Inspired by contour lines on topographic maps, I set out to design an umbrella stand for a home/office environment. 

Some points I took into consideration during the ideation process were:

 

1. What kind of things would this stand hold? 

Just umbrellas; big and small? or walking canes too? what about leashes and stuff like that? 

2. Where this would live in a home/office? 

Probably by the door/entry/exit. 

3. How was this to be produced? Material selection was important for this project because it would come into contact with rain water as well as dirt. So it had to be easy to clean, and not corrode when in contact with water.  

Initial round of sketches explored forms and mechanisms. Some parameters were given and research on existing items on the market. For this umbrella stand we knew we wanted