Industrial Design Studios
MassArt’s Industrial Design studios offer dedicated spaces, 3D printers, model shops, and advanced fabrication labs for hands-on learning.
Learn MoreThe Industrial Design Department at MassArt prepares students to create thoughtful, useful products and experiences. Students learn through research, problem-solving, prototyping, and hands-on design.
Meet our Industrial Design faculty and department staff:
Brian Ferreira, '25 BFA, Industrial Design
Sam: Health Monitoring, 3D Modeled Render, 2023
Kurt Kindermann, '24 BFA, Industrial Design
8C Espresso Machine, Keyshot Rendering, 2023
Industrial Design students have access to our Auxiliary Fabrication Studio, Model Shop, and a studio space within a collaborative work environment.
The Industrial Design studios, located on the tenth floor of the Tower building, are well-equipped with resources that mimic a professional workspace, giving our students a hands-on learning experience. Here are some of the primary resources you will use:
- Dedicated Studio Space: Each student gets their own studio space, a place to work independently that also encourages collaboration and teamwork.
- Classroom-Studio Integration: Many classes are taught right in the studio, providing a real-world work environment experience.
- Computer Lab: Our computer lab is equipped with industry-standard computers and the latest design software. These computers are connected to Cintiq computer drawing screens, allowing students to work digitally, a critical skill in modern design.
- 3D Printers: We have six 3D printers for rapid prototyping, allowing students to bring their digital designs to life and experiment with different ideas.
- Model Shop: This is where students can build physical prototypes of their designs, learning to work with various materials.
- Soft Goods Development Area: This space is dedicated to projects involving fabrics and soft materials, providing students with a wide range of design possibilities.
- All-School Workshop and Fabrication Labs: These facilities offer advanced manufacturing technologies like laser printing, water jet printing, CNC milling, and plasma cutting. Students can experiment with different materials and techniques, which is essential for their growth as versatile designers.
With these resources, you will be well-prepared for success in the professional world, with practical skills and hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools and technologies used in the industry.
The Industrial Design studios include spaces dedicated to fabrication and modeling.
Check out What Our Students are Making
Alice Sowa, BFA ’21, Industrial Design
Glacial Bio-Pottery, Ash, gelatin, and eggshell biomaterial slip-cast pottery, 2023
Olivia Foss, BFA ’24, Glass
Coral Light, Colorful blown glass murini pairings illuminated from below, 2024
Brian Ferreira, ’25 BFA, Industrial Design
Splash Temp, Rendering, 2024
Brian Ferreira, ’25 BFA, Industrial Design
Sam: Health Monitoring, 3D Modeled Render, 2023
Kurt Kindermann, ’24 BFA, Industrial Design
8C Espresso Machine, Keyshot Rendering, 2023
Lucas Gruner, BFA ’23, Industrial Design
Citymapper Kiosk, Render, 2020
Calder McKay, BFA ’20, Industrial Design
Rotating Bench, Furniture, 2019
Farid Mokarimanshadi, BFA ’19, Industrial Design
FORALL, Furniture, 2019
Farid Mokarimanshadi, BFA ’19, Industrial Design
DOPA, Furniture, 2019
Farid Mokarimanshadi, BFA ’19, Industrial Design
Sidebed Drawer, Furniture, 2019
Austin Robichaud, BFA ’21, Industrial Design
Fluid Salt and Pepper Shakers, Object, 2019
Sam Kim, BFA ’18, Ceramics, Industrial Design
Symmetry, Sculpture, 2019
Adam Smith, Certificate ’18, Industrial Design
Braun Bluetooth Speaker, Model, 2016
Alexander Bandazian, Certificate ’15, Industrial Design
Sunshower Light Therapy, Model, 2015
Elena Talleos, BFA ’16, Industrial Design
Reciprocating Power Saw, Model, 2015
Hali Graber, BFA ’17, Industrial Design
Redesign of Powered Handsaw, Model, 2016
Chloe Derraugh, BFA ’17, Industrial Design
Orthopedic Saw, Model, 2016
Aiden Budnick
Administrative Assistant II, AnimationLars Fischer
Professor, Industrial Design
Michael Le
Visiting Lecturer, Industrial DesignNeil Madramootoo
Adjunct Professor, Industrial Design
Yolanda McLean
Administrative Assistant, Design DepartmentsAnnie Meyer
Furniture Design Certificate Program Director
James Read
Chair, Professor, Industrial Design
Heather Reavey
Associate Professor, Industrial DesignDive into the exciting world of Industrial Design at MassArt, where your ideas can spark innovation and change lives.
Location: On Campus (Boston)
Format: In-person, Full Time
Length of Program: 4 years
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design
In the Industrial Design BFA program, we’re dedicated to nurturing holistic, human-centered designers. We invite you to become a problem-solver who blends artistry with functionality.
You’ll build a strong foundation in skills like concept sketching, rendering, and prototyping, and gain experience with computer-aided design (CAD). You’ll also explore materials, manufacturing processes, ergonomics, and sustainability—ensuring your designs are functional, thoughtful, and ready for the real world.
Here, you’ll not only develop your design abilities but also gain the confidence to shape a better future.
MassArt Industrial Design students showcase their innovative projects at the annual Spring ID Show and Awards, open to all.
Industrial Design student product work.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll learn to sketch, prototype, and create products that enhance everyday experiences, all while focusing on the needs of real people around the world. Engage in hands-on projects that address pressing societal needs, from sustainable solutions to intuitive consumer products.
Through collaborations with industry professionals and alumni, you’ll learn how to communicate your ideas clearly, incorporate feedback into your work, and develop solutions that meet real-world needs. Our partnerships with leading organizations across Greater Boston give you hands-on opportunities to apply your skills, expand your network, and better understand the many paths within industrial design.
A cornerstone of the program is your Senior Thesis—a two-semester capstone that allows you to dive deeply into your interests and develop innovative, self-directed work that reflects your creative and professional goals.
BFA Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the Industrial Design BFA program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes, which are necessary and part of successful entry into professional design practice.
- The history of industrial design, including the influence of various works and ideas on the evolution of design study and practice over time and across cultures.
- User experience, human factors, applied ergonomics, contextual inquiry, user preference studies, and usability assessments.
- How the products and systems you design are developed, realized, and distributed; what makes them valuable; and how they’re related to environmental and societal issues and responsible design.
- Professional design practices and processes, including ethical behaviors and intellectual property issues such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
- Basic business practices and their relationship to industrial design as well as the ability to investigate and reconcile needs related to entrepreneurship, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, servicing, and ecological and social responsibility in the process associated with specific design projects.
- Designing products and experiences that perform specific tasks and solve predetermined problems.
- Using technologies and tools associated with multi-dimensional design representation, development, dissemination, and application.
- Researching, defining, and communicating about problems, variables, and requirements in the design process; conceptualizing and evaluating alternatives; and testing and refining solutions, including the ability to synthesize user needs in terms of value, aesthetics, and safety.
- Communicating concepts and specifications in verbal, written, and multiple media at levels ranging from abstraction and sketches to detailed multi-dimensional, functional, and visual representations.Collaborating and working effectively in interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary teams.
- Field research and experience
- Internships
- Collaborative programs with professional and industry groups
- International experiences
Career Outcomes
You’ll leave MassArt not only with hands-on design and technical skills, but also the confidence to present your ideas, communicate their value, and make your work matter in professional settings.
MassArt’s industrial design program graduates are making an impact shaping products, services, and experiences at top brands across a wide range of industries.
Career Paths
Product Designer, UX/UI Designer, Industrial Designer, Sustainability Designer, Furniture Designer, Exhibit Designer, Interaction Designer, Prototyping Specialist, 3D Modeler
Internships
Bose Corporation, Hasbro, Shark Ninja, TJX Companies, Inc., TOMY, Vibram, Signify, AVI Boston, Invention City, MCGARRY & Sons, Infra Boston, and more.
Alumni Employers
New Balance, Nike, Google, Bose, Shark Ninja, Reebok, and Apple, Microsoft, Hasbro, Bose Corporation, Stanley Black & Decker, among others.
Farid Mokarimanshadi, BFA ’19, Industrial Design
FORALL, Furniture, 2019
Alexander Bandazian, Certificate ’15, Industrial Design
Sunshower Light Therapy, Model, 2015
Kurt Kindermann, ’24 BFA, Industrial Design
8C Espresso Machine, Keyshot Rendering, 2023
Learn how to transform your innovative design ideas into real-world products and experiences.
As an Industrial Design student, you won’t just learn how to design products—you’ll learn how to design with purpose. You’ll explore how art, engineering, design, and business come together to create solutions that are functional, beautiful, and grounded in real human needs. You’ll sharpen your product design and concept development skills while also thinking about how your ideas can be manufactured, brought to market, and made sustainably.
Along the way, you’ll create work that doesn’t just solve problems, but also improves the way people live, work, and interact with the world.
Brian Ferreira, ’25 BFA, Industrial Design
Splash Temp, Rendering, 2024
Kurt Kindermann, ’24 BFA, Industrial Design
8C Espresso Machine, Keyshot Rendering, 2023
Lucas Gruner, BFA ’23, Industrial Design
Citymapper Kiosk, Render, 2020
In our program, students are not just trained in practical design skills; they also engage in forward-thinking discussions about social and environmental impacts.James Read Chair and Professor, Industrial Design
Heather Reavey
Associate Professor, Industrial Design- Faculty
Industrial Design Studios
MassArt’s Industrial Design studios offer dedicated spaces, 3D printers, model shops, and advanced fabrication labs for hands-on learning.
Learn More18 UNIQUE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS. A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY.
Lucas Gruner, BFA '23, Industrial Design
Citymapper Kiosk, Render, 2020
All MassArt news
A stitch in time: Norwell man makes baseballs the old-fashioned way
- Alumni in the News
- MassArt in the Media
- Industrial Design
MassArt alum William Peebles (BFA, Industrial Design) is the founder, artist and sole employee of the Huntington Base Ball Co., a producer of handmade baseballs, bats, leather wallets, scorebooks and wall art. He’s one of the few − if not the only − small makers of such equipment left in the country, and he does it all out of his Grove Street garage in Norwell, MA.
It takes him, on average, 45 minutes to make a single ball, and that’s after almost 12 years of getting it down to an exact science. Peebles majored in industrial design and worked designing home goods. With the help of a friend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he took a chance and launched his company, named for Huntington Avenue in Boston − the street MassArt is on.
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All MassArt news
Tiny Furniture Isn’t Just for Dollhouses Anymore
- Alumni in the News
- MassArt in the Media
- Industrial Design
“For artists and designers accustomed to considering both form and function, working in miniature affords outsize opportunities for experimentation.”
“To (Gustavo) Barroso, 27, (’18, BFA, Industrial Design) producing scaled-down models of his irreverent limited-edition and one-of-a-kind furniture is a way to reach a wider audience. “I can’t even afford the stuff I make,” says the designer, who graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2019. He’s trying to bring the price of his Nickelodeon-inspired Green Slime chair down from $2,500 for the original to $250 for a small 3-D-printed version, and refers to the tiny, oozy chairs as toys or collectibles, hoping the approach will appeal to people who don’t consider themselves furniture buffs. “As soon as something has function, it becomes design, not art,” he says. “This isn’t about design. The chair was already solved. This is about art and acknowledging our own human redundancies and ridiculousness.””
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