Sinead Summerfield

Creative and candid, Sinead is able to embrace the designer head-space and constantly problem-find. With an imaginative mind, she is able to bring to life empathetic human-centered solutions that focus on finding a balance between form and function.

Meet Sinead

Watch the video to learn more about Kensho.

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519-803-6230

sineadsummerfield15@gmail.com Visit Sinead's Website Share This Page

The Four Essential Pillars for Design Excellence

The four essential pillars encompass human-centric design approach and the understanding of full-bodied, three dimensional physical interaction of user, product and environment. The projects generate innovative solutions using research-driven, evidence-based designs which focus on the user experience.

father and son putting the Kensho in a river

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Enhancement of Human Lifestyle

Kensho’s Memorial Flower is small, and lightweight, thus easy for someone to carry to anywhere in the world and set free.

The flower is water-soluble and deposits seeds when combined with the earth; creating a place in which the primary user can return and visit their loved one. This creates a newly imagined graveyard, instead of dark stone tombstones stacked as aisleway dependent on the extraction of raw material, in its place is a welcoming field of flowers. An eco-friendly, alternative that also allows the primary and secondary user to become re-connected within the creation process.

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Human-Interaction & User-Centric Design

Kensho embodies human-interaction design in each stage of the creation process.

Detailed ergonomic analysis was performed to create a solution that was both comfortable, and emotionally gratifying to each user. The creation process balances the ergonomic needs of both the user, and the employee; addressing all touchpoints, considering the duration of the activity, and potential physical strain Kensho accomplishes the ability to provide both physical and emotional comfort.

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Ergonomics & Human Factors Design

Kensho creates a comfortable and welcoming environment by ensuring all bodies are able to access and experience the full creation process.

The importance of both ergonomics and emotional well-being is reflected within the indoor environment, taking special consideration to allow the user to naturally guide themselves through the environment without fear of being lost. Kensho allows the user to focus within the moment without outward distractions or disturbances.

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Sustainability & Social Responsibility

Kensho focuses on maintaining a natural environment, closed-loop cycle, and the creation of an indoor environment that is self-sustaining.

The environment can be utilized as a local and sustainable source to maintain a self-sustaining material and manufacturing cycle. The memorial flower is designed and developed to reduce negative environmental impact by focusing on reduced manufacturing, and highly efficient water-soluble materials that provide a positive outcome to the environment in the form of increasing the growth of non-invasive plant life, while reducing the negative impact of burial.

Project Statement

An average of 55 million people die annually, presently, this number is substantially increasing due to COVID-19. End of life is often dealt with in one of two ways in Western Society: burial or cremation; both of which retain severe environmental implications. Burial and cremation methods have been traced back to 1400BC and AD 200, as technology advances, and the population exponentially increases these methods become glaringly archaic. The implications of burial include: habitable land lost to cemeteries, excess of raw materials used for caskets, and toxic fluids (such as formaldehyde) leak from the human remains to find underground waterways. This presents an increased danger of ingestion to communities and wildlife located within a close proximity to cemeteries. Keeping in mind cemeteries, are currently growing in size encompassing a larger landmass than ever before, as the need for grave plots grow. Beyond the urgent environmental, and social responsibility that’s in need of being confronted, there is a secondary challenge of creating a place of remembrance and mourning for those left to grieve the loss. Is it possible to create an end-of-life experience that is both environmentally sustainable, and emotionally gratifying?

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Thesis Visual Presentation

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Thesis Summary Motion Presentation

Kensho is a safe, respectful, and eco-friendly alternative for end-of-life.

3D Design Development & Modeling

CAD Modeling Video

Kensho is a labour of love, with over 100 hours of CAD development. The system is built using Solidworks, and rendered in Keyshot.

Physical Model Video

The physical model is a combination of wood, and 3D printed parts. Faux greenery, sand, and trees are added to help reflect the natural environment Kensho encompasses.