TOP FIN AQUARIUM KITS
ABOUT
Something lurks underneath the surface of the murky deep… and it’s your pet!
PetSmart wanted to add to its Top Fin brand of small fish tanks ranging from 0.5 - 2 gal to be targeted towards kids. I had the opportunity to do multiple rounds of sketching that would then be used in a product pitch with user groups for concept feedback. The sketches were a big hit, leading to six design patents and finally four products that hit store shelves.
Check out one of the tanks here.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Industrial Design + Sketching
CREDITS
Head of Product Development (PetSmart) - Jeff Watson
Playful.Expressive.
Though the prompt was to make a tank specifically for children, I decided to create designs that were more timeless, simple, and fun to look at.
Part of my first round of sketching. I initially wanted the tanks to be simple and functional so as to let the fish be on display first and the function to be noticed second.
I took inspiration from the way that betta fish are on display in stores within smaller containers for easier transport and to prevent them from hurting each other. As I explored some of these stackable concepts I wanted to create a form out of the stackable units themselves. I drew upon slight inspirations from architecture to have surfaces spiraling upward. I stuck with the four sided cross section in order to keep the tanks as stable as possible.
Upon a second round of concepts I further explored ideas involving turning the tank into a projector for lights and even turning the tank itself into a character.