WHIRLPOOL

In 2000 fresh off our success at the Salone di Mobile, Whirlpool Europe contacted desginRAW about participating in a conceptual program called Project F. Project F’s aim was to explore the future of fabric care; specifically of clothes washing. It was a dream project. At a villa outside Milan, designRAW and a handful of small firms meet with Whirlpool designers and technical staff to learn about the science and technology of clothing care.

designRAW’s proposal CleanScape was comprised of two parts that resided in two locations. The first was a small hamper washer that could be used at home to clean undergarments and small items. The second was a public space (much like a laundromat) where the larger more complex cleaning could be done. This public space leveraged economies of scale to create a place where the Whirlpool brand could engage users into new behaviors while educating them on products and cleaning techniques that made their clothes last longer and look better.

It may have been a bit of stretch – but the idea of a branded environment as an education point certainly had merits ahead of its time in 2000.