The Lytling product grouping is based on early childhood behavior structures and basic instincts to relieve stress in an unfamiliar environment. The feeling of relaxation and home is created with simple triggers and they work equally well for adults. By incorporating the subconscious, the objects appear very subtle and profound. Everyone reacts differently to different things. In order to cover the broadest possible spectrum, four objects were created:
The neck pillow: low-frequency bass send light impulses to the back muscles. Due to the natural weight of the neck pillow, the user feels grounded and secure, as if someone is putting their arm around their shoulders. You can choose between four different impulses: an abstract heartbeat, purring cats, the rattling of train tracks or a wave.
The bite guard: The most common cause of teeth grinding is stress. Sucking relieves stress. It is frowned upon to practice this in adolescence; however, apart from possible teeth misalignment, there is no reason for this. It's time for sucking to become socially acceptable again! A pacifier is integrated into a conventional bite guard. A fine brass wire lines the inner shape of the pacifier and appears on the lips as a piece of jewelry. As a result, the suction impulse is passed on to the lips as a contraction, but what happens inside the mouth remains the user's secret.
The face shield: Everybody knows the urge to shut their eyes or hide under sheets when everything becomes too much. The face shield provides such a private, shielded retreat. The external brass reflects and creates an aura of strength. The inside is lined with soft leather, noise is muffled out, and the eyes can roam – the literal shield affords calmness.
The scent altar: A ritualized process that replaces a personal piece of textile with the scent of a trusted person or a past experience. The scent is embedded deep into the fibers with steam and gives off a subtle but long-lasting smell. The cloth is still slightly warm and moist on removal from the glass cylinder, as if it had just been in contact with skin.
The product group Lytling was created within the “Space Culture” seminar by Katharina Wahl.
Designer Sophia Stoewer has been studying product design since 2012 at the University of Design Karlsruhe, minoring in communication design. She puts people and their needs at the center of her projects and has participated in many exhibitions.
Tutor: Katharina Wahl