AIR UP
STUDY CASE
   
Shengjie Guo

Company project
2026 

Cooperate partner
Air up GmbH

Industrial Design
Concept Design
Visual Design

MADE WITH

 _ Adobe Firefly
_ Vizcom
_ Chatgpt
_ Midjourney
_ Figma
_ Procreate

DESIGN STACK

 _ Industrial Design Thinking
_ Scenario-Based Product Strategy
_ Modular Architecture Design
_ CMF Development
_ Design for Manufacturability
_ Rapid Prototyping Strategy
_ System-Level Thinking
_ User Pain-Point Mapping
























© 2025 Shengjie Guo & Air up GmbH All rights reserved.  
Based in Berlin – Available for collaboration worldwide.

PRODUCT DEFINITION

 This case study explores how air up could expand its portfolio for Gen Z users through a modular system approach.
Instead of redesigning a single bottle, the project reframes air up as a scenario-based hydration system — focusing on usability clarity, personalization, and reduced cognitive load.

The concept addresses real user pain points identified through customer-perspective research and proposes a modular architecture that enables flexible daily configurations.


DESIGN FOCUS

_ Scenario-driven product architecture
_ Modular functional separation
_ CMF as strategic differentiation tool
_ Manufacturability-conscious concept design
_ Fast development methodology











FORM & PROPORTION STRATEGY

 The system restructures the bottle into independent modules:

_ Core Aroma Module
_ Interface & Attachment Module
_ Bottle Body Modules

Each module communicates function clearly and allows configuration flexibility without changing the overall structural logic.
The form language prioritizes:

_ Clear state communication
_ Reduced visual noise
_ Configurable ergonomics
_ Stability in daily scenarios








CMF STRATEGY

CMF is used as a communication layer rather than decoration.
Three scenario-based CMF directions were defined:

Commuting

Soft-coated metal body · Matte pastel tones · Rubber base ring

Work / Study

Translucent matte metal · Soft neutral colors · Reduced surface contrast

Gym

Textured grip surfaces · Reinforced plastics · Minimal branding

CMF supports:

_ State perception
_ Emotional ownership
_ Context adaptation
_ Brand relevance for Gen Z







PROJECT CONTEXT

Air up is a D2C-first hydration brand built around retronasal scent technology.

The company faces a strategic challenge:
Regaining relevance in a competitive landscape and winning the hearts of Gen Z users.

This concept demonstrates how modular architecture, functional clarity and fast iteration can respond to that challenge.

Must be finished in 2 days.





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