Sidekick, Fall 2019
The Water Bottle That Stays by Your Side
Sidekick is a climbing-specific water bottle that reflects the brand identity of Arc’teryx; a design company that sells outdoor clothing and climbing gear. The bottle is designed to attach to a climbing harness via its built-in gear loop and rest comfortably on the user’s hip, thanks to its contoured silhouette. Sidekick features an aluminum double-walled construction to insulate both hot and cool liquids; two acrylic panels allow the user to monitor their ingestion; a rubberized coating for added grip; and a button-operated spout for spill-free use.
Ideation
I started by creating a mood board that presented trends in Arc’Teryx’s brand identity and targeted my audience of climbers and alpinists. I utilized this collage to rapidly generate water bottle concepts that aligned with the design trends I had uncovered; contrasting textures, geometric color-blocking, and minimalist forms. Once I settled on a design, I proceeded to 3D modeling, rendering, and making mockups with Photoshop.
Production
I utilized Fusion 360 for the modeling and rendering of my final product concept. My preferred method of modeling for this project was utilizing t-splines to generate sweeping volumes, and extrusions to block out the more geometric components. Boolean operations made quick work of further refining the more primitive components and joining the object bodies. From this point, I softened the surface transitions with chamfers and lofts. Finally, I shelled the interior of the bottle and assigned the object properties prior to rendering.
