In a growingly hectic world, many of us are yearning for grounding experiences – so it comes with no surprise how Mindfulness has grown as a movement and practive. With simple terms: Mindfulness is the idealogy of being mindful, to fully attend to what’s happening, what you are doing, to the space you are in. And the act of designing something can be mindful as well. You do it by turning your attention to the minute details and sensations of what is happening in the present by activating the senses and feelings of the user. Creating a mindful experience often plays on “the familiar”, on those core feelings and memories we all have, yet when it comes to tactile design that focuses on the sense of touch, material choices have a special part to play.
Mindful design turns your attention to the minute details and sensations of what is happening. The feeling of the material of the product in your hand, the sound it makes, and its smell.
Mindful design turns your attention to the minute details and sensations of what is happening. The feeling of the material of the product in your hand, the sound it makes, and its smell. These all contribute to creating a pleasant experience by activating multiple senses, which then creates a personal experience enhancing the user’s connection to the brand or product. Albeit, in mindful design, the idea goes beyond creating something simply memorable, as it aspires to be empathetic and sensitive to the user and their surroundings.
There are no clear guidelines as to what exactly mindful design looks like, but one thing is certain, it aims to enhance the experience by evoking the senses in a natural and pleasing manner. The idealogy can be put into practice in all aspects of design, from packaging to publishing and digital design and beyond. Below we’ve highlighted a few exciting examples of modern mindful design concepts that utilize tactility and materials in an inspiring way.
Naked Senses Packaging by Maksim Arbuzov
Russian graphic designer Maksim Arbuzov has an impressive resume, and a talent for clean, contemporary branding. Currently working for Landor in Moscow as a Design Director, Arbuzov’s journey from a Siberian city of Tomsk to studying at Central Saint Martins in London and working for top agencys in Montenegro and Russia, as well as being awarded by the Cannes Lions, Red Dot Awards, Penta Awards, the Golden Drum and The Dieline has garnered him much-praised experience and understanding of the modern world of design… Read more
Playful Tear-Away Double Layer Wine Labels by Studio Riebenbauer
Studio Riebenbauer is a design and branding studio founded in Vienna, now operational also in Berlin and San Francisco. Working with both global and local brands, they’ve been awarded over 100 national and international awards for their genre-breaking and massively successful work. With a unique viewpoint and endless passion for the craft, they question the status quo… Read more
Celebrate international Vitamin C day with Nina King’s juicy new artbook: Citrus Condensed
Nina King is a Vienna-based, designer, illustrator & artist specializing in food, plants, and nature itself. As a trained landscape architect she always felt the need to be in contact with the natural world and everything it has to offer – especially all the edible bits and pieces. Her love for cooking, nature and an illuminating travel experience in Sicily where she could follow her passion for citrus fruit for the whole summer made her change her career path towards Book Design, and we couldn’t be happier! Nina then graduated from New Design University in Austria and has been working as a freelance designer under Kingsview, her own studio which stands for creative works involving & evolving from paper & plants… Read more
Grower Eco-Cosmetics Packaging by Yan Zaretsky Provides an Engaging Unboxing Experience
Grower Cosmetics is a small Russian brand of eco-cosmetics, whose products are based on hemp oil and local natural ingredients. The freshly founded brand believes in the power of natural ingredients, and this is reflected in its visual identity and packaging created by talented designer Yan Zaretsky… Read more
Experimental Artist’s Book Focusing on the Cultural Myth of Feminine Beauty
BEAUTY is a personal interpretation of Naomi Wolf’s novel “The Beauty Myth” and its chapter called Religion, by Romanian graphic designer Sixtine M. It’s an artist’s book, or a book-like object, which focuses on the cultural myth of feminine beauty. The main purpose is to educate the reader, to redefine their view of the relationship between beauty and female identity, not only by the linguistic content but also by the use of different visual elements and materials. The interplay of text, images, and different materials allows for many exciting interactions, creating new meanings and visuals… Read more
