Lothar Windels

Professor
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BFA, Rhode Island School of Design
BID, Rhode Island School of Design
MID, Royal College of Art

Lothar Windels’ work focuses on furniture and product design ranging from mass-produced to one-of-a-kind pieces. Born in Germany, he earned a BID from RISD and a Master’s in Design Products from the Royal College of Art in London. He runs a studio in Boston and teaches in RISD’s Furniture Design department.

Windels’ projects include the Joseph Felt Chair, which has been featured in exhibitions in Berlin, Boston, London, Milan, Munich, Tokyo and Zurich. His work has appeared in several books and magazines, including Abitare, Design Report, Frame, Elle Decoration, ID Magazine, Interni, MD Moebel Interior Design, Metropolis, Newsweek and The World of Interiors. His recent research focuses on active seating, a design approach that provides a better overall sitting experience by dynamically supporting the human body in motion. The Canadian office furniture manufacture Nienkämper produces his Brackett Chair, which has won a Design Journal Platinum Award for Design Excellence. His other clients include Converse, Inflate, Swarovski, Umbra and the Vitra Design Museum.

Academic areas of interest

  • Material Research: Low-tech, hands-on investigation to discover innovative design solutions.
  • Design for Production: Utilizing contemporary materials and processes to achieve simplicity that supports human interactions.
  • Ergonomic Seating: Dynamic support of the human body to create a better work environment that fosters well-being

Courses

Fall 2023 Courses

FD 2521-01 - DESIGN & PROCESSES
Level Undergraduate
Unit Furniture Design
Subject Furniture Design
Period Fall 2023
Credits 6
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

FD 2521-01

DESIGN & PROCESSES

Level Undergraduate
Unit Furniture Design
Subject Furniture Design
Period Fall 2023
Credits 6
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Instructor(s): Lothar Windels Enrolled / Capacity: 14 Status: Open

SECTION DESCRIPTION

The junior studio expands and interprets the skills and concepts introduced in the sophomore studios. The primary focus of the semester is an experimentally based investigation of bending and forming techniques - molded plywood, bent lamination, steam bending, and vacuum-formed plastic. While focused on the use of wood and plastic materials, an experimental approach is expected in the studio. Students are encouraged to conceptually explore skills and materials to develop a personal design approach and studio practice. The semester culminates in a final design, in which students utilize learned techniques to create one-offs, objects intended for batch production or prototypes designed for production.

Prerequisite: FD-2502

Major Requirement | BFA Furniture Design

FOUND 1005-22 - STUDIO: SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Level Undergraduate
Unit Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Foundation Studies
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

FOUND 1005-22

STUDIO: SPATIAL DYNAMICS

Level Undergraduate
Unit Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Foundation Studies
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: TH | 1:40 PM - 6:00 PM; TH | 8:00 AM - 11:10 AM Instructor(s): Lothar Windels Location(s): What Cheer Studios, Room 102 Enrolled / Capacity: 20 Status: Closed

SECTION DESCRIPTION

Studio: Spatial Dynamics is a studio-based inquiry into physical, spatial and temporal phenomena. The study of Spatial Dynamics is rooted in the necessity to consider forces and their effects on structure. Force is the consequence of energy. In Spatial Dynamics the energy and resultant forces are studied in actual motion, stability, and materiality. The structures of physical, spatial and temporal phenomena are studied through additive, subtractive, transformative, iterative, and ephemeral processes both analog and digital. Mediums and materials that are commonly explored and utilized have a broad range of characteristics due to their organic and synthetic sources. Most assignments utilize methods such as preliminary sketches and diagrams in research, planning, and experimental processes. Assignments reference the histories and theories of art and design and include areas of inquiry that extend to disciplines such as the sciences, music, dance, film, and theater.

Enrollment is limited to first-year Undergraduate Students.

Major Requirement | BFA

Spring 2024 Courses

FD 2521-01 - DESIGN & PROCESSES
Level Undergraduate
Unit Furniture Design
Subject Furniture Design
Period Spring 2024
Credits 6
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

FD 2521-01

DESIGN & PROCESSES

Level Undergraduate
Unit Furniture Design
Subject Furniture Design
Period Spring 2024
Credits 6
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2024-02-15 to 2024-05-24
Times: WF | 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM; WF | 9:40 AM - 11:10 AM Instructor(s): Lothar Windels Location(s): Metcalf Building, Room 117B; Metcalf Building, Room 117 Enrolled / Capacity: 14 Status: Open

SECTION DESCRIPTION

The junior studio expands and interprets the skills and concepts introduced in the sophomore studios. The primary focus of the semester is an experimentally based investigation of bending and forming techniques - molded plywood, bent lamination, steam bending, and vacuum-formed plastic. While focused on the use of wood and plastic materials, an experimental approach is expected in the studio. Students are encouraged to conceptually explore skills and materials to develop a personal design approach and studio practice. The semester culminates in a final design, in which students utilize learned techniques to create one-offs, objects intended for batch production or prototypes designed for production.

Prerequisite: FD-2502

Major Requirement | BFA Furniture Design

FOUND 1006-04 - STUDIO: SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Level Undergraduate
Unit Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Foundation Studies
Period Spring 2024
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

FOUND 1006-04

STUDIO: SPATIAL DYNAMICS

Level Undergraduate
Unit Experimental and Foundation Studies
Subject Foundation Studies
Period Spring 2024
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2024-02-15 to 2024-05-24
Times: TH | 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM; TH | 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Instructor(s): Lothar Windels Location(s): What Cheer Studios, Room 101 Enrolled / Capacity: 20 Status: Open

SECTION DESCRIPTION

Studio: Spatial Dynamics is a studio-based inquiry into physical, spatial and temporal phenomena. The study of Spatial Dynamics is rooted in the necessity to consider forces and their effects on structure. Force is the consequence of energy. In Spatial Dynamics the energy and resultant forces are studied in actual motion, stability, and materiality. The structures of physical, spatial and temporal phenomena are studied through additive, subtractive, transformative, iterative, and ephemeral processes both analog and digital. Mediums and materials that are commonly explored and utilized have a broad range of characteristics due to their organic and synthetic sources. Most assignments utilize methods such as preliminary sketches and diagrams in research, planning, and experimental processes. Assignments reference the histories and theories of art and design and include areas of inquiry that extend to disciplines such as the sciences, music, dance, film, and theater.

Enrollment is limited to first-year undergraduate students.

Major Requirement | BFA

Image
BFA, Rhode Island School of Design
BID, Rhode Island School of Design
MID, Royal College of Art