Netina is More than a Pair of Shoes
Netina is the result of a need to help and be offered the opportunity for human interaction through the design of three pairs of shoes that assists on the go.
Industrial Designer Netha Goldberg’s goal is to trigger a thought that will motivate, educate, and lead to action. It is not the only objective and role that she ascribes to herself, but it is certainly an important one. A role that has led her to create the ‘Netina’ project.
Netina is the act of transferring something to another person without consideration, explains Netha. An action that allows one to do a positive deed for someone else through a physical transaction or transfer. It is an action we all want to do but do not always have the ability.
And through this project, this is what Netha wishes to do, to be offered the opportunity for direct human correspondence through the design of three pairs of shoes, part of the “Infinite” series, that allows one to give and to assist while on the go. One pair of shoes contains matches, the other tampons in different sizes, and the third provides electrical energy to charge various electronic devices.
“The project examines the field of cooperatives in an unconventional way and provides answers to the sincere desire to give and receive as part of a creative cooperative, mutual, and open society. Bearing in mind that the objects we would like to give are upon us, the act of giving requires physical interaction with each other. An interaction that I think, that we as a society do not experience enough and may even avoid. This point was the main motivation of my work on this project,” explains Netha.
On the back of each shoe is a barcode that symbolizes the additional social potential that exists in this project. A social app that new members can add by scanning the barcode. The social network can lead to initial encounters that will lead to further interactions and result in a large international giving community.
While all this is highly likely before-Covid, it does seem rather preposterous in the times of the outbreak when human contact is feared and avoided.
“I asked myself a lot of questions about the design and the purpose of design, trying to figure out what my graduation project in the year 2020 has to say. Eventually, I decided to use design in a speculative manner, trying to answer some of my questions in a visual way,” says Netha explaining the thought process involved in this project.
On the final models, Netha explains, “The sole of the shoe is 3D printed with polyJet technology.
PolyJet is a powerful 3D printing technology that produces smooth and accurate parts. This kind of printer allows me to use flexible materials and gets results in the exact color I chose. Also, this method helps to achieve the most realistic results in mass-production.”
As in the rest of the series, also in the blue shoe (the one that allows charging), the design was influenced by the need and the function. For example, the sole is thick enough to hold the battery inside it and the charging ports on it. In the back of the shoes, you can find a plugin for charging the inner battery of the shoe.
All Images Courtesy Netha Goldberg.
