Design West Michigan
+ Advocacy for design as an economic building block
+ Build/connect a creative community
+ Promote region as ‘Design Centric’
+ Help attract and retain design focused companies and designers
Design and the Economy
+ Design alone does not ensure economic growth, but without design
there can be no economic growth
+ Most major new design trends have come from economic struggles,
defining and meeting unmet needs and/or wars.
West Michigan is Design Centric
+ Higher number of industrial designers than other areas of U.S.
+ More packaging designers than other areas
+ Significant number of graphic designers
+ Growing number of digital interactive designers
+ Over 1,000 designers members of DWM
Michigan as a Design/Innovation Center
With the design and innovations from just the automotive and office
furniture industries, Michigan has more greatly influenced the way
people live and work than any other state.
Talking about Design
+ Understanding design depends on the exposure one’s had to designers and
design thinking
+ Design is a noun, a verb, a process
+ It is not about just making something pretty
+ It is not the purvue of a select few
+ It is an intangible asset, hard to measure
Difference Between Art & Design:
Art is about self expression
Design is about serving others
Relationship Between Innovation & Design
Dental Floss
Design & Styling
Good Design Makes a Market Vs Responding to
a Market
Issues in U.S./North America
• The two words that kill any new design and
innovation are; “Prove It”
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Roger Martin, Dean University of Toronto’s Rotman
School of Business
(Econ Club talk available on DWM web-site)
Whirlpool Duet Case study (DWM web-site)
Haworth HQ Case study (DWM web-site)
Landscape Forms Case study (DWM web-site)
www.designwestmichigan.com
So What?, Why promote Design?
Design Education in U.S.
Design Education in China
Design’s Importance to Business/Economy
“The dumbest mistake is viewing design as
something you do at the end of the process to
‘tidy up’ the mess, as opposed to understanding
that it’s a ‘day one’ issue and part of everything.”
— Tom Peters, author “In Search of Excellence”
“….design thinking converts need into demand”
— Peter Drucker
3 Major Regions for Industrial Design*
*www.coroflot.com
Rich with Design Experience
Historically Known for…
+ Automotive
+ Furniture
Other areas of Expertise…
+ Medical Design
+ Home Appliances
+ Housewares
+ Consumer Goods
+ Apparel
+ Consumer Electronics
Award Winning Design Studios
Sunberg Ferar
The New North
Fredricks Design
Tiger Studio
PTI Design
TWISThink
Thinklabs Design
and many more…
Industrial Design
Multiple Firms
Stryker System 7
Industrial Design
Multiple Corporations
Fertile Ground for Design Development
Engineering
87,000 Engineers
Prototyping & Manufacturing
14,000 Manufacturing sites
75,000 Skilled Tradespeople
Growing New Design Talent
Design Schools
Kendall College of Art & Design
College for Creative Studies
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Far Reaching Impact
Brand & Experience Design
Communication / Experience / Interaction
Award Winning Firms
Auxiliary Advertising
Brightly Studio
Conduit Studios
Cynergy Systems
Extra Credit Projects
Mr. & Mrs
Square One Design
The Forest
Visualhero Design
People Design
Universal Mind
Human-Centered Design
Multiple Firms
Amway - Research
Healthcare
Apple Retail
Design Research/
Graphic Design
User Experience
InnovationOpportunities
Herman Miller – Customer Development
Graphic Design
Multiple Firms
Apple Retail
User Experience
Universal Mind – Print Brochure
Joe Coffee - Packaging
Hudsonville Ice Cream – Website
Branding
Multiple Firms
Apple Retail
User Experience
Art Prize – Logo, Business Systems
x-rite – Logo, Identity
Interaction Design
Multiple Firms
Healthcare
Apple Retail
Design Research/
Graphic Design
User Experience
Schoolview - Data Application
Wolverine – Ecommerce Website
Architectural Design
Community Based Projects / Corporate Commitment / Revitalization
Local | Regional | National Award Winning Firms
AMDG Architects
C2AE
Concept Design
Cornerstone Architects
Elevate Studio
FTC&H
GMB Architecture + Engineering
Inter Active Studios
Integrated Architecture
Issac V Norris & Associates
Lott3 Metz Architecture
Lucid Architecture
Progressive AE
Tower Pinkster
Via Design
Community Based Projects
GRAM | Rosa Parks Circle
GRAM entry facing Rosa Parks Circle
Winter ice-skating
Free summer concerts
Community Based Projects
The Rapid | Downtown Market
The Rapid Operations Center
record setting 11.9 million rides in 2011
Grand Action Downtown Market
year-round indoor/outdoor marketplace
Grand Action Downtown Market
supports local famers and independent businesses
Community Based Projects
John Ball Zoo | Bissell Treehouse
Overlooking downtown Grand Rapids
Situated on one of Grand Rapids highest points
Interior space open for retreats, banquets, weddings
Idema Funicular
Corporate Commitment
Steelcase | WorkLab
Former warehouse opened up to campus
Test environment for new product
Connection to industrial designers space
Corporate Commitment
Steelcase | WorkCafe
Work Café stairs from lobby
Informal meeting areas
Outdoor lounge areas
Corporate Commitment
Gordon Foods | Headquarters
Headquarters site
Welcome / values / legacy area
Lounge / meeting areas
Corporate Commitment
Grid 70
Creative talent from 6 major corporations – Meijer, Amway, Steelcase, Pennant Health, Wolverine World Wide, and Process Automation Concepts
Revitalization
Grand Rapids Brewing | Founders Brewing | Brewery Vivant
First USDA Organic Brewery in Michigan | GRBC
26 million expansion underway | Founders
First LEED Certified Brewery in US | Brewery Vivant
Testimonial
“Newell Rubbermaid is excited to be moving our design
group into the Kalamazoo area. We know of and
embrace the Design Centric nature of West Michigan
and look forward to being an active participant in the
design future of the region”.
Chuck Jones, EVP, Chief Design and Technology Officer
Questions?
Thank You