my design portfolio for the year 2020

1. Sasank Gopinathan
design portfolio

2. Curriculum Vitae Experience
31.10.1988
Bangalore India
A little bit about me:
Fascinated by design in various fields. I love to learn and appreciate elements that make
design not just good, but great. I believe in aesthetics and the functionality of design, as
design can be either subjective or objective. I also love sunsets by the beach.
2010: BA Product Design, Curtin University
2010: SPD Milan DesignWorkshop
with Chris Bangle
2008: Design Intern @ FERCO Seating Systems
Furniture Industry - Public seating - Malaysia
- basic reverse engineering
- suppliers/assembly plant visits
2008: Design Intern @ Stark Communications
Advertising & Marketing Industry - India
- intermediate & Advanced Photoshop
- Group Brainstorming
Dec 2011 - May 2014
Industrial Designer, BRG Group
Steel mining & Manufacturing - India
- Design of Residential Stainless Steel kitchens
- Design of home furniture and accessories
Jun 2015 - Present
Industrial Designer, BristolTechnologies Sdn. Bhd.
Corporate Furniture - Malaysia
- Overseeing Form Design for office chairs
- Managing projects from conception to Production
- Doing component drawings for quotations &
Manufacturing
- Experience in Plywood and Polyurethane Mould Design
2019: SolidworksTraining
- Solidworks Simulation
- Solidworks Professional
Awards
. Gold - A’ design award: Dhyan Chaise Lounge
. 1st & 3rd place: SSCTuatara Interior Design Challenge
. 2nd place: Local Motors Engineering competition
. 3rd place + innovation award: Local Motors 3D printed car challenge
. 8th place: Local Motors Domino's UDV challenge
. 2 shortlisted entries: Auto(r) 2011 Design Challenge
Language Skills
English - fluent
Malayalam - fluent
Tamil - intermediate
Hindi - basic
French - basic
Software Skills
2D - Photoshop, Sketchbook Pro,Wacom, Illustrator
3D - Solidworks, Keyshot
Others - Powerpoint,Word, Adobe Soundbooth

3. Content
Product Design
04 -08 Dhyan Chaise Lounge
09 -16 Kombu and Hemicyl
Automotive Design
17-21 Bufori GT
22 DIVU
23 3DPCX
Company Projects
24-25 Liven
26 Modu
27 Stainless steel
Kitchens & Accessories
Illustrations & Sculpture
28 Karimeen Inc. Tshirts
29 Icons of Indian
Architecture
30 Simpsons Iyers
31 Graphite Sculpture
Works illustrated are copyrights of BristolTechnologies Sdn. Bhd
and BRG Group Pvt Ltd. Images are copyrights by Bristol
Technologies and BRG Group, except where otherwise stated.
No part of this portfolio may be reproduced in any form without consent

4. Dhyan Lounge Chair
2020 (Award Entry)
For most of us, the daily grind of work is a hassle. Sometimes all we want when the day ends is a place to
unwind so your worries and stress can temporarily vanish. Most of us find solace in the elements of nature,
like a garden or a pond, where the greenery or the sound of water brings peace to your mind.
Inspired by the Shiva Linga, Bodhi Tee & Japanese gardens, Dhyan (meditation) is a chaise lounge that can
provide 3 distinct environments in which you can immerse yourself: Standard mode, Water-pond mode &
Garden mode, so you can have your own personal interaction with the elements.
04
Dhyan in
Standard mode

5. Design Development
05

6. Design Info
Dhyan’s plastic+carbon fiber chair shell sits on
a base that surrounds the user, with a veneered/
laminated top and steel under-frame & legs.
Provisions are available to install tablets with USB
charge-port, and LED lamps on either side. The
base has optional storage areas at the back and
sides with space for bottles, books, a mini water-
pond, or planters.
06
Single piece top
(Pond mode)
Side planters
(Garden mode)
LED lamp with
dimmer knob
Adjustable
leg studs
Rear & side
storage

7. Small pond mode (only the back)Small pond mode (only the back)
Water-Pond Mode
In this mode, the base top is a single piece, and a pump is fitted
into the chair and the backrest holes, which act as a rear fountain.
The user will feel “surrounded” by a rippling pond while listening
to the calming sound of the waterfall fountain behind.
07

8. Garden Mode
In this mode, soil can be placed in the rear compartment, and planters
in the side compartments, to house potted plants/shrubs/small trees,
allowing one to sit among lush greenery.
08

9. Kombu and Hemicyl were conceived from
a brief given during a job application. I was
given two weeks to come up with 3 hair dryer
design proposals. Of the three proposals
these two are my personal favourites.
Kombu & Hemicyl
Hair Dryers
2019 (Assigned Task)
09

10. Observations & Inspiration
Having little prior knowledge about hair dryers, I decided to do research via gadget review channels on Youtube & other review websites that discussed & compared hair dryers.
ISSUES: In a branded video I noticed users need
both hands to hold a dryer & brush, as well as
hold sections of their hair in order to dry it. Some
holding positions upon observataion seemed
cumbersome/non-ergonomic.
USAGE: Hair dryers appear to be used & held in
varied positions and angles: from their handle,
the middle, and sometimes even close to the
hot nozzle, depending on usage/purpose and
preference.
INSPIRATION: I discovered a category of hair dryers
with integrated brushes. The solution looked great but
the forms are straight, & I still saw the need to hold
the dryer in more than 1 angle/position
I was inspired to design a solution that would allow for
multiple holding positions/angles to suit user needs.
10

11. Design Direction
Development Sketches
Upon observing Red Dot winning designs: maximum visual impact with minimal form lines, with small areas of the product emphasizing higher levels of detail/intricacy.

12. Development Sketches
12

13. Design 1 - Kombu
minimal, yet familiar
Kombu (horn) aims to solve the ergonomics of
handling hair dryers with a handle that can switch
between 2 positions:‘normal’or‘hairbrush’.
Simply press the unlock buttons and switch positions
between the handle and valve-cap to achieve
your preferred mode.
The motor is housed in the handle to improve weight
distribution. The heating element remains in the body.
The handle has a rubberized grip with indented
buttons on both sides (power & mode).
13

14. Views Showing
Acessories &
Basic Assembly
unlock
button
valve cap
(twist & lock)
handle
(twist & lock)
nozzle
accessory
14

15. Design 2: Hemicyl
Radical & yet, Practical
Hemicyl (hemisphere+cylinder) is a more lateral
approach to hair dryer aesthetics, while maintaining
familiarity in usage.
All controls and electronics are located in a
unibody form with a rubber-grip wire handle
inspired by cookware handles.
The handle can be moved by pressing
disengage buttons on the body and
auto-locking into 4 positions.
Accessories are attached/detached
using release buttons on either side of hemicyl.
power/mode buttons
15

16. Views showing
Accessories & modes
1. Locking positions:
1.‘Off’mode
2. Sharp angle mode
3. Normal mode
4. Hairbrush mode
Hemicyl can be packed for
travel in‘off’mode, or placed
on the dressing table or hung
in a wardrobe in hairbrush
mode when not in use
2.
3.
4.
handle
disengage
button
accessory
release
button
16

17. Bufori GT
2019-2020
Bufori is a car company based in Malaysia. The styling of Bufori cars is generally rooted in 1930’s aesthetics. In Bufori’s latest car, the CS,
the aesthetics are more modern, like the 90s, 00s and the 10s. A uniqe trait among all models is the radiator grille, which has a
distinctive/rather odd moustache-like shape. I decided to first explore possible variations/applications for an improved grille shape,
and later the body form. The aim was to bridge the divide between the older and newer models.
Introduction
17

18. La Joya
Geneva
CS
General deconstrution
of grille lines
Initial explorations
Grille Exploration
Body Form Iinspiration
Sides and character lines - 1960s Italian GT/berlinetta cars and race cars (Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, TVRs)
Rear - British retro GT designs from the00s (Ginetta, Marcos, Lightning)
18

19. Chosen Grille design direction - a smooth transition from the grille that terminates by intersecting into the headlights, creating an almost “serpentine”face
design direction with basic packaging
study (traced from CAD template)
Body Form Exploration
Before focusing on a GT/sportscar design, my earlier explorations involved 4-door sedans too.
I eventually decided to go with a GT car as I feel it conveys emotions in a more primal sense
19

20. The GT aims to bridge the Bufori line-up’s styling gap, by showcasing a contemporary car design with the aesthetic cues from the sexy 60s.
The Side: classic GT car proportions, with a V8 front-mid engine layout. The sides have minimal clutter, with a vent+turn signal, and a Bufori“B”.
Front: A re-interpreted Bufori grille. The grille curves from the bottom,
up and into the headlights, terminating as indicators
Rear: Minimalist and classic. The brake and turn lights are concentric
rings in the same housing. The reverse is located at the diffuser
between the sporty twin exhausts.
About The GT
20

21. 2600mm
4210mm1850mm
1594mm
1250mm
Tollbooth windows allow for a taller green house
and greater all-round visibility
Rear haunch inspired by the ferrari 250LM.
The Bufori logo is always lit when the car is
turned on, proudly showcasing the brand
About The Design
The daytime“fang”running lights at the sides of the
grille add visual aggression, while the hole between
the circular foglights vent air to the front brakes
21

22. DIVU Island EV
2018 (Competition Entry)
Competition Brief & About the DesignCompetition Brief & About the Design
‘The Island EV challenge envisions a world where
islands are no longer limited by the combustion
engine and all the pains that come with it.’
The brief of the contest was to design an ‘island vibe’
vehicle that is of low speed, easy maintenance, and
utilitarian interiors & features.
DIVU is a small, minimal, low-cost lightweight
EV, with a modular rear where a cargo/
passenger module can be installed, depending
on user needs, allowing same-platform module
sharing, and custom modules depending on
localized island environment requirements.
22

23. 3DPCX - 3D Printed Car
2014 (competition Entry)
3rd Place + Innovation Award
About the Design
The brief was to design the first drivable
3D printed car. The winning design would
be 3D printed live at IMTS 2014 and fitted
with a running electric powertrain.
The basic design idea was an
enveloping structure with a
central spine. The final design
uses a mix of curves with
angular holes and cuts that
blend with each other. I also
wanted the 3D printed layers to be
an integral part of the aesthetics.
23

24. LIVEN
Executive Chair
2017 (Company Work)
About The Project
The brief was to design & produce a
flagship executive chair, that evokes
traditional astute looks of an executive
chair while maintaining the functionality
and versatility of a task chair
My prime role was in the styling and
aesthetics of the chair, as well as CAM
design + design revisions for certain
components. (plastic and ADC)
24

25. Here are some design features
present in the LIVEN chair:
- height adjustable headrest
- height+lumbar adjustable
backrest
- seat with adjustable
height+depth
- tilt mechanism with
4 position recline lock
- 2 options of die-cast arms
- options for swivel and
cantilever bases
- hi-gloss black or upholstered
back panel finishing options
About the LIVEN Chair
The Liven Chair has been designed
to be a subtle executive chair with
a familiar form, yet have several
adjustability features of a task chair.
The chair comes in over 20 versions,
with diverse trim levels to cater to
wide-ranging client requests.
25

26. MODU
Modular
Seating
2018 (Company Work)
Design Brief
Brief: to design a modular sofa system that
allows comfortable interaction and create
a quirky informal aesthetic so as to
help break the ice between co-workers.
My role was to create the aesthetics and styling
with guidance from the design director, as
well as designing & producing drawings of
components (MDF, polyurethane back/seat,
plastic and metal)
About Modu
Inspired by volcanoes, MODU has a soft
cushioned seat and a flexible backrest with
lumbar support, allowing users to lean back
and yet receive uncompromising comfort.
MODU comes in 7 variants & custom
finish options.
26

27. mini wall-mounted kitchen
modular kitchenwall-mounted kitchen mini modular kitchen micro kitchen
multi-purpose shelfcabinet structure
Design Ideas
During my time as a designer at BRG India, I worked on
several designs using stainless steel as the core material
Stainless Steel Kitchens
& Accessories
2012-2014 (Company Work)
Proof-of-concept fabrications:
- CKD stainless steel kitchens
- CKD mini-modular kitchens,
- Wall mounted stainless steel
kitchens
- Accessories like shelves
- Cookware
Other conceps I worked on:
- Micro-kitchens
- Mini wall-mounted kitchens
- food carts for vendors
- hospital furniture
27

28. When I toured tourist spots at Fort Kochi
(Kerala) in 2016, I was upset by the lack of
design and generic nature of the souvenirs
representing Kerala.
I decided to give a try in business by producing
& selling T-shirts based on design icons I made,
that represent elements of Kerala with a more
personal touch.
Currently there are 20 T-shirt designs to choose
from, and each comes with a hang-tag that
explains the significance of the icon in
relation to Kerala.
Karimeen Inc.
T-Shirts
2016-Present
28

29. The Story
What started as a competition entry
for an India-themed contest became a
fun research into the different styles
of architecture found in India.
The first volume of 52 icons was done
in 2017. The second volume (featured
here) was done in 2019 and contains
39 icons, all in a minimalist style
Currently there are 100 icons that
represent architecture of all kinds:
vernacular, traditional, classical, modern,
ancient, and colonial, which covers all
regions of India.
Both volume 1 and volume 2 are on
sale online, and I aim to create a book
showing all 100 icons of india.
Icons of Indian Architecture
2017-2019
29

30. 30
The Story
The idea of turning the Simpsons family
into a Tamil Brahmin Iyer family was given
to me by my mum, who wanted to paint a
saree with them on it. After that I decided
to upload the drawings online for fun.
The cartoons soon became viral and my
work got featured on several Indian
newspapers and online publications.
Simpsons Iyers
2014 (just for fun)

31. 31
Inspired by instagram and facebook artists,
I decided to try carving sculptures out of
graphite, mostly of cars, during my free time.
Graphite Sculptures
2016-Present (Hobby)

32. Website
behance.net/sasankg
coroflot.com/sasankg
https://karimeeninc.wixsite.com/karimeen-inc
karimeeninc
Contact
sasank.kinetia@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/sasankg
+919562271182
+601126772773