Innovative curriculum connects furniture design students to the marketplace

Last April, a group of students from Kendall College of Art and Design learned firsthand how design can translate into dollars thanks to an innovative curriculum designed by Kendall instructors Monty Simpson and Bruce Mulder, with support from the Michigan Economic Development Company (MEDC) and the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments.

The curriculum was developed around the first Pure Michigan Woods Design Challenge after the The Michigan Pure Wood Works Co-Op reached out to Kendall Dean Max Shangle.

The four-week course challenged students from Kendall's Furniture Design classes to create designs that highlighted Michigan's wood product industry. The goal was to design furniture that represented "Pure Michigan," with the products eventually being manufactured in-state.

According to Gayle DeBruyn, chief sustainability officer and assistant professor at Kendall, the course exceeded expectations.

"The students really enjoyed it," she says. "The research component was fascinating. There was learning about Michigan, the Great Lakes, seasonal changes, and metaphors around lakefront living. What is really fantastic is that they got experience in taking an idea to market. In the typical classroom, this does not happen."

Thirteen students participated in the program. The judges evaluated the collections based on how well they represented the theme, aligned with market trends, and met the Co-Op's manufacturing criteria. Three runners up were chosen -- "Lily" Zhengyi Hou, Evan Fay, and Lane Risdon -- each receiving a cash prize of $500. The first prize of $1,000 was awarded to Christopher Eitel.

Moving forward, each of the students will work with the Co-Op to have their collections produced and presented at a Michigan show. All four winning students will also receive royalties from future sales.

To learn more about this program, you can visit their site here.

Source: Gayle DeBruyn, Kendall College
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor