a stunning display of design, craft & colour.

Plan V is an emergency phone charger designed by Vert Design for startup tech company Flintu, the simple, small & lightweight device hangs off your keyring so its with you when you need it.

The folding body of the Plan V device is made from TPR Rubber which encapsulates the tech inside. It allows you to link a standard 9-volt battery to your Android or iPhone to give it a boost of power when it runs out or gets too low.

Flintu ran a Kickstarter campaign which saw a sensational response raising over $100k in funding to get the project off the ground.

In 2016 Vert Design worked together with 2D branding agency Depot Creative to comprehensively redesign Sisidyll's range of unique hydrating Blueberry extract skincare formulas.

Starting out with a re-design of the brand's most popular product; a jar for Moisture Cream & Facial Gel.  The concept went from sketch, through development & into production with very little change from it's original design intent. A soft form taking abstract visual references from the Blueberry with a coloured PP insert diffusing through the frosted acrylic jar.

The project continued with two bespoke bottles for a Cleanser (100ml) & Luminous Liquid Base (30ml) both with liquid pump dispensers & integrated over-caps, translating the organic design equity defined by the Jar into the bottles.