Contract Magazine - May 2019 - 91

The Conversation Rug by Dee Clements will be
part of Cranbrook's ICFF exhibition, called
"Design Mutations" (left). Modules in the
Rochester Institute of Technology's installation,
called "Units of Memory: Foodease," will
highlight kitchen work zones demonstrating
universality and flexibility for improved user
experience and functionality (middle). This
table was designed by a student who will be
exhibiting as part of San Diego State
University's booth (right).

Cranbrook
Cranbrook's ICFF exhibition will be titled "Design
Mutations" and will feature the work of the school's
graduate 3D Design students.
"At Cranbrook, a new generation of designers
see through trans-disciplinary eyes," says Scott
Klinker, 3D designer-in-residence, head of 3D design,
Cranbrook. "Old categories of design, art, and craft
interbreed to form new mutations that are comfortable
in their in-between-ness."
This method has been part of Cranbrook's DNA
from the start, when midcentury designers like Eames,
Saarinen, Bertoia, and Knoll borrowed hands-on craft
methods and contemporary art practices to revise the
"machine aesthetic" of the Bauhaus into a more organic,
human vision of Modernism, according to Klinker.
Today, he believes young designers find their own
way to remix language and materials, like a creative
science, speaking to a conceptual landscape that
accepts complexity.
"They've grown up in a networked world," says
Klinker, describing today's generation of designers.
"These 'digital natives' are comfortable with social
media, e-commerce, digital fabrication-all powerful
new platforms that have changed the game for how
designers make and distribute work. They experiment
with new models of practice afforded by the network,
including self-production, small-batch production,
collectible design, and other models." His hope is
that these experiments will produce new ideas with
an intelligence and beauty that go beyond the limits
of "mass" design.
Klinker believes ICFF is an important learning
moment. "It is a platform for young designers to learn
about how to navigate the industry and the profession,"
he says. "By exhibiting, they learn about professional
presentation, promoting their work, and networking
with industry: essential skills for building a career path."
In line with a Cranbrook tradition, there will be
a strong emphasis on experimentation at the school's
exhibition. "We invite all ICFF attendees to explore
the work and learn more the questions that drive
our students," Klinker says.

Rochester Institute of Technology

San Diego State University

"For all of us in design, ICFF is the premiere event
San Diego State University's (SDSU) booth will be
in North America for collectively exploring emerging
entitled "Migrations: SDSU and the traveling object."
and innovative design expressions," says Mary Golden, The students' goal is to consider travel, migration,
assistant professor and program chair, RIT interior
pilgrimage, and generally living a transient lifestyle
design. "It is particularly important for students to
for one reason or another in an uncertain time,
attend this professional venue as they are introduced
through how we relate to functional, personal,
to not only the very best in design, but also incredible
and sentimental objects.
networking and business opportunities."
"Our booth will be presented as a sort of pop-up,
Golden believes the international nature
using the language of street vendors, peddlers, and
of the show exposes students to varied lenses for
craft sellers to display small runs of unique works,"
approaching design, and for many, the experience
says Adam John Manley, assistant professor of furniture
provides a jump start to their careers or inspires
design and woodworking, SDSU.
their educational activities and vision for the future.
Each student will present their wares in a found
This year, the RIT Interior Design and Industrial
piece of luggage that will be displayed atop a custom
Design installation at ICFF, called "Units of Memory:
suitcase stand. This is intended to hint at a temporary
Foodease," will be a dynamic illustration of collaboration or itinerant lifestyle: a reliance on making and
and ingenuity between two complementary fields.
displaying to get by, an impermanence of place that
"Together we have created a design build
is becoming so common amongst people all over the
approach that enables our vision to seamlessly flow
world for a variety of reasons.
from design drawing to the manufacturing floor, thus
As a program focused on pairing conceptual
producing a high quality, affordable product efficiently," development with craft, design, and functionality,
Golden says.
Manley says they felt that it was culturally pertinent
ICFF attendees will experience an interactive
to explore how people come and go, what they take
expression of human-centered design that pushes
with them, how furniture fits into that lifestyle, and
the boundaries on how people ordinarily think and
how objects in general can help people maintain some
experience the tactile process of cooking. The booth
sort of stability in uncertain times. "As Californians
will be curated with three resets over the course of
in a field which has found its hubs far from where we
each day to reflect varied cooking and social scenarios are located, our very presence at ICFF feels like a sort
to showcase the flexible, universal design features.
of pilgrimage: like nomads, wandering east every few
Modules in the installation will highlight kitchen
years to display our wares. Our booth's theme hopes
work zones for cooking, cleaning, and preparation,
to highlight how people come and go and the role
demonstrating universality and flexibility for improved of objects, both functional and non, in that constant
user experience and functionality.
shift from place to place," he says.
"Cooking experiences create the memories
Each student will present their own take on
of our family traditions and social experiences," Golden these ideas with individual displays based on the
says. "At its best, cooking is inclusive, participatory,
student's personal experiences with impermanence,
and highly functional. Our installation eliminates the
uncertainty, dislocation, acceptance, and home.
boundaries of walls and the confines of space by
"We are very excited to showcase this meaningful
placing emphasis on human interaction, which we
and pertinent work at ICFF this year," Manley says.
at RIT believe to be the future of design."

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