SEED Overview

Through special projects, joint ventures, lectures and educational resources, students will involve themselves with relevant design projects that impact our world. It is the intention of the SEED initiative that students are capable of developing strategies, concepts and brand identities that not only affect our environment, but the economy as well. SEED was designed with a multifaceted paradigm in order to enhance the relationship between the School of Art & Design and the community within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and beyond. The Studio for Experimental & Eco Design is intended to function as an educational resource as well as collective design consultancy that address the needs and requests of the community through proposed service projects.

SEED Vision:

• Provide design consultation to the community through Service
  Learning Projects.
  
• Create a Research and Development resource for the community.
• Develop a lecture series with prominent designers, design directors and entrepreneurs.
• Develop a new paradigm within design and production that focuses on innovative and sustainable solutions for the Twenty First century. Provide students with the necessary technological equipment in order to experiment with new modes of design.
• Facilitate design/business/technology with focused instruction in areas of research, and entrepreneurial activity that emphasizes innovation and provides a resource that supports established businesses and startups of the region.
• Facilitate a design-enhanced business and manufacturing incubator to make the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan a nationally recognized center.
• Partner with public and private institutions of higher education, industry, and professional organizations to create initiatives that generate entrepreneurial activity, business development, and jobs. Develop an awareness of the impact that design creates within culture.
  

Why Design?

Design has traditionally been thought of as a process of form giving for products and environments. However, a good design can offer more that aesthetics, it can transform the way in which we lead our lives and navigate our future environment in a positive direction. Through design, we are able to utilize a creative process of concept development in combination with research and technology in order to deliver inspiring solutions that are suitable to the objective.

Director Bio:

Peter J Pless received his BFA in Product Design from Northern Michigan University in 2000 followed by his studies at Cranbrook Academy of Art receiving his Masters Degree in 3D Design in 2002. Upon completion of his MFA, Peter has worked throughout the United States for Scott Klinker Product Design, Blu Dot and Marmol Radziner and Associates. In 2005, Peter was hired as a professor in the School of Art & Design at Northern Michigan University where he developed the Human Centered Design program. Under his direction, the students of the Human-Centered Design program have received recognition in numerous international design competitions. In 2008, the studio for Experimental and Eco Design was developed by Peter to develop an outreach between the students, the design community, regional businesses and potential entrepreneurs.

Service Projects and General Inquiries/
Application Downloads:

If you have a need for design consultation that you would like to see further developed or any other general questions, please contact Peter Pless at (906) 227-2104 or e-mail ppless@nmu.edu.

Please see the basic procedures of our service projects below.

• Complete application form that describes the nature of the project
• Upon approval, the brief will be presented to students
• Students will develop a initial concepts based on the criteria of project as well as their findings through research
• Specific concepts will be further revised and developed into finalized designs and prototypes and/or models
• Final presentation to client

Application PDF coming soon!