xpand
Xpand is a child’s trainer designed to increase in size, growing with the child through several foot sizes. The shoe’s design will increase up to three-foot sizes using a simple sprung pin mechanism to adjust the size. This pin is hidden as part of the mid-soles aesthetic. When pulled it allows for the heel section to be moved backwards or forwards to change the shoe to the appropriate size for the child. The shoe was designed for children with an average age of between 4-8 years old.
The shoes main purpose is to combat the cost to parents having to buy multiple pairs of shoes every year for their children when their feet grow quickly. This simple solution will help to lower the ever-rising costs of raising children in the 21st century.
Xpand was my final year major university project where I was exploring developments in children’s footwear. Expanding on the knowledge I had gained from my time at Adidas as an intern. To design and develop this project I employed a variety of tools and design process to achieve the final end goal. These included 3D CAD rendering programs including Solidworks and Keyshot, as well as traditional sketching and rendering, and model making.
To make the final prototype I employed the use of 3D printing as it was a quick and easy way of producing custom parts I required for the final assembly. Although this was useful for the prototype, it would be unsustainable for the mass production of my final design.
Across these next two pages is a collection of sketches, photographs and screen-shots showing the development of my design.
