Loll Designs + RIT ID Project

With the direction and help of Josh Owen, professor and undergraduate program director of industrial design, and Loll Design’s CEO Greg Benson, industrial design students were instructed to design and create furniture or accessories using the same recycled plastic (HDPE) that Loll uses for its modern outdoor furniture. This time, however, these designs wouldn’t be used outdoors. Instead, the entryway would be the project’s focus and the inspiration would come from world-famous designer Massimo Vignelli. RIT just happens to be the home to the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, which houses all of his work.

In the end, the students came up with an array of designs from wall-mounted stacking planters to benches that house umbrellas. The students’ designs didn’t end in the classroom. They were shown at this year’s WantedDesign. With their very own booth, they showcased selected designs that could find their way onto Loll’s retail website in the future.

WantedDesign Booth

Bike Buddy by Casey Kelly

“Cobbler” by Brendan Gordon

“Entryways are bivalent, posing no clean break of space and time and demanding a moment of pause. A traditional piece of utility, the cobbler’s bench is also bivalent in nature. Not simply a chair or desk, bench or table, it is a fusion of two basic needs — space to work and space to sit. Cobbler honors Loll’s legacy of historical reference, re-envisioning a shoemaker’s tool, designed for linear work and attention to the more intimate objects in life. It is an aid to a doorway’s pause.”

“Hi Bench” by Bridget Sheehan

“The ‘Hi’ Bench serves as a friendly greeting as you walk in the door. It provides a spot to hold your keys, shoes, spare change, and umbrella. There is also a space to sit down to tie your shoes. Durable and waterproof Loll HDPE materials are ideal for this product as it requires no maintenance and withstand heavy traffic. The ‘Hi’ Bench is a perfect fit for any entryway.”