The idea spanned from his research on how different cultures view their laundry chores. He founded the Italians among other nations keep the washing machines in the bathroom while the British keep theirs in the kitchen. That gave Blackwell the idea of designing a washing machine for the bedroom that could also serve as a working wardrobe with dirty items in and clean items out. Other benefit includes saving space from washing basket.
When Blackwell was observing the washing process he questioned why items become creased when being washed. He realised that through the compression caused by the weight of the fabric on fabric creases were caused and the centrifugal force also exaggerated this compression force as well, during the high speed spin.
His idea of making the machine a “working wardrobe” leads onto the suggestive aesthetic of upright draws. Blackwell concluded that if items are washed upright then they are no longer subjected to the compression that causes creasing. He also decided instead of having one large washing unit he would make many smaller independent washing compartments for various purpose.
“I managed to pinpoint the drum as the fault of creases due to the compression it causes through the weight of the clothes and the rotation causing centrifugal compression,” said Blackwell in an interview. “To remove the drum was to remove crease.”
The machine has already generated a lot of buzz and has won favourable review from his acquaintances especially from one friend’s father who offered “if you had come up with the machine a few years earlier I wouldn’t have got married.”
Blackwell says he is keen to develop the project on his own and that the machine is close to having a manufacturing specification. He expects the final product to another 11 months of final refinement and development.
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