In a Wintersession and spring studio led by Assistant Professor Lothar Windels ’96 ID, 16 undergraduate and graduate students explored new uses for cut crystal in functional furniture pieces and decorative home accents. Aesthetic concerns were balanced by technical factors, with site visits to Swarovski North America headquarters in Cranston, RI to acquaint students with the practical considerations of working with crystal. Swarovski provided all the crystals used in the construction of final prototypes, which were refined and completed following a group critique session.

As a result of the intensive collaboration between inspired young designers and industry experts, 20 prototypes were exhibited in Crystal Connection, the RISD/Swarovski booth at ICFF. Among the intriguing creations on view were a woven wood-and-crystal floor mat by senior Heidi Cho; a paper bowl with embedded crystals by junior Chris Tolles; and a soft silicone hanging lamp with crystal glaze surface treatment by graduate student Ann Adams. Junior James Lear’s lighting solution was a pole lamp with illuminated crystal components, while senior Maria Gmuca used crystals to adorn a lacquered extruded chair.

By building on shared expertise and posing challenging new questions, the partnership between Swarovski and RISD was a tremendous success for everyone involved. While Furniture Design students benefited from the experience of developing pieces according to the highest industry standards, Swarovski enjoyed the opportunity to “tap into the design talent of the future,” explained Reinhard Mackinger, the company’s executive vice president of operations for North America and Mexico. “We have learned that when given inspiring materials and full artistic freedom, there is no limit to the creative solutions that students can come up with.”