Alexander Molyneaux
ENVIRO // HEXA
How might we create a way for individuals to connect with the outdoors and their community?
HEXA is a community-based environmental interaction and education system focused on "saving the bees" and contributing to citizen science. Based on the proven "Little Free Library" concept, HEXA is a free community "vending machine" that allows users to connect with nature and their community. The ENVIRO // HEXA concept uses a donation-based model – allowing users to take what they want/need – from an elderly couple wanting to plant flowers to help save the bees, to a father and son duo looking for something to do in their local park one afternoon, HEXA helps to facilitate these actions. Special mind was paid to the types of products found within the HEXA pods as this specific version focused on "saving the bees", with both seed packets and a bee identification book created to go inside the pods.
Insight
The change I sought to make through my design took cues from concepts like Patagonia's Worn Wear program and the increased interest in spending time outdoors that exists at present. I hoped to move away from the cyclical nature of gear and focus more on breaking down the barriers for access, in addition to focusing more on the experience provided than gear itself. Across this academic year my project evolved to focus more on the user and their community versus my own personal interest in outdoor gear. My final product, HEXA, takes cues from the “Little Free Library” concept and focuses on three key themes: the environment, connection, and community. Change is good, and this year I was forced to think critically about my own design process and put into practice the skills I have learned.
Idea
The three core concepts on which HEXA is based on are the outdoors, connection, and community. Beyond this are a set of values on which HEXA’s design is focused -engagement, environmentalism, and education. The 3E’s help to facilitate the understanding and inclusion of my core concepts. The value of HEXA lies within its ability to bring people together within their community – be it by spending more time outside or contributing to local citizen science efforts. When it comes to HEXA, community is everything.
Impact
The impact of HEXA is two-fold, both at the user-level and to those scientists using the data collected through citizen science initiatives. Users are afforded the opportunity to connect with both the outdoors and their community when using the products found within HEXA – take the BEEing identified book for example, which will allow users to learn more about the species present in their area. Speaking to HEXA’s role in citizen science, the crowdsourced data collected from the HEXA app will allow scientists to better understand our world, especially in a time when field work is very precarious due to the ongoing pandemic.
Biography
Alexander is a designer and maker with a passion for solving problems. His innate curiosity about how things work came at a young age - usually meaning he would take things apart as a child… whether they ended up being put back together is another story. Alexander’s skills include woodworking, fabrication, prototyping, 3D modelling, and textiles, however he can solve pretty much any problem thrown his way. As a graduate of Industrial Design program at OCAD U, Alexander is nimble, informed, and ready to tackle complex design problems.