A talented array of up-and-coming designers and innovators were represented at the recent ICFF 2019 show in New York City, thanks to the show’s focus on stellar college student exhibitions.
During this season’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair, the House Tipster Industry team spoke with University of Oregon professor Erdem Selek to hear all about the latest student work making waves.
“We specialize in product design and sports products,” Selek said of the Eugene-based program. “In total [here], we have 17 different projects from 17 different students, ranging from furniture to household items [and] small objects, such as induction chargers, a laundry basket, and more.”
The students represented during this showcase include Mikey Trueherz, Jess Park, Zining Chen, Eleanor Strand, Min Che Lu, Angela Chen, Jeff Whitaker, Weilin Tao, Elijah Nguyen, Malia Thomas, Masaru Kiyota, Jingfan Shi, RJ Stevens, and Tyler Wilkinson. Each creator worked with a different material or product goal in mind.
“We try to experiment with different materials as much as possible,” Selek shared about the variety on display. “We use felt, or Douglas fir – a native in Oregon – or sheet steel.”
The University of Oregon Product Design program has a variety of instructors at the helm to foster talents across disciplines, which is why everything from lighting to clothing and shelving was on display during ICFF.
“As professors, we are specialized in different areas. We have faculty who specialize in furniture and woodwork, or metalsmithing or soft goods,” he said. “In that sense, we try to help students to realize their ideas.”
In today’s changing times, the program’s goal is to keep students in tune with the materials they have at their disposal.
“The generation has changed, everything has become digital. So we try to encourage hands-on experience,” he said. “So ICFF was a good place to showcase our craftsmanship skills. We thought it was a nice environment to be with other schools.”
More student profiles from this ICFF season are coming soon to House Tipster Industry, so make sure to keep an eye out!
