Tej Chauhan has long positioned product design as the facilitator of joy, deftly shaping innovative appliances, furniture and clothing through a considered balance of whimsy and sophistication. The British designer uses distilled, recognizable, playful forms as a way to soften both existing and emergent functions, especially when it comes to making rapid technological developments decipherable and perhaps even relevant. This approach is best demonstrated in the new S1 Soother, designed for Motorola Nursery.
Introduced as the latest addition to PIP’s exemplary redesigned collection of baby monitors and complementary devices, this freshly shaped portable night light emits carefully calibrated soft light while projecting soothing soundscapes. Shaped like a ‘little seal’, the animated device works to calm babies and toddlers as they begin to rest. It becomes a friendly force, providing direct, if indirect, support when parents cannot.
When not activated, the elegantly designed, monochromatic object remains sculptural, slightly distinct from its animal-like configuration, but still somewhat inconspicuous.
“With the S1 Soother, I wanted to create more than just a nursery device—I wanted its form to capture a sense of calm and character, inviting warmth into a daily routine,” says Chauhan. “The PIP collection has always been about combining emotional connection with purposeful, reliable technology, and the S1 needed to fully embody that concept. It’s designed to make parents feel good, bring joy and reassurance to quiet moments, and look beautiful wherever they live.”
The S1 pacifier is a far cry from its bulky, ill-conceived competitors: products where function strongly supersedes form and design is an afterthought, albeit an afterthought. With its clever proportions, form and function are considered equally. And yet the form is less a reflection of pure, so-called universal function than of an implicit emotional need. Here, it’s not just about getting the job done – getting the kids to sleep – but making sure the experience is positive, holistic and hopefully non-traumatic.
