This project is profoundly meaningful to me, and I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my instructor, Kevin Beard, who is the best instructor I have ever encountered. The process of sharing this project online was a tremendous struggle due to the project's unique and untamed design process and strategy.
We began by creating a six-word story, which propelled us to expand our imagination far beyond the confines of running shoes and even wearable product design. Inspired by our story, we started asking thought-provoking questions that led us to unexpected ideas beyond the mainstream concepts of running shoe design. Returning to reality, we endeavored to address the core questions using the supplementary biomechanics knowledge we had acquired. At each step, I couldn't have anticipated the outcome, yet each one naturally fell into place, one after another.
Having no prior experience in wearable design, when I translated my concept sketch, I unintentionally imitated the appearance of conventional shoes. Kevin, however, expressed disappointment and reminded me of the originality and allure of the initial concept. This revelation deeply moved me, highlighting how I had inadvertently limited myself by conforming to mainstream ideals. As a result, I made the decision to honestly showcase the entire design process, recognizing that the true value of this project resides in the intricate details of the journey itself. We refer to this design approach as "story-telling driven design."

ABOUT STRIKEFLOW

Developed for Saucony, StrideFlow is a form-changing running shoe designed for heel strikers to transition into mid-foot strikers.
Initially, it has an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, owing to the configuration of the tubes within the shoe. These tubes contain color gels exclusively positioned at the bottom of the shoe.
Extensive research has consistently indicated that humans tend to be heel strikers due to the influence of heel structures. Interestingly, in the absence of a heel-to-toe drop, individuals naturally adopt a mid-foot striking pattern, which is considered a more inherent and efficient running technique.

With StrideFlow, the deformable tubes dynamically respond to the pressure exerted by the feet during running, which gradually reduces the heel-to-toe drop from 8mm to zero, effectively assisting the transition from heel striking to mid-foot striking. Simultaneously, the color gels within the tubes shift to the sides, resulting in a visually captivating transformation of the shoe's appearance.
StrideFlow nurtures untamed potential, enabling transcendent performance. A steadfast companion on an unworldly journey, it creates unparalleled running experiences.