Industrial Design

Aesthetics of Care

Nathanael Boell
Aesthetics of Care

Building a Vacuum Cleaner That Might Last the Next 40 Years

Many vacuum cleaners consist of more than a hundred little parts, and the average appliance ends up in a landfill after around five years. By drastically simplifying the construction, reducing the number of parts and paying careful attention to each of them, a vacuum cleaner could become an object that people can not only maintain and repair, but also want to take care of.

A care station invites us to store the vacuum cleaner in the living area rather than hidden away in a closet, while the broom and dustpan raise the question: Do you really need the vacuum for every cleaning task?

One screw holds the main body together, making the dismantle process for repairs effortless.
One screw holds the main body together, making the dismantle process for repairs effortless.
Only one type of screw is used throughout the whole construction
Only one type of screw is used throughout the whole construction
Designed to be between books rather than be hidden away in a closet.
Designed to be between books rather than be hidden away in a closet.
Care instructions that are usually hidden in a manual are permanently and prominently engraved into the puter shell, reminding the user every time they inter-act with the vacuum.
Care instructions that are usually hidden in a manual are permanently and prominently engraved into the puter shell, reminding the user every time they inter-act with the vacuum.
The cylindrical motor sets the base shape for the vacuum.
The cylindrical motor sets the base shape for the vacuum.
A wooden construction gives the vacuum a place in the living room.
A wooden construction gives the vacuum a place in the living room.