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GANTRAIL

An immersive exercise experience for dogs and owners

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Gantrail is a collaborative exercise experience designed for dogs on-leash of all sizes and owners in Gantry Park, Queens.

The interventions 
incentivize dog owners to exercise with their pets by encouraging a daily agility training routine. The proposed interventions are designed to withstand the strong winds in this area, especially during the winter months.

TYPE 
Industrial Design / Branding

TEAM
Nihaarika, Jose, Kaylan, Jaemin

TIMELINE
5 weeks

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PAIN POINTS
The vast open area of Gantry Park was subject to strong winds more so due to its proximity to the East River. Despite harsh weather conditions, we frequently observed dog owners taking their pets for walks. Furthermore, we observed that dog owners were not engaged in the same level of physical activity as their pets.

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RESEARCH
It is recommended for both dogs and owners to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity  to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We chose to focus on agility training as a form of exercise that both owners and dogs can perform collaboratively.

 

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CONCEPT SKETCHES
We began group ideations for different concepts on how to engage both dogs and owners in a collaborative outdoor exercise. Since Gantry Park requires dogs to be on-leash we ensured that our designs accounted for that in the exercise experience. Additionally, we also learned that certain soft music intrigues dogs and encourages them to play.

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WAY FINDING SYSTEM
The design language and color palette was inspired by existing elements in the park. The pop of orange was inspired by the history of the Pepsi:Cola sign in this park which made for a way finding system that is easy to follow.

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INTERVENTION LOCATIONS
The four interventions that were strategically placed on the stretch of the park to ensure that the starting point of the trail would not matter
 (North or South). Dogs and owners would be able to perform the obstacles and perhaps repeat them if they'd like.

STORY BOARDS
Since this was an intervention concept it was integral for our research to understand how different users would interact with the interventions in the space. After various site visits we were able to map out the users journey through the trail.

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DUAL CLIMBER 
A ramp and stair design that allows dogs and owners to run and climb up and down side by side.

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WAVE HILLS
A sculptural and multi-functional obstacle for both dogs and humans to interact with.

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OPEN TUNNEL
A partially open design that allows dogs and owners to have a safe tunnel experience on-leash.

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CHIME FOREST
The intervention produces a sweet symphony since the construction of the pillars feature an in-built music box that are activated by the wind. This obstacle allows the user to perform the exercise of weaving and running and is located at the halfway point of the trail.

Get in Touch

I'm actively seeking fresh opportunities to align with likeminded innovators who share a common goal of creating products that empower users. If you're in search of a detail oriented designer transforming ideas into impactful, user-centric solutions, let's connect and explore the possibility of working together.

Nihaarika Arora

New York, NY 10018

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© 2024 Nihaarika Arora | Made with love and caffeine

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