Major Projects

Students developed three major projects using the design process of research, concepts, and iterations. Below you can see how the project developed for each student.

Form | Function

We investigated the old adage of “form follows function”. Students chose a model from Thingiverse to print, test, and rethink the form to improve its function.

  • Karina's Form|Function
    F|F Research & Concept Original Object: 3D Printed Phone Stand The image above is of an original and simple 3D printed cellphone stand found on Thingiverse. It is designed to be placed on a flat surface to hold up a cellphone in an angled manner. There is a hole in the back of the object…
  • Daniel Doh's Form|Function
    F|F Research & Concept 3D Soap Holder https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:404028 This is a model of a 3D soap holder. The main purpose of this model is to have a personalized box for a bar of soap to put in your bathroom. People usually have a bar of soap sitting on their sink counter or at the side…
  • Jenna Johnson's Form|Function
    F|F Research and Concept The original Thingiverse object: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:832278/files The image above is a model of a 3D printed jewelry holder. The purpose of this object is to hold large amounts of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and other kinds of jewelry with its copious amounts of tree branches and it’s bowl at the bottom. Many people…
  • Caroline McCracken's Form|Function
    Original design by colleeniebikini on Thingiverse. This is the original model off of Thingiverse that I printed. Below, I will explain the flaws I found using this model. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cH_ipOZVkI (the video file was too large to embed so I uploaded it to YouTube) Below are my first iterations on Tinkercad & the print In this…
  • Form | Function
    F|F Research & Concept This is the original Thingiverse object! https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2183259 This is a 3D printed plant pot. The purpose of this object is to hold small plants such as flowers or succulents. There are two deep cut-outs that allow space for both the plant and the dirt that it requires in order to grow.…
  • Cole's Form|Function
    The original Thingiverse object The image above is an original 3D print found on Thingiverse. It is designed to be stuck to the wall in order to hold a Roku remote in a convenient location. Theres a hole in the back for the the holder to be nailed into the wall. I chose this design…
  • Unda's Form|Function Concept
    F|F Research & Concept 3D Printed COVID Door Opener This is a model of a COVID resistant door opener. The main purpose of this object is to use this item as an alternative way to open doors without having to physically touch the surface of a door knob or lock. The angled hook is designed…
  • Michaela Sakitis's Form|Function
    F|F Research & Concept This image from Thingiverse is of a 3D printed bottle opener. It is used to manually open glass bottles with metal caps. The small size of this bottle opener makes it convenient to travel with, as it can be made to go onto a keychain, or can simply fit right into…
  • Daniel Drecun's Form|Function
    The Thingiverse object that I chose was a cable organizer created by user @tjmck. It’s designed to hold larger cables such as ethernet or phone cords. I chose this design because it was something that I personally need, but I think I could improve upon the design. I’d want to make it more friendly for…
  • Jonathan Berrang's Form|Function
    F|F Research & Concept Single Joy-Con Grip by 3DBotMaker on Thingiverse This Thingiverse object is a grip for a Nintendo Switch controller. These controllers are very small and somewhat uncomfortable to use on their own. The grip is designed to increase the size of the controller by giving your hands something bigger to hold onto.…
  • Michael Mensah Form|Function Concept
    Credit to Erikjuh on Thingiverse The object that I would like to recreate to show the principle of form and function is a hook . This hook can be used as hat hook or any clothing item can be hung on this item or even something like keys. I want this design to be a…
  • Megan Barton's Form|Function Concept
    F|F Research & Concept The original Thingiverse object I choose, which is linked below the picture of the 3D print, is a remote control holder that was created by the user Niverson. The 3D model is designed to simply hold a Roku TV remote control and be attached to the wall using a screw or…
  • Julianna Barnaba's Form|Function
    F|F Research & Concept The object I would like to make to demonstrate form and function is this cotton swab and cotton pad container. The purpose of this is to effectively organize those items and either leave the out on your counter or be able to store them away or travel with them using the…
  • Daniel Cymes's Form|Function Research & Concept
    Original Thingiverse object: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3586659/files The image above is a model of an engineering stencil ruler designed by @JojodaHobo. It allows individuals to plot straight lines on paper and trace other precise geometric shapes. It is an essential tool for engineers, architects, and individuals who simply want to add precision to their sketches. There is a…
  • Chance's Form|Function
    F|F Research and Concept: Headphone Stand The original concept is made for a simple headphone stand. The legs are meant to balance out the weight from the arching top point that hovers over the center of the piece. The piece is meant to serve as a stand for gamers or anyone that requires headphones in…

Self Expression

Similar to the Italian design firm Alessi’s Family Follows Fiction (F.F.F.) metaproject, students developed a playful product, each one dutifully fulfilling its function while delighting the user with personality and whimsy.

  • Karina's Self Expression
    Research & Concept As I was trying to come up with an object that I could inject a sense of playfulness into, I came up with the idea of creating a whimsical bookend. The function of a bookend is in its name, it is designed to be placed at the end of books to hold…
  • Daniel's Self Expression
    Research & Concept It was a bit difficult for me to think of simple items that could be incorporated with a sense of playfulness with its function. As I was thinking of what object to use, the two objects that I thought about was a door stop and a wall hook. I still haven’t made…
  • Cole's Self Expression
    Research & Concept When choosing for an object to put my own playful spin on the first thing that came to my mind was a bottle opener. The function of a bottle opener is to pop the cap off of any glass bottle that doesn’t come as a twist off. The style of bottle opener…
  • Michaela's Self Expression
    Research & Concept The functional form I decided to add playfulness to is an ordinary kitchen measuring cup. The original design I worked off of is measuring cups with the measurement for cups on one end, and the measurement for tablespoons and teaspoons on the other end. The measuring cups are used in the kitchen…
  • Jenna's Self Expression
    Research and Concept Throughout this pandemic, my grandmother has been someone I have endlessly been thinking about. We have not seen each other in over a year, so calling each other on the phone is something that I have really prioritized doing each day, since she has not been able to go out much or…
  • Daniel C's Self Expression
    Research When considering what functional object that I wanted to inject whimsicality and playfulness into, I began brainstorming by considering the things around me which I most frequently use. This led me to my pencil holder. A pencil holder is a commonly owned household item, providing users with great organizational benefits. In order to save…
  • Melissa's Self Expression
    Research & Concept I initially had some trouble coming up with an idea for what I wanted to use as my original object, until yesterday when I was washing the dishes. I came to the realization that my roommates and I are desperate for a sponge holder in our kitchen. The sponge is always missing…
  • Michaels Self Expression
    Research and Concept The functional form I want to add playfulness to is this white coffee mug. All the coffee mugs that I have in my house are plain white mugs just like the one in the picture and they are all boring to look at. I feel as if I had unique mugs that…
  • Caroline's Self Expression
    Research & Concept This is an everyday kitchen sink stopper or plug. It is inserted in the drain to prevent water from going down and to help fill the sink. It is an object that I interact with on a daily basis, and I think it could use a little pizzazz. My design features a…
  • Daniel's Self Expression
    Research and Concept Most toothbrush holders are very basic looking. They’re either a big cup or a rectangle with a couple holes to separate toothbrushes. They could use more personality that could make it more playful such as incorporating the toothbrush into the design. Even turning the design of the holder into something like a…
  • Megan's Self Expression
    Research & Concept: Image from Wayfair While trying to think of an object to make more playful while still adding to its functionality, I had a bit of a hard time thinking of something until I started thinking about basic, boring items that one may have around their house. Then the idea struck me to…
  • Unda's Self Expression
    Research & Concept When thinking of objects that I could incorporate playfulness into I wanted to find an object that was something I could use often and that was part of my everyday life. While looking around my room I found an old incense burner that I had broke. After finding the burner I realized…
  • Jonathan's Self Expression
    Research & Concept When I first started brainstorming ideas for playful objects, I initially had some trouble thinking of an object where the playfulness didn’t impede on the function. At one point I was thinking about how, since my Airpods are broken, I have been having to use wired headphones and have been frustrated with…
  • Julianna's Self Expression
    Research & Concept Recently I have found myself with a growing need for a bag clip as my addiction to jalapeño potato chips has only gotten stronger. Whenever I am at the store purchasing a bag clip never crosses my mind because really it is a boring item. This is why I chose this item…
  • Chance's Self Expression
    Research & Concept: When deciding on what I wanted to choose for this project, I tried to think of things that I found most boring in my day to day life. The one I find most boring is doing the dishes, more specifically the strainer that sits in the sink. This object has so much…