Kai Alexander Patricio

The following products surround different areas of beverage consumption and ritualistic practice. Each attempt to bring a clear, compelling narrative embodied within the products while still providing novel, enjoyable, and approachable experiences.

faceMug: An interactive drinking vessel that produces a whole body warming experience.Intentionally similar to the general construction of a mug, the only major departure from a standard model being the concave lower region intended to be the contact point for the residual heat. This region is thicker than the other walls to enhance thermal comfort.The thicker ceramic offers needed structural support but most importantly it offers a more manageable temperature spectrum. The area heats and dissipates at a slower rate. This allows for a longer period for the mug to be in the enjoyable, warming range.

"Lighter" Bottle Opener: An execution of minimal elegance, maximum utility, the easy-to-use non-refillable lighter has become the standard of its genre, with the most successful distributor (Bic) citing over 30 billion sold worldwide. Another commonplace usage, outside of its intended purpose, is using the lighter as a bottle opener.This project recognizes that often design may not result in predictable outcomes—that sometimes, designers’ random creations redefine and stretch form and function in interesting and surprising ways.