Above: Test tube and book design by Tiffany Chou

Aquapedia: Project by Tiffany Chou

Although consuming recycled water is acceptable and has already been done in a few countries, the idea is still very unsettling for many Australians. The water in the test tubes is about 'experimentation'. How did we put ourselves in such a situation that we needed to risk our health consuming recycled water? Is the reader going to drink recycled sewage or desalinated water? By putting recycled water in test tubes, it is not only working as an ornament but also as a reminder that drinking recycled water is really happening. Many people will have not yet thought carefully about the issue of recycled water before seeing the test tube and so hopefully, Aquapedia will make people look into the root of the problems and learn to appreciate the natural resources available to us.

The style of Aquapedia

Aquapedia is a source book of water that is arranged in alphabetical order. For example, the first two issues contain information about water titled from A to C and D to F. By having a strict order in arranging Aquapedia, the style of Aquapedia aligns itself with the clinical feeling of the water tube idea.

A test tube is designed to fit at the back of Aquapedia. When viewers open Aquapedia, a tube of water will seem as if it is on a test tube rack. This helps lend more credibility to the idea of having a clinical, or more scientific method of viewing water.

Test tube water label

The label folds around the test tube which sits nicely in the book spine. Because of the shape the label design, when viewers takes out the test tube, the label opens up and gives more information about the water. This is an effective way of giving more specific information about the water.

The whole concept deals with the issue about being cynical with consuming recycled water. However, the labels on the test tubes are purposely designed to seem like it is effortlessly persuading people the water contents are clean and safe. By saying it is a 'pure state of recycled water', it includes a hint of cynicism.

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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