Above: Magazine design by Kirsty Moegerlein

Fragile Source: Project by Kirsty Moegerlein

Water is a fragile source. It is essential to all manner of life, yet it is vulnerable to many things; contamination, over development, and climate change, just to name a few. In these challenging times, we in the west need a reminder of the precious nature of water, before what we took for granted before, no longer flows freely from a tap.

My project proposal, titled 'Fragile Source' is a direct response to the need to remind consumers of the fragility of such a common element. I have designed a water bottle containing recycled water to be sold in store and a magazine that discusses relevant water issues. The water bottle is made from glass. This ensures it lasts longer than that of a plastic bottle, and contributes less to wastage, as it can be easily made from recycled glass, and recycled again after use. The bottle's shape becomes a metaphor for the world and the water within it. As the consumer drinks the water, the water level drops, and a metaphor for the planet in the future without water emerges. The countries of the world are stuck on the water bottle using adhesive vinyl. They have been cut out using a laser cutter.

The tag and graphics on the water bottle relate directly to fragile stickers seen on items of delivery. The graphics have been designed to be bold and immediately recognisable. Behind the label there is a listed website. The consumer can visit the website and sign up to receive their first edition of the magazine, titled 'Fragile Planet'.

The magazine has seven editions. One for each of the seven continents. Each edition focuses on different water related issues in that area of the world. They highlight programs that are underway and feature recent scientific data on the water crisis. The first edition takes a look at Australia’s water issues. It draws attention to issues such as drought, the over developed region of the Murray-Darling and the impacts climate change is predicted to have on Australian terrain by 2040. It features a theoretical project undertaken in primary schools in which a water project has taken place. The project is included in the children's curriculum, where they are asked to map Australia's geography in relation to water issues.

Through this process the children learn both about geography and climate change. Each class has an assigned water monitor. They are in charge of monitoring the classes' water consumption. Each school is equipped with several large water rain tanks. The children fill up their water bottles and drink from the tanks. Australia is the driest continent on the planet and rainwater tanks have long been an iconic part of the country landscape. In today's modern day climate, they need to become an iconic part of city landscape as well. The magazine promotes the education of water to a young audience as one of the key areas that needs to be developed in order to tackle the challenges that the future holds.

.

About Message in a bottle

Third year Communication Design Students at Monash University were encouraged to participate in the Aspen Design Challenge 'Designing Water's Future' by responding to the environmental issue of buying drinking water in plastic bottles. The Message in a Bottle required students to develop a campaign to discourage the use of bottled water through the sale of bottled water. The ironical message would imply that this is the last bottle of water you will buy.

Students were asked to design and brand water bottles for desalinated water and for reclaimed water (recycled sewage) so as to highlight the urgency of the issue. The water bottle was also designed to promote the sale of the ultimate resource book on water. This "Aquapedia" would be the definitive book on water and could be purchased on line.

Project leader

Russell Kennedy, Senior Lecturer, Visual Communication,
Monash University, Faculty of Art & Design

Links

Water Project website
INDEX: | AIGA Aspen Design Challenge website