Shi Guang

A Pen Shop of Scents

Site
Siping street
Shanghai Municipality
China
Date
January 2017
Team project
with Xiaodan YING and Jiaojiao ZHAO.
Majoring parts
Concept, Form, Model

Shi Guang, which means picking up the light, and it is also the homophonic of the time, representing picking up old memories. This unique behavior “picking up the light” reflects the unique presentation of this design of the timehonored pen shop HERO PEN.


As a brand shop of pen, the sense of sight is the original focus in designing, which is mostly reflected by the importance of the writing. However, considering the purpose of writing, we find out that it is a conveyance of memories and emotions.


Although the sense of smell is often overlooked, it is closely related to memories. Thalassa Cruso once said: “Scents bring memories, and many memories bring nostalgic pleasure.”

Conception

The brand positioning of HERO PEN is not clear currently. As the quality of its cheap products has slipped, and the design of its high-end products is not stylish, consumers can hardly be attracted. With the low-end market shrinking and the high-end market being eroded by foreign brands, HERO PEN is undermining.

As time goes by, we plan to launch pens and ink with various scents, which provides specific memories when writing. The theme is the Memory of Weather this time. We launch 5 different set of pens and ink, corresponding to sunshine, moonlight, rainy, snowy and cloudy.


We also look forward to finding the re-mixing of inks by customers to get their own unparalleled scent memory.

Memory of Weather from the Shi King

Sunshine

东方之日兮,彼姝者子,在我室兮。

在我室兮,履我即兮。

《齐风·东方之日》

When the sun is in the east,

That lovely girl I see.

In my chamber she appears ;

There fronting me is she.

She treads upon my footsteps,

And quickly comes to me.

But all my longings are in vain.

‘Tis hard the grief to bear.

《THE ODES OF TSE: The Twngfang Clie Jih》

  • Grapefruit
  • Gooseberry
  • Jasmine
  • Lily of the Valley
  • Ambergris
  • Vanilla
  • Scented Bean

Moonlight

月出皎兮,佼人僚兮。

舒窈纠兮,劳心悄兮。

《陈风·月出》

The moon comes forth, brignt in the sky;

A lovelier sight to draw my eye

Is she, that lady fair.

She round my heart has fixed love’s chain,

But all my longings are in vain.

‘Tis hard the grief to bear.

《THE ODES OF CHIN: The Yueh Chiih》

  • Mint
  • Lilac
  • Lemon Leaf
  • Green Tea
  • Peach Blossom
  • Red Peony
  • Osmanthus
  • Musk
  • Amber

Rainy

风雨如晦,鸡鸣不已。

既见君子,云胡不喜。

《郑风:风雨》

All’s dark amid the wind and rain,

Ceaseless the cock’s clear voice !

But I have seen my lord again;—

Should not mv heart rejoice ?

《THE ODES OF CHING: The Fung Yu》

  • Lychee
  • Freesia
  • Mulan
  • Ginger
  • Amber
  • Tangerine
  • Jasmine
  • Musk

Snowy

北风其凉,雨雪其雱。

惠而好我,携手同行。

《邶风·北风》

As when the north winds keenly blow,

And all around fast falls the snow,

The source of pain and suffering great,

So now it is in Wei’s poor State.

Let us join hands and haste away,

My friends and lovers all.

《THE ODES OF PEI: The Pih Fling》

  • Green Apple
  • Lemon
  • Cumin
  • Lily
  • Jasmine
  • Musk
  • Vanilla

Clowdy

英英白云,露彼菅茅。

天步艰难,之子不犹。

《都人士之什·白华》

Both rush and grass from the bright clouds

The genial dew partake.

Kind and impartial, nature’s laws

No odious difference make.

But providence appears unkind;

Events are often hard.

This man, to principle untrue,

Denies me his regard.

《THE DECADE OF TOO JEST SZE: The Pih Java》

  • Narcissus
  • Lily of the Valley
  • Agarwood
  • Iris
  • Rose
  • Musk
  • Gooseberry

Design Process

Site Analysis

The site is a slice of the Siping Road No.1230 Building. Its east side is a wall and west side is facing the Siping Road. Not far from the Tongji University and the Design Institute, the shop can easily attract students as the first batch to experience and spread the new notion of writing. Because the site is a beam structure, it is a column net in it. We hope to use the curve to connect the entire site.

Scent Experience

We hope to limit different scents in the space due to the incessant movement of the odor molecular. We choose bubbles as limitations. We place 5 scenes in the hall and let people write and experience different scents inside. Them also break the neat column net. By means of transforming 3 cylinders into transparent the visual feeling in cylinders and the hall could be distinct.

Functional Areas

We set the experience zone of pens in the entrance space with 2 hanging curve tables; separately we set the dent space as an interactive art zone with a round table. As the main means of transaction will be sweep payment, we put the service desk deep at the south side. We use curves to make the interior smooth integrally and warp the up and down sides to enrich the form of bubbles.

Transition Zone

Near the bubble cylinders there are high and low small cylinders with discs, inside of which place pens and ink. The combination of cylinders and circles form an atmosphere of forest and field. There is also a mirror to be both involved with expressing the ambient of fluidity and leading the flow.

Details

Experience zone of pens

It is a device with slings and floating tables. The slings have transparent interfaces to display six classic pens with introduction. The tables offer more pens and places for writing.

Light strips, pavement and ribbon

The round shape pavement and light strips produce an echoing harmony with the cylinder. Together with the ribbon they add fluidity.

Art zone

It is a zone of time-varying scents and device. The paper moves along the round table, where guests can write down anything they like.

We redefine the HERO PEN as something with a sense of ceremony instead of barely writing tools. The point of penetration of this transformation is story and memories. The HERO PEN was a part of many people’s life in old days, going through so many stories, big or small, with them. We hope to transmit the idea that writing is a rite and HERO PEN is a brand of good design and sympathy. HERO PEN will add luster to your life and create new stories together with you.