Designing Process: From Exploration to Application approaches design through a hands-on
investigation of material properties and fabrication techniques in wood. This 6-credit studio will
delve further into advanced woodworking techniques as a means to understand a process-based practice and its role in the design of functional objects. A deep understanding of these methods will enable students to design and develop a unique component as the foundation for a collection and consider application at various scales. We will explore form and materiality through process and employ a design-for-production mindset, bridging the gap between free exploration and focused application. Throughout the semester, students will learn to systemize their creative process for consistency and repetition. Ultimately, students will design a cohesive collection and craft a distinctive visual language that is their own. 

The tools and techniques integral to the production process are at the core of this studio. Jigs and fixtures embody a set of instructions as well as the material properties and methodologies at play. This not only makes many operations possible but also reproducible. Beyond their technical functions, the design and use of a jig or fixture offers a process-oriented, systematic approach to making. We will explore how jigs and fixtures can be used to design a process rather than just a product and engage in iterative making as a means of formal exploration. Students will approach this in different ways and alternate between creating jigs/ fixtures for a desired result and creating jigs/ fixtures to inspire new outcomes. 

This studio will consist of in-class demonstrations and exercises, guest lectures, and short-term projects that lead into the final project. Students are free to choose how they might apply their explorations (i.e.: furniture, toys, table-top objects) and will finish the semester with a small collection of final artifacts, designed through and around their unique component. The studio demos and lectures will be based in woodworking, though students are welcome to bring in other materials and skill sets. Students should expect to spend the majority of class time and outside work time in the woodshop.
 

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Senior Studio is a 12-week intensive experience where you conceptualize, develop, and execute a project that reflects your unique vision and career aspirations. Unlike traditional coursework, this studio is entirely self-directed, allowing you to explore areas that interest you most while building skills directly applicable to your future goals.

Note: Senior Studio uses an application process that has concluded for the Spring 2026 semester.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Additive Manufacturing? 
Roaming and crisscrossing between craft, digital fabrication and serial production

Manufacture: from Latin manu factus, literally, made by hand (Merriam Webster online)

This studio will explore the objects and possibilities that arise from using additive manufacturing as a method for serial production. The semester will start with the mapping of all the current 3d printing technologies, their strengths and weaknesses, and continue to speculate about the future of these technologies and their incorporation in production facilities, from the small workshop to the large factory. What kind of potentials do these technologies offer? How can they be employed to make objects different from the ones possible in traditional manufacturing? How can they be combined with other materials and methods of making to expand the range of object potentials?

This is inherently a making studio, that will incorporate learning about and testing materials,
technologies, field trips, speculative scenario building and more, to create vibrant and enticing results on a broad spectrum of possibilities. Outcomes could include full-scale furniture pieces, consumer products, Grasshopper scripts, written verse, printer prototypes and more.

Recommended Prerequisite: this is a CAD intensive course, however, it is not a CAD class, and there will be few software demos. Fluency in 3d modeling software (Solidworks, Rhino or the like) is necessary to succeed in this course.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Senior Studio is a 12-week intensive experience where you conceptualize, develop, and execute a project that reflects your unique vision and career aspirations. Unlike traditional coursework, this studio is entirely self-directed, allowing you to explore areas that interest you most while building skills directly applicable to your future goals.

Note: Senior Studio uses an application process that has concluded for the Spring 26 semester.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This studio course offers an opportunity to explore advanced biomaterials, engage with experts, collaborate with peers, and develop innovative climate solutions for water scarcity. Over the semester, we will work alongside faculty and students from the Department of Architecture, specifically within the ARCH-21ST: The Tall Building Workshop studio course. Together, we will design atmospheric water generators for tall buildings in arid regions, utilizing responsive biomaterials to transform dry desert air into liquid water.

In 2010, the United Nations recognized access to water as a fundamental human right and included it in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6.1). However, ensuring clean water access remains a challenge, particularly in climate-affected areas where global warming disrupts rainfall patterns, intensifies droughts, and depletes water resources. As freshwater availability declines due to environmental pressures, this project focuses on harnessing hygroscopic biocomposites and biodesign principles to support arid communities in adapting to climate change. The approach spans multiple scales, from standalone devices and installations to integrated roof and façade systems for skyscrapers.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Clay has been used to make objects for over 20,000 years. It has unique inherent properties with a broad application of use. This course introduces students to the principals involved in the design and production of functional ceramics objects for tabletop and interior spaces. We will employ plaster mold making and ceramic slip casting techniques since this is the preferred method of manufacturing ceramics for both design studios and industry. Students will design at least five distinct objects and produce multiple editions of most of them in response to specific prompts. Innovation and expression will be encouraged. Each project will go through an iteration process to promote refinement of design. This course not only focuses on prototypes but also on completed glazed and fired pieces. The production variations make it possible for students to produce resolved work.

The First half of the semester will focus on two projects. The first will be the design and production of a drinking cup with handle, and the second will build on that with a larger form. We will also do an initial mold-making project to become familiar with the process and a subtractive method for model making.

The second half of the semester will be devoted to designing a collection of interrelated pieces. This will provide a chance for students to dive more deeply into form and function, build on the skills acquired during the first half of the semester and to pursue individual areas of interest. Two or more of the objects in the collection will be selected for production and then developed and refined to finished pieces.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

In “Designing Food” students will explore the product development process through an edible lens. Students will learn to design food-based products ranging from fine dining tasting experiences to sensory experiments to traditional packed products. With an emphasis on material exploration and iterative design, students will identify opportunities surrounding undervalued ingredients and examine how design fits in a culinary landscape. We will practice iterative making with frequent group tastings and discussions to perfect form, formulation, and process. Through this semester we will speak with industry experts to explore the material, ecological, economic, and interpersonal power of food product design.

Projects will include short in class exercises, individually lead culinary prototyping, and a long-term group-based product development inquiry culminating in a final product presentation. Class will often center around group discussions on various parts of food systems, occasionally focused on assigned readings and videos.

Learning objectives include strengthening critical thinking and opportunity identification abilities, honing user research skills, understanding culinary benchtop formulation and processes for manufacturing, and strengthening communication and presentation skills. This studio is focused on sharing so bring your voice and your appetite!

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Play is a radical act of imagination, joy, and liberation. In this hands-on, interdisciplinary design course, students of all backgrounds will explore the power of play as a tool for social change. Using a liberatory design framework, we will center equity, co-creation, and critical reflection to design playful experiences that challenge norms, foster belonging, and inspire transformation for all ages.

Students will engage in research, prototyping, and testing as they create interactive experiences—ranging from toys and games to storytelling, movement, and immersive play. We will examine play across cultures, ages, and abilities, learning from grassroots movements, augmented realities, and kid powered creations. Through collaboration and iteration, students will develop projects that activate joy, disrupt oppression, and expand possibilities for more just and playful futures. This Industrial Design course is open to junior, seniors, and grads from RISD and Brown and encourages experimentation across disciplines. Participants must want to have fun, have curiosity for play and a commitment to social change.
 

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

For millions of people, work takes place in shared spaces (i.e. offices) dedicated to bringing people together to pursue a shared goal. The way we experience work has constantly evolved throughout history due to technological advancements and cultural influences. The way we address work has changed with the increased awareness of the impact of work on the health of individuals, environmental change, and societal change. With the recent dramatic shift in the modality of work and intensified economic disparities brought on by the global pandemic, the world needs new experiments and explorations in how we work.

This class will investigate the past, present, and future of work. We'll examine the history, the evolution, and the changes that have taken place in the workspace. We'll redefine what work means by understanding human needs and behavioral motivations. Students will identify opportunities for current work trends and work speculatively into the future, pushing boundaries of what exists today. Students will also discuss the role and responsibility of designers to build a more inclusive and ethical future of work. This class consists of lectures, intensive research, field trips, experiments, prototyping, collective projects as well as independent projects. 

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This course bridges speculative and practical design approaches to explore the evolving landscape of interaction design across current and emerging technologies. Students will investigate how human cognition, behavior, and sensory experience can drive innovation in products, services, and systems—especially within the realms of IoT, wearable technologies, and smart environments.

Through a hybrid methodology that integrates human-centered, research-informed design with critical, discursive exploration, students will engage with both real-world use cases and future-focused provocations. The course supports iterative prototyping and speculative thinking as complementary processes—enabling students to both solve contemporary challenges and imagine transformative futures.

Students will develop technical and conceptual skills through lectures, hands-on demos, and weekly exercises. Tools such as MODI, Arduino, and TouchDesigner will be used for both low- to mid-fidelity and speculative prototyping. Emphasis is placed on usability testing, user research, group critique, and design storytelling to build a holistic understanding of human-technology interaction.

By the end of the course, students will produce two complementary outcomes:

• A functional prototype that responds to current user needs and technological opportunities

• A speculative design proposal that challenges assumptions and envisions alternative futures for interaction design.

This dual-track approach empowers students to become versatile designers—able to innovate within today’s constraints while shaping the conversations of tomorrow.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Manufacture: from Latin manu factus, literally, made by hand (Merriam Webster online)

This studio explores the objects and possibilities that arise from using additive manufacturing as a method for serial production. Working intensively with FDM, both as a medium and a method, and learning about other forms of additive manufacturing, the studio asks some of the most quintessential questions of Industrial Design: What does it mean to design for a particular method of fabrication? What kind of potentials do these technologies offer? How can they be employed to make objects different than the ones possible in traditional manufacturing? How can they be combined with other materials and methods of making to expand the range of object potentials?

This is an intense making studio, one would even say an ultra-making studio, which includes experimenting with the mediums, modeling forms for production and culminates with actually producing them. In order to do this, we will be testing materials, learning about AM technologies, speculating about the future of these technologies, learning to use slicers and printers, and learning to write our own gcode. Results of this studio are first and foremost enticing material objects, which might be looking at the present, near-future or far future of these technologies as object-making means. Outcomes could include full-scale furniture pieces, consumer products, Grasshopper scripts, printer prototypes, business models and more.

Note: This is a CAD intensive course however it is not a CAD class, and there will be few software demos. Fluency in 3d modeling software (Solidworks, Rhino or the like) is necessary to succeed in this course. Advanced CAD is preferable, but not required.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Is there a right way to design and a wrong way? In this studio, we will explore that question as we forge new paths to creativity by dissecting and rebuilding the design process itself. We will be questioning everything about how we design: purposely doing things “incorrectly”, borrowing approaches from other disciplines and drawing inspiration from other thinkers and makers, whether human, animal or plant. We will then put everything back together and test our newly minted design methodologies by creating new objects.

As a point of departure, we will explore our current design process through three experiments to test how our design process impacts our designs. In the second part of the semester, we will each build a newly constructed design process and then use it to address a concern of our choice through design. Throughout the semester, we will be working in both groups and individually, with inspiration from the Nature Lab, the RISD Museum and a few short readings.

If you want to be partners in your learning, if you are interested in both a bird’s-eye-view of design and hands-on, no-limits experimentation, this is the studio for you!

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This spring the Design for Extreme Environments Studio will consider how to design spacecraft and habitats suitable for extreme environments and long-duration missions, such as those to the Moon or Mars. Students will work in teams, with input from experts at NASA and elsewhere, to provide creative ideation and innovative concepts while helping create the future of space travel.

Designing for the physical, emotional and psychological needs of astronauts may seem like an esoteric challenge but putting people into unfamiliar or highly dangerous surroundings requires an extreme level of attention to design. It is not enough to design technologies, systems, or equipment that function according to basic technical specifications without incorporating the human needs of the users, the people that will interact with them.

Extreme environments create extraordinary challenges to human physiological and psychological existence where common expectations for safety, comfort and performance need to be radically redefined. It is in situations like these that common assumptions no longer hold true and every aspect of a design must be considered in a new context. This questioning of assumptions and awareness of context are crucial for innovation in a wide array of domains.

This studio uses extreme environments as a pedagogical approach to focus design on human needs and interactions, while emphasizing creativity and innovation in tightly constrained situations. The skills, methodologies and knowledge acquired in this studio are applicable in a broad range of domains of which aerospace is just one small subset.

NASA’s Artemis campaign will launch the second Artemis mission this year, possibly during this spring semester. The Artemis II mission will send humans further from Earth than ever before but will not land on the Moon. Future missions, starting with Artemis III will explore the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars.

This studio is funded by a grant from the RI Space Grant Consortium, Michael Lye PI, so there are no lab fees and minimal out of pocket expenses. The grant will cover these costs.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

In 1994 NASA held the first of what became an annual contest for universities, colleges and secondary schools from around the world. The competition, then called the “Great Moonbuggy Race,” was based on the design and engineering hurdles faced by NASA when developing the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle, popularly called the “Moonbuggy”. The rover was first used on the Apollo 15 mission in July of 1971 and additional rovers continued to be used for the final two Apollo missions in 1972. Since then the Rover Challenge has brought together more than 10,000 students from all over the globe to develop new skills and learn more about space exploration, design and engineering.

Organized by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama, the Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) invites student teams to design, fabricate and compete on a lightweight, 2-person, human-powered vehicle, over a course that simulates many of the obstacles on the Moon or Mars. RISD’s first entry into the event, completed during the 2009/2010 academic year achieved remarkable results, finishing in third place in the college division and receiving the “Best Newcomer Award.” That first entry, designed as a part of an Advanced Design Studio, led to the creation of a club-based team – RISD Rover – to support continuing entries into the competition. This studio returns RISD Rover to its roots as a formal part of the curriculum in the ID department.

NASA describes the HERC as, an opportunity “for student teams to design, develop, build, and test human-powered rovers capable of traversing challenging terrain.” “The competition requires two students, at least one female, to use the student-designed vehicle to traverse a course of approximately one half-mile that includes a simulated field of asteroid debris, boulders, erosion ruts, crevasses, and an ancient stream bed. The challenge’s weight and size requirements encourage the rover’s compactness and stowage efficiency.”

This advanced design studio will work alongside the RISD Rover club to create a competition entry for HERC. Students in the studio will learn to design and develop composite structures, learn skills in pattern- and mold-making, discover the ergonomics of human-powered vehicles, design lightweight and efficient structures, work with carbon fiber, foam, aluminum, and other lightweight materials, all while designing an award-winning rover. At the end of the semester, the rover will be tested here at RISD, in preparation for the competition. There will be opportunities for students to travel to the Challenge to the US. Space and Rocket Center and Marshall Space Flight Center in April, to compete against rovers from around the world.Recommended Prerequisites: Good shop skills are important, Metals II is not required but recommended for this class.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This course explores the intersection of industrial design, occupational therapy, and toy innovation by focusing on learning the fundamentals towards the creation of tactile, mobility-supportive toys and action figures. Students will design and prototype toys that promote movement, sensory engagement, problem-solving, and collaboration, drawing inspiration from emerging trends in therapeutic play and evergreen action figure design.

Using CAD software taught in previous courses, students will design and implement fully elements of articulation as seen in action figures and mobility-focused toys, complete with packaging. Through both digital modeling and hands-on fabrication, students will learn to design around three core joint systems: ball-and-socket joints, hinge joints, and slot mechanisms to create moving, opening, and interlocking parts. Emphasis will be placed on integrating standardized hardware to streamline the transition from prototype to pre-manufacturing

Students will gain experience in mold-making from CAD models, using the model shop to create production molds, cast rubber and hard plastics, vacuum-form packages, and develop final packaging design. By the end of the course, each student will produce a pre-production prototype of an articulated toy with a road map to manufacturing & market, complete with professional package concepts and ready for presentation or portfolio.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Chair design is a rite of passage for those interested in the close interplay between form, structure, and comfort. Of all furniture types, chairs most clearly reveal how design decisions affect both the human body and the integrity of construction, inviting a critical understanding of how material and structure shape experience.

During the first half of the semester, students will gain hands-on experience working with a focused material palette to investigate chair design. The studio emphasizes analog methodologies and shop-based exploration. Students will study form, proportion, and ergonomics through full-scale mockups and prototypes - developing a working understanding of structure, joinery, and connection methods along the way.

In the second half of the semester, students will turn their focus to manufacturing and repeatability, refining their designs and building jigs for producing multiples. They will navigate the trade-offs required to move a design from concept to production, learning what must be adjusted or let go to preserve what matters most, and developing a disciplined sense of balance between desired outcomes and producibility.

By the end of the semester, each student will have developed a personal process for designing, refining, and producing chairs that embody structural integrity, comfort, and a distinct form language.

Prerequisite: Wood II or Metals II (must be completed - may not be taken concurrently with this advanced studio).

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

The course incorporates both the development physical and UI/UX design elements combined. The digital transformation and the way people interact with products is currently changing the consumer product landscape and the design opportunities its use brings. During the course students develop ideas that by the end of the course will build high-fidelity prototypes. Some knowledge of 3D modeling software and or UI/UX design software such as Figma or Adobe XD allows students to focus their time on the design subjects they are researching and developing for the course. 3D printing and UI/UX simulations will be iteratively evolved throughout the semester to final prototypes.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

An exploration into form, process, and industry…

Casting is perhaps one of the oldest industrial practices still in use today. The process itself and designing for it have endured from ancient times. The same principles apply - those of draft, parting, flow, and shrinkage. These are the principles that will be covered academically in this studio.

More intuitively, you will investigate form - drawing on history, experience, tactile knowledge, and experience. Putting both academic knowledge and intuitive investigation into practice, you will design and build objects for the industrial cast iron production process. Working within this process will be just as much research, planning and iteration as it will be physical investigation and experimentation of material and form.

Iron will be the material to be cast for reasons of versatility, machinability, established relationships, and primal physical connection. One must not forget that iron is a part of us all. It comes from Space, and there is magic in it... That which comes from the stars runs in our blood, filling our veins. That magic flows within us.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This advanced studio invites students to explore how designed objects shape our everyday rituals of gathering, serving, and sharing. Through the creation of tabletop collections, students will engage in a hands-on, research-driven process that bridges form, function, and lifestyle.

The course begins with an investigation into target users, seasonal events, and market trends to uncover design opportunities. These insights will guide students as they develop their own collection, moving through concept generation, material exploration, and technical refinement. Each project will culminate in a curated “tablescape” that tells a story - visually and functionally - about how the objects relate to one another and the context they’re designed for.

Throughout the course, students will be challenged to develop thoughtful, well-crafted designs that embody long-term usability - encouraging students to create products that are not only beautiful and functional but also built to last. Studio work includes iterative model making, Illustrator-based ideation, and technical drawings to support production.

By the end of the semester, students will have created a refined tabletop collection that reflects strong material fluency, thoughtful storytelling, and a high level of craft.

Note: It is strongly encouraged that students registering for this class have completed ID 2453-XX Wood II or ID 2452-XX Metals II or ADS: Production Ceramics.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This class teaches modern tools and methods for product design and development. The cornerstone is a project in which teams consisting of MIT Sloan MBA students, MIT Engineering students, and RISD Industrial Design students conceive, design, and prototype a physical product.

Project ideas come from the students in the class and are rated for potential. The most promising opportunities will be used to form project teams (on the basis of student interest) for the remainder of the semester. Each team will be allocated a budget for product development. The course is occasionally supported by sponsors, who may suggest one or more project opportunities for your consideration.

The class is jointly taught by MIT and RISD faculty. The first half of each class session will generally be in lecture and discussion format, and the second half will be used for project team meetings and consultation with faculty. Students registering for this class should be prepared to travel at least once a week to the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design