Smoothie socials
ELLA MCDOWELL

I wanted to design and make a full-scale food stand that could be easily assembled by two people and also be flat packed into an SUV for easy transportation. I also wanted to develop a logo and brand style that would appeal to a target audience of young people interested in healthy eating and environmentally-friendly produce. 

 

I came up with ‘Smoothie Socials’ as the brand name as the alliteration is playful and makes the brand easy to remember. I felt this name would resonate with a younger target market who are active on social media platforms.

I researched food preferences within the target audience group and developed a menu of delicious, healthy and Instagram-worthy food that could be eaten by people with specific dietary requirements.

 

I used sketches, CAD and cardboard models to develop my project from concept to build. I tested several joinery techniques using cardboard to create adapted half-lap joints that would allow the pieces to be slid in and out easily. This process also showed that I needed additional support for the benchtops.

 

I initially planned to use plywood however I realised that I needed to use structural plywood as the non-structural plywood bowed and splintered. I also used marine plywood for the benchtops as it is water resistant. I glued and nailed extra support to the walls under the bench to make the design as structurally sound as possible.

 

To create the logo, I drew some rough sketches until I found a design I liked. I outlined this design using a sharpie and scanned it through to the computer where I was able to finesse the image and add the words ‘Smoothie Socials’. I printed this image onto a darker timber that matched the colours of the benchtops.

 

In building the food stand I gained experience and skills using a range of tools including the jigsaw, a table saw and the circular saw.

 

I’m extremely proud of my final product and I’m looking forward to testing it out in a real marketplace.