Designed in Singapore, the Streetwave Swaveboard is a two-wheeled caster board that has a motion similar to surfing or snowboarding when one rides it on land. Streetwave decided to design their very own model to improve on the caster board they had originally offered. Having their own product would also help the company expand globally.

The Swaveboard was created by Streetwave’s in-house product designer, Mr Imran Othman. It took several weeks of trial-and-error before he came up with the idea of a flexible platform that would allow for smooth caster board movements and also act as a form of suspension. “He demonstrated the idea initially by rolling up a piece of paper and then flexing it like a spring along its sides,” says Mr JD Lee, Executive Director of Streetwave Pte Ltd.

The caster board is sleek and light-weight, addressing the concern of caster board riders who found existing ones in the market too heavy. “Using a unique glass fibre composite that has been rigorously tested and selected to achieve the right mix of strength and malleability, the Swaveboard is the lightest amongst all existing ones,” says Mr Lee.

For a more comfortable riding experience, the Swaveboard uses silicone rubber instead of the traditional coated abrasive grip. Its built-in suspension system provides a smoother ride as it reduces vibrations when riding on rough terrains such as open roads. The board also has spring-loaded caster wheels that always return to the forward position. Unlike the free-spinning casters on other boards, this feature not only makes the Swaveboard easier to propel forward, but also makes it look aesthetically pleasing when the caster board riders carry it around.

Visually, the Swaveboard stands out against its competitors because of its interchangeable footrests that allow for customisation. “I like to incorporate an element of surprise and excitement into my designs,” explains Mr Imran. “This will create brand awareness and, subsequently, brand recognition. I see this as a strategy to be competitive.”

Mr Imran adds that the design approach for the Swaveboard reflected what both his company and he sought to do. “The focus is to improve functionality in a unique manner, which complements my personal design goals,” he says. “There is an aversion to creating a ‘me-too’ product.”

This being the first mass consumer product designed by both the company and its designer, Streetwave had to learn the entire design and production process from scratch, says Mr Imran. The team was unable to find anyone to turn to for mentorship and advice. However, the lack of experience turned into a plus point. Without any preconceived notions of what could be done, Mr Imran says the team broke new ground with this design.

Another challenge was finding local partners who could help them with product conceptualisation, production and distribution. Undeterred, Streetwave looked to international suppliers for help instead. For example, rapid prototyping was done in a UK-based firm that could deliver faster turnaround and cost substantially less than what was available in Singapore. Says Mr Lee: “Without actively looking for such opportunities, the project would have been doomed with cost overruns.”

When it finally came to bringing the design concept into reality, Mr Lee noted that Mr Imran worked intimately with the engineering team to convey the essence of the design and verify that the original goals were met. While he had to compromise on certain aspects, such as having ribs on the underside of the board, Mr Imran also staunchly protected other features, like the almost invisible dimple on the front.

“As much as possible, we learn to embrace the limitations instead of working against them,” says Mr Lee.