At Northern Michigan University (NMU), the human-centered design program partnered with longtime Menominee, Michigan, manufacturer Lloyd Flanders to develop concepts for contemporary woven furniture that might appeal to younger consumers. Students gained valuable experience working for a real-world client and tempering their creativity with the constraints of available materials, production methods, and labor costs. Company officials appreciated the fresh perspective and imaginative uses for the trademarked wicker material, which is woven on the original 1917 Lloyd loom and hand stretched over frames of aluminum tubing.

Students presented their final designs at the company in December 2013. They received constructive feedback on aesthetic value, practicality, and manufacturing potential. Lloyd Flanders will select three to fine tune for its display at the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™. The pieces might also be shown at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, New York.

Peter Pless, NMU art and design professor, says, “This project allowed students to move outside the comfort zone of their campus studio. They had to create not just stylized objects, but pieces that incorporated functionality, human behavior, and ergonomics. To draw a design is one thing. To do computer modeling of a design is another. When you add the unique requirements of mass production, versus a custom piece, and working on a client’s terms, instead of their own, it challenges their sensibilities.”

Dudley Flanders, CEO of Lloyd Flanders, notes that the company launched an aggressive program to develop contemporary, smaller-scale, urban/hip-looking furniture targeting younger professionals. “We were eager to see how college students would approach design using our materials, and we hope to broaden their interest in manufacturing,” he says. “We were thrilled to work with NMU because we consider ourselves very much a part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and appreciate the opportunity to foster that U.P. spirit. The progression from the students’ early designs to functional and potentially marketable products was incredible.”