Iron Street Furniture Design · 2018
Sofia drinking fountain Drinking Fountain
- A' Design Award 2018 Iron Winner in Street Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2018
- CLIENT: Identity
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,110
- Verification code 6A0E30542F · Verify this award
About Sofia drinking fountain Drinking Fountain
Sofia is a drinking fountain designed for public spaces. Its minimalist circular form creates a central spatial accent. Water flows from the upper part, intended for people, through a trough to a lower bowl, intended for animals. The continuous flow keeps the water in the animal bowl fresh, while excess water drains through a grid into the municipal infrastructure. A button releases a set amount of drinking water. The fountain is accessible to wheelchair users and includes a tactile braille drinking water sign. The body is cast in bronze.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Sofija - drinking fountain offers a design with central spatial accent through a powerful but minimalist line form. Minimalist design in a unique way allows all users an equally easy access to the drinking water in the public space. Characteristic is the water decant through the trough from the upper part, intended for people, to the lower part, intended for animals. This way water is always refreshed in the animal bowl with excess water being spilled over to the bottom of the fountain and from there into the infrastructure.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Sofija - drinking fountain dimensions 1170 x 400 x 1000 mm.
- Tags
- drinking fountain, drinking water, wheelchair users, sight impaired, animal bowl
- Production Technology
- First 3D wood models of individual cast mold for casting various parts are created following the computer model, with the CNC milling machine. Second, a classic casting of bronze is performed in already prepared molds. Casted parts are bristled and vibrated with special plastic sockets to obtain a smooth surface.
Fountain Elements:
- a round shaped base that connects the fountain with the municipal infrastructure
- casted body with the animal bowl that has water flow system to maintain water quality
- drinking water sign with tactile-touch on braille - Design Challenge
- Biggest designers challenge is the realization of the practical design. In the time where profit is the key ingredient, it's difficult to design for general social needs or to incorporate design into a practical and useful application with a human note. While creating this design I wanted to create a contemporary, urban, ergonomic product of high aesthetic value. The possibility of realization depends not only on the design but also on the decision makers and the series of legal assumptions - choosing the location, various permissions, necessary infrastructure, quality contractor...
- Project Duration
- Project started in July 2016 in Karlovac (Croatia) and was exhibited in Ars Publicae in September 2016 in Zagreb (Croatia).
- Operation Flow
- By pressing the button a certain amount of drinking water is released. The water continues its visible path through the fountains to the animal bowl. Its multifunctionality is manifested in the facilitated access for the wheelchair users, people with a visual impairment (drinking water sign with tactile-touch braille), pets and feral animals through a dedicated bowl at the bottom. Bowl has a grid-shaped form to drain excessive amounts of water. Foundation panel can be used as a place for city emblem, city name or text indicating it's drinking water.
- Research
- After I came up with the idea of dealing with the solution for a drinking fountain I studied the current solutions in the world. The research has shown that there are a large number of different and already realized forms, but there is no solution similar to the proposed one. Many solutions, in my opinion, do not have essential ergonomic values, multifunctionality, stylistic features, appropriate material..
The goal has been to design a multifunctional fountain that will attract passersby and consumers with its design, which will fit into different public spaces and last in time and space. - Inspiration
- Public space where I live has only one drinking fountain that is out of function. Urban environments deserve public access to free drinking water as a standard of the modern civilization. Cupped hands and circle were primary inspiration for the shaping of the Sofia drinking fountain. Circle, as the ideal form gave the design a recognizable and unique form where larger (cupped hands) form in the base transcends into a smaller form on the top following circle radius.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Design: Dragomir Šuka / Illustrator: Predrag Šuka, 2017.
Image #2: Design: Dragomir Šuka / Illustrator: Predrag Šuka, 2017.
Image #3: Design: Dragomir Šuka / Illustrator: Predrag Šuka, 2017.
Image #4: Design: Dragomir Šuka / Illustrator: Predrag Šuka, 2017.
Image #5: Design: Dragomir Šuka / Illustrator: Predrag Šuka, 2017.
Colors of Sofia drinking fountain Drinking Fountain
Design Interview about Sofia drinking fountain Drinking Fountain
Public space of Karlovac (Croatia), the city on 4 rivers, where I live has only one drinking fountain and it’s out of function. Urban environments deserve public access to free water as a standard of the modern civilization.
For the shaping of the drinking fountain, I used natural shape of the hands that form when drinking water (cupped hands). In the further study of the shape, I used the circle as the ideal form which gave the design a recognizable and unique form. Larger cupped hands form in the base transcends into a smaller form on the top, following the radius of the circle, forming a body of the drinking fountain.
For the shaping of the drinking fountain, I used natural shape of the hands that form when drinking water (cupped hands). In the further study of the shape, I used the circle as the ideal form which gave the design a recognizable and unique form. Larger cupped hands form in the base transcends into a smaller form on the top, following the radius of the circle, forming a body of the drinking fountain.
I would have to say multifunctionality, easy adaptation to the public space, and minimalistic design
Production would definitely be an end goal for this design as I truly believe that it deserves a place in the world
About one month
Most of mine designs that are made contests are a pursuit of my inspiration.
It is not produced or used by another company but I'm open for all options.
Moment of inspiration that coincided with a small competition in Croatia, Zagreb. Where it was awarded second place.
Its simplicity, multifunctionality and easy adaptation to the public space.
It is a name of my mother in law which is a woman worth remembering.
Pen, paper, CorelDraw x7 and AutoCad
I'm repeating my self but I think its simplicity, multifunctionality and easy adaptation to the public space.
I collaborated with my two sons. One is an expert for 3D design and other is a freshman with a knack for marketing.
Technology in this design is at its bare minimum. Which again sets it apart for its easy adaptation to most public spaces.
Some simple research was conducted in terms of internet, books and magazine browsing. But it's pure original concept.
Challenge was how to create a minimalistic design that would be equally available for people, people with disabilities and animals. Main problem here is that I wanted to create a simple forme and from that one form create this multifunctionality that would be easily adapted into any public space
The decision was made because Croatia, a country where I live, is still a developing country and there isn't all that much room for such innovations and designs. So I decided to give it a shot with the international design competition in order to get some kind of recognition.
Most improvements came from the preparation of this design for this competition. Most of them are reflected in the details.
I would just like to say that it has been a pleasure and that I will for sure come back with new ideas for the next competition.