Sri Ellen Hollema
Product Design
Excited by design with a purpose, my goal is to make impactful and meaningful designs for people and planet alike.
Final year project
Mat Zero
Mat Zero concept render.
Mat Zero is a heated mat powered by solar energy to provide an alternative, safe and sustainable heating method for refugees. Mat Zero has the potential to save humanitarian and non-governmental organisations, such as the United Nations, millions each year whilst increasing the quality of life within a refugee camp.
Mat Zero control unit render.
Mat Zero is a two-part project containing the control unit and the mat. The control unit is the main interaction point and powers the mat to produce warmth for refugees.
Mat Zero complete system render.
Mat Zero uses solar panels to charge an internal battery to power the mat by night.
Isla display render.
Isla is a home printer that creates 3D textured images for the visually impaired. The aim is to bring family and friends closer together through sharing images in the home environment.
Isla in-action printing render.
The creation of Isla was part of a one-week design challenge for Panasonic.
Aeropress project: "Bean".
A mechanical and electronic team project creating an automatic Aeropress coffee machine from concept to fully functioning prototype.
Building "Bean" progress picture.
This project was incredibly challenging to manufacture and build due to the complexity of the parts involved. The embedded software code meant that minimal human intervention was required to operate the machine.
Sri Ellen Hollema
Final year project
Mat Zero
Awards
Central Research Laboratory Finalist for the Accelerator Program to develop, manufacture and commercialise my final year project, Mat Zero, with various mentors and industry experts.
Work Experience
I completed a year of the Erasmus study exchange in Milan, Italy. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Milan, being immersed in the Italian culture and learning in the design capital of the world and through Politecnico Di Milano. The largest challenge when moving to a new country is often the language. Therefore, I enrolled in an additional language course to improve my Italian. I expanded my horizons by studying Interior Design and Branding modules which gave me new perspectives on design approaches.
During my time in Milan, I completed a three-month summer internship in a concept design studio called Castiglione Morelli Design. Working in a professional design studio, I was exposed to many different aspects of the commercial consultancy world and learned how to design for a key manufacturing client portfolio. A highlight of my time at the studio would include organising, developing and pitching a potential product concept to an established client with the intention to manufacture.