Merve Kalan
About
Merve is a product designer skilled in user research, user experience design, and industrial design. She has a keen interest in circular economy and regenerative, constantly exploring ways to create products that are easy to repair and sustainable.
This year in RCA, she focused on the repairability of products and the emotional attachment between users and their products. She challenged the conventional “buy and use” mindset by encouraging user engagement and fostering a deeper connection with products through open-source communities.
BlenDO, a household kitchen blender, demonstrates that self-built items are inherently more repairable and empowers users with the knowledge and tools to construct their appliances using standardised, readily available components. Accessible to anyone with a 3D printer, the project offers multiple levels of involvement, from simple assembly tasks to advanced projects like crafting a ceramic pitcher.
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