product design center – TRAIN STRAP

Train Strap for Sagami Railway

Safe and beautiful. It was on this simple theme that this train strap, designed for Sagami Railway, was based. Combining an improved functionality in the newly discovered ‘elliptical ring’ with a unity of colour and ingenuity in the details, the strap has become a beautiful tool. Even in the crowded train carriage of a city center, this modern strap can be used with a feeling of safety and comfort.

In Pursuit of an Easier Grip

Designed in an elliptical form, the ring is the most significant feature of this strap, giving a feeling of comfort no matter where it is gripped. The cross section for the design encapsulates a triangular form with rounded edges, born out of numerous test models. In this unprecedented new design, a ring that requires the least grip has been achieved, preventing discomfort in the hand even after prolonged use. Through meticulous innovation of the form, this remarkable design provides the most comfortable grip yet.

User-friendly Case

The case is a cylindrical sheath hiding the metal fitting that secures the belt around the ring. With a greater roundness than conventional models, it makes riders aware that it is a shape that can be gripped. The result is a new gripping point for the hand. Giving consideration to cleanability, a gloss finish coats the surface, allowing dirt to be wiped away easily. With the company logo incorporated into the design, this is an original strap like no other that leaves a sense of well-balanced beauty when aligned inside the train.

Functional Color Coordination

Typically, black dirt is conspicuous when seen on white, while the same is true of white dirt seen on black. In the case of train straps, the former is due to finger marks, while the latter is due to dust and organic particles. With the intention of making both types of dirt inconspicuous, grey was selected as the thematic colour for standard seats. Providing a muted contrast to the train carriage interior, the belts serve to soften the visual complexity caused by the large number of visible straps, contributing to an improved aesthetic. The darkened color of the ring, which heightens the contrast, intentionally states its presence in comparison to the belt, making passengers conscious of ‘a place graspable with the hand’.

Process

Train straps in commuter trains come in contact with the hands of a large number of passengers, contributing greatly to safety and comfort. This may well be the most direct means by which design can be felt. With the aim of creating a product that makes commuting to school or work comfortable and enjoyable, we have given careful consideration not only to functionality, but also to the creation of a beautiful tool. Through numerous tests, the product is the result of an attentive developmental process.

Client : Sagami Railway
Design : Keita Suzuki
Project assistant : Sayaka Hiromura