Case Study: #Hash Umbrella Stand: Engineered for Simplicity at the Door
- Kyle Sekenski
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
A minimalist sculpture. A modular system. A quiet revolution in the rain.
THE BACKGROUND
Case Study: #Hash Umbrella Stand
ZENLET are a Taipei-based designing and engineering team whose work revolves around minimalist and simplistic designs. Their passion is bringing the aesthetics of simple design top everyday interior objects to create a more harmonious-looking space.
Umbrellas need a convenient storage space near entryways, but umbrella racks and holders typically are big and obstructive, as well as unsightly and a place for moisture to puddle up.
ZENLET sought to create a solution to this with the #Hash Umbrella Stand, which they designed to be sleek, minimalist and modular. By sticking to simple geometry and solid construction, they designed an umbrella rack that would look timeless in any setting and work to perfection, without any need for fussy maintenance or replacement parts.
Our Approach
ZENLET wanted to create an umbrella holder that would replace the traditional umbrella rack, while working just as effectively.
The resulting #Hash is a completely modular and stackable umbrella storage system, complete with integrated water drainage channels that allow water to drip out and dry, eliminating the need for water collection trays.
The #Hash was designed around these design elements:
Geometry: The #Hash was designed around providing space for all types of umbrellas, with a grid shape that allows for wider, shorter folding umbrellas to fit easily into the large squares in the grid, while long umbrellas fit into the small cells in the grid at their points. Cane umbrellas can easily fit into the larger channels if they're made deeper by stacking. With all umbrella types held perfectly upright, water can easily evaporate or drain off.
Observational design: The #Hash was designed based off of many simple observations about inefficiencies and flaws with how people's umbrellas are typically stored:
The stand was designed in a way that umbrellas are held perfectly upright, allowing regular umbrellas to fall open and air out more easily.
Discreet drainage ports are built into the small channels of the rack, which allow water to drain out and evaporate, rather than sit stagnant in a tray or reservoir. The base is also easily removed for cleaning.
The stand is designed to be completely modular, with each piece stackable in any configuration to fit any type of building entryway or mudroom- similar to children's building bricks. This also allows for total creativity and flexibility for whomever is designing or decorating the space.
Each individual stand is lightweight and can easily be picked up and rearranged, allowing for adaptability depending on the weather- so that one stand can easily be stored away (like in regions where rain is uncommon), or so that multiple stands can be laid out to accommodate more umbrellas on rainy days.
Complex molding/tooling process for precision alignment: The #Hash was created using a more expensive, complex and costly molding and tooling process where the injection molding is done using a six-sided mold, which creates no unintentional draft angles and seams in the surfaces of the metal where the part releases from the mold. Because of this, the flat surfaces of the stand are perfectly flat and uniform for precise alignment and stacking. All remaining rough lines from the molding process are finished off completely by hand.
Aluminum Crafting: Aluminum was the metal chosen for the construction of the #Hash, specifically ACD12 aluminum alloy. It was chosen for its lightweight yet sturdy durability and natural resistance to oxidation.
Elegantly packaged and presented: When a customer orders a #Hash umbrella stand, it comes packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with an internal frame to support the stand's weight.
TOTAL BACKERS:
97 backers
AMOUNT RAISED:
US$ 13,124 / US$ 3,000 goal
PERCENT OF GOAL:
437%
THE RESULTS
The Kickstarter campaign video was a smooth and well-crafted one, with a voiceover showing the product being used normally in building entryways in various configurations, with a voiceover. There were notably questions from the backers on shipping costs, due to the weight of the product. There were also a lot of general questions about configurations, available colors, and other miscellanea. Overall, backers seemed interested!
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