THUCKING KEYBOARD SWITCHES

INFORMATION: The prompt was to create a packaging system that represents the 4 different elements: water, earth, fire and air. Just like any other projects, the first thing I had to do was deeply analyze the topic to gain further insight to move forth with the project. The concept that was most fascinating was seeing that all 4 elements are intangible variables that require the 5 basic senses to distinguish them apart through identifying their differences in characteristics. Essentially, the common theme between the 4 elements and their differences were both observed based on the same idea; the 5 senses. With this philosophy in mind, I came to a conclusion that an appropriate solution to this challenge would rely on the different senses to play a crucial role in determining its own unique identity to represent each of the elements but also conform them into the same system. Sight, sound and touch are the 3 primary senses that were utilized to develop my solution, Thucking Mechanical Keyboard Switches: Splash, Thud, Crackle, and Whoosh. A mechanical keyboard switch is the key factor in both the typing experience and the sound signature of the keystroke and the keyboard. It is comprised of 5 main components: the stem, top housing, spring, leaf, bottom housing and lubrication. The material, the shape, the length, the weight of these parts all contribute heavily so each of these factors were carefully designed and chosen to represent each of the element’s identity accurately.

INSPIRATION: Every keyboard enthusiast strives to achieve the next level of “Thocc” with their keyboard. A “Thocc” or “Thuck” is a term used to describe this specific, euphoric sound that a perfectly tuned keyboard tend to produce when typing. When I realized that the word rhymed with the word “Fuck”, the name “Thucking Keyboard” immediately struck me. In order to push this idea of “play on words” that spoke both visually and audibly, comic books became the main source of inspiration that helped emphasize this idea and the use of the 2 main senses that were consistently used throughout the development of this project. There were multitudes of great elements from comic books that I translated over to this project, one example being the concept of censoring profanity using random symbols and characters with a unique typeface to make it audible. I applied this method of censoring while developing the logo and created an opportunity to utilize a very iconic shape in the keyboard industry, the character x. While the action of replacing a character with x fulfills a different role in comic books, in the keyboard industry it is common knowledge that almost all mechanical MX switches have been standardized to be manufactured with the same x shaped mounting point [identical in size and diameter as well] for the keycaps to universally fit to prevent any compatibility issues since the 1980s. The x in the Thucking Keyboard is the common variable that merges both the comic book and keyboard realms together, but outside of this project the purpose it serves is irreconcilable therefore aligning perfectly with the main philosophy/concept for this project of being both the common denominator and the partition. The onomatopoeia associated with each elements were used as the method of classification to develop its own unique identity within the system but also to describe its sound signature as a keyboard switch while paying tribute to the tradition of utilizing various display typefaces to provoke different sound imagery in comic books.