01 | Overview

Hydrate in Style

Trea Cups, the tea set that transforms into a decorative palm tree.
An ode to Stanford’s signature palms, Trea Cups was designed as a practice of form, function, and fun!

Built solo as my project for ME103 (Product Realization: Design and Making), Trea Cups was my first dive into working w/ industrial machines by marrying CAD, sand casting, woodwork, and metalwork into a one design.

Role

Product Designer

Timeline

10 weeks

Processes

CAD, Casting, Lathing, Woodworking, Finishing

Skills

Design Sketching, CAD, Rapid Prototyping, 3D Printing, Manufacturing

02| Problem

A clunky
hydration corner!

If you stared at my site’s intro long enough, you may have guessed: I am a big fan of hydration.

In my shoebox of a dorm, I dedicated a corner of my limited space to fit cups and saucers. My set-up at the time was nothing short of disastrous.


So, why not make a funky tea set that is
functional + decorative + compact?

A travesty, colorized (2022)

03| Presenting:

The Solution

04| Our Process

Overview

Prototype

  • Foam core + ceramic pots mockups

  • Mini test cups for stacking

  • Magnet strength tests

Research

  • Loose ideation around stationary tea

  • Looked at a tree in the Oval, had the aha

  • Final concept: palm-tree silhouette

CAD + Fabricate

  • 3 cup iterations in Fusion 360

  • 2 leaf shapes

  • Sand casting, lathe work, sheet metal forming

Finalize

  • Troubleshoot

  • Polish