MUSGUARD HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT

MUSGUARD
Jurij Lozić
HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT
May 2013
MUSGUARD
In 2003 I enrolled in the the Academy of fine arts of Ljubljana. In the first semester the Industrial design class included a project called Meta-object. For the project, I used polypropylene
(PP) sheets for the first time.
It was a hand made lampshade. I continued using it throughout my studys for many different
projects. I also wrote an essay about it for the Plastics class and got thoroughly fermiliar with
it.
Ever since, I tought of the material as extremely usable for all kinds of products and whenever
the oportunity and idea came about, i used it.
This resulted in “Soushi”, a notebook i designed, made of PP sheets, beeing exhibited at BIO
23, biennial of industrial design in Ljubljana in 2008.
I discovered fixed gear cycling and messenger culture somewhere between 2003 and 2004. I
was fascinated by it, the slick looking bikes, the “carpe diem” lifestyle. It would be years until
i gathered enough courage to make my first fixed gear bicycle, but i kept following the culture
and its growing popularity. In 2008 my friend Tilen Sepič bought himself a Bianchi Pista. I tried
it out and loved it instantly. The same year Tilen set up Muslauf, a blog for a couple of friends
who shared his passion for fixed gears.
IDEA
MUSGUARD
November 2008
FIRST PROTOTYPE - SKETCHES
MUSGUARD
25. November 2008
FIRST PROTOTYPE - MODELS
In 2008 I attended a 6 month exchange to Politecnico di Milano. While living in Milan, I made my first fixed gear
bicycle and identified a need for a light, simple, removable bicycle mudguard. PP again came to mind.
I attended a workshop at the Politecnico called “AUTOPRODUZIONE - materia o idea” with professor Anna Gili. At
the workshop I developed the very first prototype of a PP fender. The first piece was laser cut at ONEOFF prototyping studio in Milano. The project was called “Manta fender” due to the fenders resemblanse to a manta ray.
MUSGUARD
27. November 2008
FIRST PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
The first prototype worked to some extent but showed
a need for further development, so i slowly started to
perfect it.
FIRST PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
FIRST PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
10. June 2009
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT - BRAINSTORMING
MUSGUARD
2. December 2010
After my return to Ljubljana i was slowly developing the PP fender. It was a sporadic process,
between work and studies.
The idea of rollability and use of a “hook and
loop” strap for mounting was discoverd after
much debate and brainstorming with Tilen
Sepič. The idea was tested with hand-made
models.
All the models were shown to friends at the
Muslauf cycling community for feedback.
MOUNTING SYSTEM IDEA
MUSGUARD
25. December 2010
MOUNTING SYSTEM CONCEPT
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MOUNTING SYSTEM CONCEPT
MUSGUARD
9. March 2011
20. April 2011
DEVELOPMENT
MUSGUARD
6. May 2011
DEVELOPMENT
MUSGUARD
4. June 2011
After months of perfecting with hand made models, a new prototype was made with mr.
Borut Grahek at G-plast d.o.o., a local polypropylene manufacturer.
DEVELOPMENT
MUSGUARD
13. July 2011
SECOND PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
9. August 2011
DEVELOPMENT
MUSGUARD
9. September 2011
Based on previous prototypes and more testing, the
design evolved to a stage where a small run of fenders was produced and given to friends at Muslauf for
testing.
THIRD PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
THIRD PROTOTYPE
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10. December 2011
DEVELOMPMENT
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6. June2012
DEVELOMPMENT
FOURTH PROTOTYPE
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7. June 2012
Over a long period of testing and feedback more adjustments were
made to further enhance the performance of the product.
MUSGUARD
23. July 2012
FOURTH PROTOTYPE
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5. July 2012
FOURTH PROTOTYPE
MUSGUARD
10. August 2012
FIRST TOOL
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17. September 2012
GRADUATION AT ACADEMY OF FINE ART AND DESIGN OF LJUBLJANA
GRADUATION AT ACADEMY OF FINE ART AND DESIGN OF LJUBLJANA
MUSGUARD
The project, by now called Musguard ( a
combination of words “Muslauf” and “mudguard”) was also my graduation work at the
academy.
The first batch was made and presented to
public at local cycling events.
MUSGUARD
22. September 2012
PRESENTATION AT “CYCLE ME HOME” EVENT AT KINO ŠIŠKA, LJUBLJANA , SLOVENIA
MUSGUARD
9. & 10. March 2013
The Musguard was part of
the Berliner Fahrrad Schau
urban bicycle fair in Berlin
and got a very good response by the public.
PRESENTATION AT BERLIER FAHRRAD SCHAU IN BERLIN, GERMANY