This design concept starts with the idea of making a product that would increase awareness of solar energy and how it’s overlooked.  Something that could be designed for an event or open space that allows for human interaction with the device. This led to an ideation phase of possible products.

Before developing further the chosen design certain aspects were taken in consideration: Advertising space, shade, interaction with product, seating / comfort, weight, and cost. With this in mind the sketches were developed further, exploring one concept and making variations of it in order to see different ways to approach the same idea. Three main ideas that I developed were the concept of a space, a bench and a place where you could charge your electronic devices. After analyzing these images the best ones of more interesting ones were chosen and developed as sketchmoderls to have an idea of scale and how they would look.

With these ideas in mind The Leaf came into process. It would be a bench with a roof that would provide shade. A place to sit or meet, with power outlets that allow you to charge you small electronics, or just sit down and relax.  The solar panel in the roof would be attached to a battery and an inverter in the inside of the bench which would connect to the power outlets. There is a way to get to the battery and inverter and that is through a small compartment in the back of the seat. That can also be used as storage space for cables and the crank that will be used to raise the telescoping pole that holds the roof with the panel. 

This concept is meant to be stationary, would fit spaces where people can sit and relax and have time to charge their electronic devices. Its still a work in progress and just phase one of what it could be.