Off to the Big Apple! Taking their designs to International Fair in NY

Tec students will exhibit contemporary industrial design prototypes inspired by plants and made from cardboard at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York.

In total, 44 designs created by Monterrey campus students will be exhibited at the event, considered the most important contemporary design fair in the world, held at the Javits Center in New York between May 21 and 23.

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) is recognized globally for the presentation of original designs and innovations in various markets.

The 44 prototypes that will be exhibited at the event were created as the result of a workshop given by renowned industrial designer Henry Julier, which took place at the Monterrey campus last March.

“All the students used cardboard to create a full-scale mock-up of their design; this allowed them to quickly and accurately create shapes,” shared Henry Julier.

“Students need to think about the viability of their design while they work, even if it’s made of cardboard.” - Henry Julier

Students created prototypes of chairs, tables, lamps, and vases based on plants during this activity.

“The goal of the workshop was to develop a really solid design concept,” said Julier.

Henry Julier stands out for his focus on design as a tool for solving problems and improving connections between people and products.

This year’s participation means that Tec de Monterrey has exhibited student-designed prototypes at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) for the last 4 years.

“It was an exercise in synthesis, in understanding how we can generate maximum expression from only the most essential concepts,” said Jorge Diego Etienne, national director of the Tec’s undergraduate degree in Industrial Design.

Designing with cardboard

Henry Julier explained that using cardboard enabled everyone to work with the same material, thereby leveling the playing field for presenting their designs.

“Students need to think about the viability of their design and the time they’re taking while they work, even if it’s made of cardboard,” he said.

In order to participate in the workshop, interested students had to submit an essay about the importance of nature to their lives and how it motivates them when designing.

“My design started with holding a flower; I had to reduce the concept until it looked very simple.

“Henry Julier’s words helped me a lot, especially when he told me that it’s okay for it to appear simple, even if it’s not,” said Patricio Rocha, an Industrial Design student at the Monterrey campus.

With information from Deborah Ramírez

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