Cobblers of Chinatown
IBMix — Digital Kiosk
06
DIGITAL KIOSK
2018
ADVERTISING, UX/UI, ILLUSTRATION, VIDEOGRAPHY
How can we show the public that Singapore is really a vibrant city of Design? For this project, we're tasked to craft a design story based on a location allocated to us — Chinatown and design a digital kiosk.
THE DESIGN STORY — COBBLERS OF CHINATOWN
Cobblers have always been at Chinatown providing essential and affordable shoe repairing services. They work quietly amid fast-footed crowds outside Peoples Park Complex. This community of cobblers gathering turned the space into what is known as Cobblers Square. Unfortunately, traditional trades such as this are slowly dying with increase of fast fashion and shoes becoming dispensable items. There used to be over 20 cobblers but however only 7 remain there today.
We identified that culture and traditions are being compromised by the buy and throw away mindset hence, through the digital kiosk we want encourage people to go to a cobbler before deeming a pair of shoes useless and throwing it away.
Problem
Buy and throw away mindset due to consumerism.
Singapore loses a cobbler forever every time one passes away.
Street cobbler licenses are no longer distributed.
Insight
People placed a certain sentimental value towards their possessions.
Target audience
Age group 24-23 years old, also know as Generation Y in Singapore. The buy and throwaway mindset is prevalent in today's culture.
How can we show the public that Singapore is really a vibrant city of Design? For this project, we're tasked to craft a design story based on a location allocated to us — Chinatown and design a digital kiosk.
THE DESIGN STORY — COBBLERS OF CHINATOWN
Cobblers have always been at Chinatown providing essential and affordable shoe repairing services. They work quietly amid fast-footed crowds outside Peoples Park Complex. This community of cobblers gathering turned the space into what is known as Cobblers Square. Unfortunately, traditional trades such as this are slowly dying with increase of fast fashion and shoes becoming dispensable items. There used to be over 20 cobblers but however only 7 remain there today.
We identified that culture and traditions are being compromised by the buy and throw away mindset hence, through the digital kiosk we want encourage people to go to a cobbler before deeming a pair of shoes useless and throwing it away.
Problem
Buy and throw away mindset due to consumerism.
Singapore loses a cobbler forever every time one passes away.
Street cobbler licenses are no longer distributed.
Insight
People placed a certain sentimental value towards their possessions.
Target audience
Age group 24-23 years old, also know as Generation Y in Singapore. The buy and throwaway mindset is prevalent in today's culture.
Digital Kiosk Idea
Our big idea is sentimental value in shoes keeping traditions and crafts alive. The objectives of the kiosk are to raise awareness of the cobblers and advocate repairing instead of throwing shoes away. We propose a sole analyser that can give an analysis of how worn the soles are based on factors such as condition of sole, smoothness etc. Based on their own sole, users will be categorised into different categories for eg. someone who has many holes on his/her soles is a Rain Collector. The analysis of the sole will also provide users an estimated expiry date of the sole /eg. 6 months till your sole smoothen out completely/. The kiosk would then show a price comparison between going to the cobblers and buying the exact same pair of shoes. The location of the cobblers will be indicated as well. Lastly, users can choose to have the results sent to their phone via email.
Our big idea is sentimental value in shoes keeping traditions and crafts alive. The objectives of the kiosk are to raise awareness of the cobblers and advocate repairing instead of throwing shoes away. We propose a sole analyser that can give an analysis of how worn the soles are based on factors such as condition of sole, smoothness etc. Based on their own sole, users will be categorised into different categories for eg. someone who has many holes on his/her soles is a Rain Collector. The analysis of the sole will also provide users an estimated expiry date of the sole /eg. 6 months till your sole smoothen out completely/. The kiosk would then show a price comparison between going to the cobblers and buying the exact same pair of shoes. The location of the cobblers will be indicated as well. Lastly, users can choose to have the results sent to their phone via email.
Digital interface example
Six types of results — Opera Singer, Ink Stamper, Great Wall, Tap Dancer, Smooth Criminal, Rain Collector
Following the launch of the digital kiosk, a video would be released to further promote and emphasise on the idea that shoes hold a certain sentimental value.