INDUSTRIAL DESIGN by GIHAWOO
Moss Humidifier 2
This product was designed in collaboration with Oasis, a Canadian startup specializing in environmentally conscious home appliances. The project began when they reached out to me after discovering a previous concept I had created—a hybrid humidifier that combined natural moss and artificial misting. Although that earlier project was purely experimental and never intended for commercial use, it became the foundation for this new, production-ready design.
Through my initial work, I had studied moss as a plant without roots—something that doesn’t need soil to grow and can thrive purely on ambient moisture. This characteristic became a critical insight for designing a product that uses artificial humidification not just to affect the environment, but also to support a living ecosystem inside the product itself.
The concept is simple but powerful: an electric humidifier hydrates the moss housed within, allowing it to flourish. In return, the moss naturally purifies the surrounding air, complementing the mist generated by the device. It serves a dual purpose—raising humidity levels while also improving air quality through a living, passive system. A vent at the base allows for airflow between the inside and outside of the product, ensuring healthy circulation for both the user and the moss.
The interaction was designed to feel intuitive and natural. Pouring water into the display area fills the reservoir, and turning the top cylinder activates the humidifier—no complex interface, just simple, tactile engagement.
But beyond the function, this design posed a deeper aesthetic challenge: how do you visually reconcile the artificial with the organic? Moss and plastic do not naturally belong together. To bridge this gap, I introduced a Voronoi pattern to the surface design. This naturally irregular, organic geometry evokes the language of nature while forming a visual bridge between the mechanical body and the living moss. It softens the contrast, allowing the moss to feel like an integrated part of the object—not an accessory, but a resident. In the end, my goal was to create something that didn’t just look new, but felt quietly right. A product that introduces a new typology, but does so in a way that feels familiar, calming, and intuitive.