Filed under: Fun Stuff, Design, etc, News & Trends
Meet the students behind the top product ideas from the ShelterPop & SCAD Design Challenge.When ShelterPop teamed up with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for our first ever ShelterPop & SCAD Design Challenge, we asked students in SCAD's interior design programs and Working Class Studio intern program to design products that embodied the ShelterPop motto, "Happy homes make happy people."
We wanted to learn more about the students behind the designs, so we asked them about their backgrounds and their current inspirations. We also asked everyone to nominate a product in need of a re-design -- and got some very clever answers!
Read on -- and check back in next week for a video about the whole process!
Read on to learn more about the these inspiring student designers:
Corey Green and his Balloon Vases. Photo: SCAD
Originally from Yates Center, Kansas, Corey Green is an undergraduate industrial design student. Corey pursued a degree in industrial design at SCAD because it affords him the opportunity to merge his creative and technical sides. His design aesthetic draws heavily from his personal experiences with products and his imagination. Corey thinks that the backpack deserves a makeover and would like to change the way people approach it, both practically and stylistically. It should come as no surprise that his current muses are oversized latex balloons in a variety of colors.
The balloon vases feature silhouetted acrylic arms that extend to form the barely-there shape of a vase, while a balloon stores water and a flower.
Sami Fox and her Hanging Book Vase. Photo: SCAD
Sami Fox is pursuing two undergraduate degrees from SCAD, one in graphic design and one in photography. This multi-tasker hails from Suffern, New York. She decided to double major because both programs of study are very hands-on and offer good career opportunities after graduation. When it comes to products already in the marketplace, Sami would love to re-imagine both the suitcase and the everyday stool. She describes her design sensibility as lively and fresh, and she cites grids and anatomy as recent inspirations for her work.
The book vase is made of hand-blown clear glass with three finger-like prongs that allow it to attach and suspend from the pages of an open book.
Tessa Gunnell Photo and her Recycling Bags: SCAD
Tessa Gunnell is an undergraduate industrial design student from Frederick, Maryland. When Tessa discovered industrial design at SCAD, she was immediately drawn to the program's ability to allow her to marry three-dimensional design with her innate practicality. She describes her design sensibility as a cross between user-centered design and the whimsical. Tessa feels that the bicycle helmet should be turned into something that people want to wear and that doesn't feel incompatible with their style. Patterns from nature are major influences in her work, from the branching forms of a cherry tree to the molecular structure of crystal.
Hanging recycling bags are easy to wash and feature color-coded patterns correlating to plastic, glass and paper.
Carla Gunter and her Pet Crate design. Photo: SCAD
Alpharetta, Georgia's Carla Gunter kept her graduate studies in interior design close to home at SCAD's Atlanta campus. With a lifelong love of architectural history and an affinity for refurbishing antiques, Carla was naturally drawn to interior design, which allows her to play multiple roles. She believes that she can better the lives of others through the spaces they inhabit. Her design sensibility is a blend of elegant classicism and moody eclecticism. She would like to re-imagine the way bottles are produced and packaged and thinks that the retractable cord hairdryer is a candidate for a serious redesign.
The pet crate's patterned laser-cut screens make is stylish enough to double as a storage cube.
Aditi Kumbhat and her Triple Planter design. Photo: SCAD
A native of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Aditi Kumbhat traveled far for her undergraduate studies in graphic design at SCAD. Aditi has been interested in graphic design since she was 13, when she was first introduced to the Adobe Creative Suite. Her self-described design sensibility is a cross between "complexity and benign inconsistency." When it comes to the expansive realm of product design, Aditi feels that the electronic toothbrush is due for a makeover. Lately, stained-glass windows have been a source of inspiration in her work.
The tripe planter is the ultimate space-saver. A trio of removeable funnels fit neatly in a wooden base and provides ample yet compact space for herbs and small houseplants.
Want to learn more about the SCAD ShelterPop Design Challenge? Read on:
- Meet our SCAD ShelterPop Design Challenge guest judges
- View the top three designs and vote for the winner
And tell us why you chose your favorite product on our Facebook page!