Vikram Kalidindi
Vikram Kalidindi
Merel Noorlander
Merel Noorlander
Vikram Kalidindi
Vikram Kalidindi

Department Philosophy

The newest program at the Academy, the 4D Design department is an experimental studio where creativity and technology meet.

Department Philosophy

The newest program at the Academy, the 4D Design department is an experimental studio where creativity and technology meet.

The department explores the myriad ways that the physical world around us has become infused with an undercurrent of flowing data, turning everyday experiences into connected, feedback-driven interactions that are transforming every aspect of culture and society.

We build on Cranbrook’s legacy of exploratory design activities while redefining craft to encompass a broad range of outcomes including interactive objects, projected images, embedded electronics, applied robotics, computer-controlled machining, 3D printing, and mixed reality environments.

We work with form, code, and electronics to explore work that manifests in sound, light, and movement.

Department Philosophy

We are designers, activists, artists, authors and entrepreneurs.

Department Philosophy

Cryptid, Michael Candy

Department Philosophy

We are designers, activists, artists, authors and entrepreneurs.

We know that future solutions can only be understood through real-time, physical, interactive experiences and value the importance of hands-on making to push ideas forward through iterative, prototyped experiences. Our practice spans a variety of scales, both in its presence as well as its production, morphing easily from a handheld device to a room-sized installation to a digitally-distributed, locally manufactured product. We are designers, activists, artists, authors, and entrepreneurs.

Though relatively new as a field, the impact of 4D Design is profound. While the future may be here in terms of technological advances, it will take a new generation of well-educated and sophisticated designers to weave that technology into the world that we want for ourselves and future generations. Cranbrook 4D students will be perfectly positioned to lead the way through thoughtful, responsible, and compassionate design exploration.

Program

The 4D studio culture is defined by hacking, making, coding, and obsessive tinkering.

Program

The 4D studio culture is defined by hacking, making, coding, and obsessive tinkering.

Students will advance their knowledge through passionate research, active prototype creation and iteration and strategic alliances with experts and sources of inspiration. As with the other disciplines in the Academy, the core program activity centers around studio-based projects with an emphasis on developing an individual body of work. Students delve deeply into a personal area of interest while engaging with other members of their cohort to collectively fuel knowledge through ongoing dialogue and regularly scheduled critique. In addition to the program-specific critiques, students will participate in Academy-wide reviews. 4D designers will also serve as disciplinary ambassadors by welcoming alliances that can benefit ambitious projects while matching their own educational goals.

4D Design

4D students build upon the following areas of exploration:

  • 1. Dynamic product behaviors
  • 2. Machine learning
  • 3. Expressive coding
  • 4. Systems visualization
  • 5. Embedded electronics and applied robotics
  • 6. Connected devices and product ecosystems
  • 7. Augmented, virtual and mixed reality
  • 8. Voice control and conversational interfaces
  • 9. 3D printing and material creation
  • 10. Biometrics, prosthetics, and augmentation
  • 11. Telepresence and avatars

Student Work

Student Work
Chris Kay, 2022
Student Work
Leo Gong, 2022
Student Work
Merel Noorlander, 2022
Student Work
Chris Kay, 2022
Student Work
Steve Kuypers, 2021
APPLY NOW

We are designers, activists, artists, authors and entrepreneurs.

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