A wooden bear formed from plywood sits on a table. Near it, a hand points to the plywood frame showing how the pieces of the bear were cut out.

'Make 10' Sneak Peek
Highlights Holiday Shopping at Georgia Tech

'Make 10' Sneak Peek
Highlights Holiday Shopping at Georgia Tech

Wes McRae | December 8, 2023 – Atlanta, GA

For holiday gifts that are limited run, brand new designs, the Georgia Tech community can turn to Make 10 at the School of Industrial Design on December 14th. Anyone who attends the Make 10 portion of the Launchpad Design Showcase, the School's end of semester show, has the chance to purchase these items, designed and produced by industrial design students.

The Make 10 Marketplace will take place from 6 – 7 p.m. in the atrium of the West Architecture building.

Stephen Chininis, professor of practice in the School of Industrial Design, started the Make 10 initiative to help students bridge the gap between design and production. "At the end of a studio, we'd end up with students having really great ideas, but they had no idea how to manufacture those things," Chininis said. "I wanted to come with an assignment that would force them into the mindset of thinking how to produce it and how that could affect what it was."

"It's not just designing something because it's cool but designing to the tools available so it's efficient and cost effective."

Advance Look at Prototypes for This Season's Make 10

We had a chance to get an early look at some of the products in development for this season. Below are some of the prototypes.

A stool formed from interlocking pieces of plywood
A stool formed from interlocking pieces of plywood
A topographic map of the Georgia Tech campus, formed from layers of plywood
A topographic map of the Georgia Tech campus, formed from layers of plywood
Origami-inspired lamp
A table lamp inspired by origami with a hand-folded shade
A wooden bear formed from plywood sits on a table. Near it, a hand points to the plywood frame showing how the pieces of the bear were cut out.
A holder for a cochlear device and its charger, designed to be assembled by a child
Wooden birds and eggs in different sizes and colors
Hand-turned bird figures, each formed of different materials and uniquely sized
A desktop holder for headphones, with an integrated lamp
A desktop holder for headphones, with an integrated lamp
Lamps with metal bases sit on a table. A grid arcs above the base from one end of the base to another. A wire filament zigzags though the grid.
Ten lamps sit on a table, ready for sale at this season's Make 10.
A stool formed from interlocking pieces of plywood
A topographic map of the Georgia Tech campus, formed from layers of plywood
Origami-inspired lamp
A wooden bear formed from plywood sits on a table. Near it, a hand points to the plywood frame showing how the pieces of the bear were cut out.
Wooden birds and eggs in different sizes and colors
A desktop holder for headphones, with an integrated lamp
Lamps with metal bases sit on a table. A grid arcs above the base from one end of the base to another. A wire filament zigzags though the grid.

From a Studio Assignment to a Feeder for Startups

The project has grown well beyond expectations over time. "We started out making very small things because we were nervous about what they could sell for," Chininis said. "The first time we had somebody charge $30 for something, we thought that was outrageous."

"But they sold all of them, and the quality kept getting better and better, so I was really pleased about that. But then COVID hit."

To adapt during the pandemic, Make 10 shifted for a while to online sales. "We started thinking about what happens after the sale. Can you have a store?" Chininis said. "So now, as they're doing their development for the Make 10 sale, they're thinking about how things would shift if they were to do an online store."

"We've actually had students who have done that successfully and started businesses. They also go from this to CREATE-X, and we had someone go from this to win the InVenture Prize."

"Maybe the best way to say it is that it's like a tiny startup that teaches you how to try bigger startups."

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Launchpad Design Showcase

December 14 | 6-9 p.m. | RSVP

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