Form and Composition

As part of my master’s program in Design and Innovation at the Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University (SMU), I completed a course titled Form and Composition. This course was centered around the foundational principles of industrial and product design, emphasizing the relationship between form, function, and user experience.

Throughout the semester, I gained hands-on experience with both additive and subtractive manufacturing methods. In additive manufacturing, I used 3D printing technologies to prototype and fabricate complex geometries. In subtractive manufacturing, I worked with laser cutting and traditional woodworking techniques to sculpt and assemble physical products with precision.

The course challenged students to explore how materials, scale, ergonomics, and aesthetics interact in product creation. Major projects included building IKEA-style chairs designed for both functionality and flat-pack shipping, crafting birdhouses tailored to specific user personas through human-centered design methods, and recreating iconic lamps originally designed by renowned architects and industrial designers.

This experience deepened my understanding of design constraints, manufacturing processes, and the iterative nature of prototyping, while also strengthening my ability to translate abstract design concepts into tangible, user-centered products.