Industrial Design Community Engagement

Figures sitting on red chairs

Our Design Department believes that design is more than just aesthetics; it’s also the ability to apply what they learn in the classroom in order to better their communities, not only as designers, but as global citizens. Our Industrial Design students often help out with community outreach programs and city planning groups to apply their design knowledge in a meaningful way. Listed below are some of the partnerships our Industrial Design students were able to take part in as designers to community improvement.

  • Designing Forward—Students from local high school Cristo Rey attended a design thinking workshop that was facilitated by SJSU students and faculty.  |  2017

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  • Spartan Keyes Community collaboration with Urban Planning (Prof. Kos URBP 203) and CommUniverCity—Developed prototype concepts to address issues of safety, lighting, way finding, history, and activation in Spartan Keyes.  |  2013
  • IKEA Urban Homesteading project—Students volunteered for various urban garden projects around San Jose.  |  2014
  • Rails to Trails Community collaboration with Urban Planning—Workshop to develop concepts for the rail train project from Wastonville, CA to Davenport, CA.  |  2016
  • Fountain Alley Community collaboration with Downtown Streets Team, Local Color, and CommUniverCity—Worked with community planning group and community members to develop prototype concepts to activate Fountain Alley.  |  2017
  • Simple Limb Initiative, Prosthetic Solutions, and Mahavir-Kmina—Simple Limb Initiative, Prosthetic Solutions, and Mahavir-Kmina.  |  2013–16
  • San Jose Children’s Discovery Museum—Students designed seating to enhance social interaction for visitors of the museum.  |  2018