Production

Under the direction of industry judges, several projects from each course are earmarked for potential further development in order to explore their feasibility as products suitable for manufacture. In each case, the student retains the ownership of the intellectual property of their design until such time as they negotiate an arrangement with the industry partner at the terminus of the course. In some cases projects enter the marketplace. In such instances, students are recognized as the authors of their designs by the company and compensated for their efforts by the industry partners. This arrangement increases the educational experience for the students by providing them with a ‘real-world’ platform for their ideas to reach further into the arena of culture and commerce.

LIMBO

Buoyancy, a paper towel holder with tray

About

Production Company: Umbra

LIMBO Paper Towel Holder with Tray. Plated metal paper towel holder with slim profile and integrated tray helps keep countertops organized. Molded rod creates friction for one-handed tear. Design: Vincent Lin 

Umbra Product Page

Designer

Sticky Note Ball

Sticky Note Ball, sticky notes in the shape of a ball

About

Production Company: Poppin

This memo ball was designed in partnership with Afifi Ishak for Metaproject, a student industrial design competition sponsored by Poppin with Rochester Institute of Technology. Its 12 sticky sides each feature tear-off sticky memos in different colors so you can get creative with group brainstorming at work or keeping the whole family organized at home. (Surprise! Each stack contains a fortune underneath so you can use the finished ball for advice and predictions.)

Poppin Product Page

Designer

Wall Pockets

Wall Pockets, denim pockets that hang on the wall to hold small supplies

About

Production Company: Kikkerland and Bed Bath & Beyond

Audrey Kirk created a clever and useful design that is great for organizing and keeping your cell phone, glasses, school supplies, and other small essentials near by. The Wall Pockets are made of made of 100% denim with adhesive backing that mount to any surface.

Audrey designed the Wall Pocket for the Metaproject 05 design challenge. She addressed the storage needs of college students living in dorms and small apartments in a useful and fun way. Her design was awarded the Peoples Choice Award by Bed Bath and Beyond and Kikkerland.

Audrey continues to design housewares and furniture in Brooklyn, NY.

Kikkerland

Designer

Hanging Facades

Hanging Facades wall hanging organizers

About

Production Company: Kikkerland and Bed Bath & Beyond

Hanging Facades was designed by Brian Keyes for Metaproject 05 and selected by Kikkerland and Bed Bath & Beyond for the 2015 Back to School season. This series of hanging closet organizers allows for private, raised storage in the dorm room. Multiples side by side will create a city block in the closet for whatever you might need it to hold: clothes, shoes, food, kitchenware, books, and anything you might want out of sight. 

Brian is a recent graduate of the RIT Industrial Design program. His first design in production, Hanging Facades, was selected by Kikkerland and Bed Bath & Beyond for the 2015 Back to School season. Notable honors for Brian include exhibiting a selection of his work as an upcoming young designer during NYCxDESIGN 2015 as part of WantedDesign's Launch Pad and features on design blogs like Core77 and Design Milk. He is currently employed as an industrial designer for KEK Associates in Rochester, NY. His design principles are centered on honest materials, high-level craftsmanship, and meaningful experiences.

Kikkerland

Designer

Blockitecture

stacked blocks that looks like buildings

About

Production Company: Areaware

James Paulius, inspired by Habitat 67, a housing complex and pavilion designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal, Canada, designed Blockitecture Series 1: Brutalism (RIT's architectural style) and was awarded first place in the RR Metaproject 03 design competition.

Blockitecture is toy that allows users to enhance their understanding of physical laws by using their creative and imaginative processes. Hexagonal blocks nest together in various formations, allowing them to counterbalance each other and create unique cantilevers found in modem and contemporary architecture. Using simple geometry and clean aesthetics, Blockitecture can be used by people of all ages and passed down through the generations. 

Following Metaproject 03, Blockitecture has evolved into a series of products including Parkland, Brutalism, Deco, Factory, Habitat, and Garden City Blockitecture is sold as individual components, or as bundles of sets which work together so you can build the world you want to see.

Areaware Product Page

Designer

Plant Watering Rocks

Water From a Stone rocks in a plant pot with a plant

About

Production Company: Kikkerland

Designed by RIT Industrial Design student Casey Schneider, Water From a Stone keeps potted plants perfectly watered by slowly seeping water into the planter over the course of 3-4 days. It is a useful addition to any gardener's home, and adds a subtle design element that does not distract from the beauty of the plants.

Made from hand-blown glass with a cork stopper. Holds 7oz (207ml) of water.

Kikkerland Product Page

Designer