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Graduates
Chris Pena
BS in Product Design — Product DesignCourse:
Product Design 4
Faculty:
Damien Vizcarra
Term:
2024 Spring
Braun Spin
A Centrifugal Cooking System for Microgravity Environments.
How might we bring a timeless brand such as Braun to the modern day? Focusing on the principles of design Dieter Rams emphasized, I tackle form, function, and innovation as he would to bring a product to a near future market, space.
A centrifugal cooking device designed to reintroduce familiar cooking behaviors in space. By using rotation to simulate gravity, the system allows users to mix, fold, and cook ingredients in a controlled environment. Built as a forward-looking exploration of Braun’s design ethos, it emphasizes clarity, simplicity, and human-centered interaction in unfamiliar conditions.
Designed as an experience, not just a device. Familiar. Intuitive. Human.
Process:
Research into microgravity environments, astronaut workflows, and space-based food systems informed the initial direction. The project explored how traditional cooking behaviors break down in zero-g and how centrifugal force could reintroduce control and predictability.
The process moved through iterative sketching, form exploration, and system concept development, alongside brand studies of Braun’s historical design language. CAD and visual experimentation were used to test how rotation, containment, and interaction could be integrated into a cohesive system.
The process emphasized translating familiar terrestrial behaviors into unfamiliar environments, balancing speculation with physical plausibility, and maintaining clarity in both form and interaction.
Learning Outcomes:
Developed an understanding of designing for microgravity and the constraints of space environments, particularly around containment, motion, and user interaction.
Strengthened ability to translate abstract concepts into tangible systems, bridging speculative design with functional reasoning.
Gained experience working within an established brand language, applying Braun’s principles of simplicity and clarity to a future-facing context.
Reinforced the role of design in shaping human experience in extreme environments, focusing on familiarity, control, and emotional connection in unfamiliar conditions.
Project Website: