Calvin University senior Cameron Lockrey has created an app to connect residents with people looking to complete odd jobs. The app has been successful so far and is continuing to grow.
The new D.C. store is serving as a model for all new and renovated Starbucks company-operated locations in the U.S. Grand Rapids-based Progressive Companies helped develop the framework used to create the inclusive design guidelines for the store.
KCAD grads Justin Beitzel and Fernando Ramirez share their philosophy of regenerative design in their firm Common Object, which helps organizations take steps toward sustainability.
Up and coming swim and sunwear line Saint Andro was co-founded by two Michigan natives. Officially launched Dec. 1, the brand seeks to address changing consumer demands, leverage ethical design practices and create products that are innovative, inclusive and empowering.
Through a statewide design collaboration, an aged half-mile stretch of a once-bustling Auburn Road received a new life with a recent streetscape redesign. The city of Rochester Hill’s tagline ‘innovative by nature’ is reflected in the project, which features rain gardens, lush flowers, shrubs, tree-lined median, benches and vibrant sculptural designs.
A substantial renovation and redesign took place at the Ford Motor Company’s corporate campus in Dearborn. In partnership with Landscape Forms, Ghafari Associates and Zaremba & Company worked on transforming the indoor space to be modern, welcoming and timeless, while tying it together with the cohesive, multi-functional outdoor space.
The design scene has grown organically in West Michigan over the past decade. Design industry contributors have continued to help in the rise of the design scene since the COVID pandemic, and more social events for designers in the region are coming up.
Throughout our region, supporting STEAM’D (science, technology, engineering, art, math and design) is the focus of organizations and programs that are working to encourage the next generation to pursue opportunities within these industries.
On June 14, from 1–4 p.m. at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids, Absolutely Accessible Kent will explore how universal design goes beyond ADA to future-proof space.
The 2023 Wege Prize provided an opportunity for students worldwide to create solutions to challenging social and environmental issues. Looking ahead, additional opportunities are available to continue the momentum and develop a more sustainable future.
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