Better spaces: Tec and UIC designing the home office

Tec Guadalajara students are participating in the Product Design, Strategic Design, and Research Collaborative Program, a multicultural design project focused on creating suitable spaces for working from home (home office).

The proposal came about from identifying people’s need to have suitable places for work activities at home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eighth semester students from the Industrial Design (LDI) degree course at the campus volunteered to participate by working in the Wood Laboratory.

Thanks to a prior academic agreement, they were also able to work in remote collaboration with students from the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The home office: a new area of opportunity

As Claudio Monterrubio, a professor at the Tec’s School of Architecture, Art, and Design (EAAD), explained, “The objective of the project is for students to explore this new area of opportunity.

“They will also attempt to meet the new needs arising from working from home and workplaces in new spaces, whilst participating in a multicultural professional experience.”

“The students are putting into practice the skills they’ve developed in class. They’re learning to produce high quality work remotely, with real companies and on an international level."

The project is taking place through virtual sessions during the February-June 2021 semester and is linked to the Product and Systems Design II and Work Placement Project subjects.

“The students have developed skills in decision-making, problem solving, leadership, market research, and strategic and sustainable design,” said Monterrubio.

Home office design

Students’ proposals included aspects of new uses for spaces, such as:

1. Design based on circular economy processes
2. Spaces for online education of children
3. Practical products that can be easily assembled
4. Efficient design that takes up the least amount of space possible

The EAAD also worked in tandem with design companies Interior Innovation, from New York, and VERSA, from Guadalajara, who acted as consultants and evaluators (training partners).

VERSA selected 3 project concepts to produce as prototypes based on their commercial feasibility and good design.

In addition, Tec students will work on the development of 2 full-scale prototypes in order to develop their technical and manufacturing skills.

“It’s been a good opportunity for students to put into practice the skills they’ve developed in class. They’re learning to produce high quality work remotely, with real companies and on an international level,” explained the professor.

This high-level academic experience, which brings together different prestigious institutions, is being implemented in the wood laboratory at the Engineering, Art, and Design Building (EIAD) on campus.

It is just one example of the type of high-level challenges that form part of the Tec21 Educational Model, which allow students to develop real proposals and solutions to specific problems.

This educational model is focused on challenge-based learning, academic flexibility, inspiring teachers, and a memorable student experience.

Tec Guadalajara has resumed limited essential laboratory practice for different courses and certain outdoor activities for undergraduates from the Student Leadership and Education (LiFE) area.

This is part of the Conscientious Return strategy, which puts special measures in place to ensure the health of the student community.

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