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17-25 October 2026

Azalea

A resourceful approach to enrich distance communication.

Hosted by Sjoerd Hendriks & Simon Mare

This project is now archived and was part of DDW20

In response to the consequences of social distancing caused by the pandemic, we looked for new ways of creating a sense of “togetherness” with another person whilst in social isolation. The findings of this search manifested itself in a product called Azalea.
Azalea is a smartphone-based design that consist of a bespoke app and a tactile cushion which envelops the phone. A pair of Azaleas can be used to remotely connect two people through an enriched phone call. Azalea differentiates itself from a conventional
Sliding in the phone to initiate the experience.
Sliding in the phone to initiate the experience.
Light from the flashlight projecting outwards.
Light from the flashlight projecting outwards.
Azalea's different interaction possibilities.
Azalea's different interaction possibilities.

Hosted by

Sjoerd Hendriks & Simon Mare
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About Sjoerd Hendriks & Simon Mare

We are two master students from the Interaction Design department at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. In this graduation project we merged our backgrounds in Industrial Design and IT to collaborate towards the shared goal of designing technologies that reveal something new about our own body. Our design work is inspired by Soma Design, a design approach which pays careful attention to the body, movement, aesthetics, feeling and emotion.

Colofon

Designer Sjoerd Hendriks
Designer Simon Mare
Supervisor Mafalda Gamboa
Design Researcher Mehmet Aydın Baytaş

Partners

Sponsored by Azalea
Sponsored by Azalea