Hani

Origin

For as long as I can remember, I have appreciated the "Art Nouveau" aesthetic. There's a call to nature, tradition, and especially color that fascinates me! Today's world is too gray and square, and stained glass and arabesques take us away from that dreary outlook. It was only much later that I discovered its aristocratic and colonial origins at the Horta Museum. Today, partly due to production costs, it's more of a luxury product. However, there are alternatives that make this aesthetic more accessible to the masses. It's important to understand the origins, but we must separate them from the intentions of contemporary artists.

An Art Nouveau facade head in Charleroi

Nearly 10 years ago, I gradually discovered engineering through my studies and through a certain Martin Molin and the monster he created:

Enjoy the hypnotic mechanism of the Marble Machine

It would be too simple to draw a direct connection between this video and Hani, though very tempting. What actually happened is less exciting. Growing up, we always had a clock in the living room. An analog one, which is becoming rare nowadays. I have one in my home too.

One day, when I was forced to lie down at home doing nothing, I let myself do nothing. Really nothing. No videos, not even humming or thinking. Nothing. Was this meditating? I eventually became hypnotized by the clock's hands and saw a hummingbird in them. Unlike the image below, I imagine the hands in stained glass and the body in wood or another material.

A bird and flower art nouveau clock that's beautiful, yet hard to read

One thing became certain: I would have this object, and I would create it myself if necessary! And since I want to look at it often, it might as well provide other information, like the weather or reminders. It will need to be built with techniques I don't yet know and incorporate the world of embedded computing, all running on simple AA batteries.

Challenges

Strengths

Process

Artistic Side

  1. Attend a stained glass workshop
  2. Adapt the technique to the fablab machines
  3. Discover and document what works well in terms of creation, but also for potential sales

Technical Side

  1. Validate the core hypothesis (everything runs on batteries)
  2. Learn to code in embedded systems (here, using Rust)
  3. Gather the necessary materials
  4. Create a functional prototype powered by a mains supply/generator
  5. Discover battery optimization techniques

Commercial Side

  1. Define the "smart" aspect precisely. Once the hands are installed, they shouldn't be changed. How will it connect, and to what?
  2. Investigate whether there's a market or if I'm just making Hani for myself
  3. If there is a market, define it and understand its priorities (premium appeal? price? features?)
  4. If indicators are positive, find distribution channels.

Adventure

There you have it! I don't even know yet if I'll create a single unique piece for myself or turn it into a business, but you have to start to see progress. I've already taken the first steps.

Now it's just a matter of moving forward.

Last updated on August 29, 2024

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