The design of CricketNest encourages a home-based approach to cricket farming, making insect consumption more accessible and acceptable. Integrated into home environments, CricketNest allows individuals to grow a sustainable food source directly in their living space, helping normalize insect-based diets and promote a balanced, eco-conscious lifestyle.
The design process involved extensive prototyping. Over three months, I raised crickets and developed more than five prototypes, refining both functionality and aesthetics. CricketNest features a three-layer structure, with each layer designed to support crickets at different life stages. This structure allows users to easily manage conditions like temperature and humidity, fostering a healthy and controlled habitat for crickets while simplifying management.
CricketNest features a three-layer structure, with each tier tailored to support crickets at a specific stage of their life cycle. Users can easily control the environment by organizing crickets into age-based compartments, and adjusting factors such as temperature and humidity to optimize growth. Each container within the tiers can be rotated, allowing for smooth transitions between life stages. This designed structure creates a healthy, well-regulated habitat for crickets, while simplifying user management, making CricketNest an efficient and user-friendly system for sustainable home farming.
In this design, I enjoyed exploring how to create an ideal product that caters to two different users: humans and insects. The challenge was to design a habitat that supports the well-being of crickets while being easy for humans to operate. As a larger-scale product, I created several prototypes before producing a full-scale model. It was fascinating to consider both the mechanism and aesthetics at a smaller scale first. I particularly enjoyed integrating transparent plastic with wood, carefully selecting materials and patterns to enhance both functionality and appearance. This design includes many intricate details that make it rewarding to observe and engage with.
