Designer-in-Residence Scott Klinker
Scott Klinker has been Designer-in-Residence and Head of the 3D Design Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art since 2001. Klinker earned a B.S. in Industrial Design from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and later an M.F.A. in Design from Cranbrook. After years of designing in larger corporate contexts - as an in-house designer at Ericsson, and as senior staff at IDEO - Klinker ventured to Japan in 1999 to lead a product design program at the Kanazawa International Design Institute. He also founded his independent studio, Scott Klinker Product Design, which focused on developing licensed designs for contract furniture, household goods and toys. He moved his practice to Cranbrook in 2001 and began to build partnerships with small, design-driven companies that shared his passion for innovation. In 2004, Scott’s Spaceframe Builder’s Kit for Offi & Co. was selected by Fortune magazine as one of the top 25 products of the year. In 2006, following his first solo exhibition at Cranbrook Art Museum, he was featured as one of Newsweek’s annual ‘Design Dozen’ selection of best new designers. Meanwhile, Scott has been busy organizing and curating exhibitions to promote Design in Kanazawa, Chicago, Detroit, New York and Milan. As an active agent in education, culture and commerce, Scott is building new works, connections and discussions to inspire design culture in America and abroad.
You can see Scott’s products at Design Within Reach Stores, Chicago's NEOCON furniture show and New York’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. His work has been featured in ID Magazine, Metropolis, Wallpaper, Interior Design magazine, The New York Times, Fortune and Newsweek magazines.
You can learn more about Scott’s work at www.scottklinker.com.
Truss Cafe Chairs for Context Furniture
2006, Birch plywood and laminate
Dimensions: L19.5" W 23" H 29.5"
Scott Klinker
Trellis Fruit Holder for Alessi, 2012, Stainless Steel, 28cm x 28cm x 4cm
Recent Exhibitions
- "Mix Modern," furniture collection shown in 15 Art Van showrooms throughout Michigan, 2010
- "Noun, Verb, Adjective: Cranbrook Defines Craft," Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 2008
- "Creating Velocity," Community Arts Gallery, Paramount Bank, Ferndale, MI, 2008
- Truss Furniture Collection Launch w/ Context Furniture at ICFF NYC, 2006
- "Crossing Flatland: New Designs by Scott Klinker," Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 2006
- Installation of Spaceframe at Design Within Reach, Birmingham, MI, 2005
- "Living Spaces Exhibition," Brooklyn, NY, 2005
- "Offi & Co.," Exhibit at International Contemporary Furniture Fair, NY, 2003
- "In Production: Recent Product Design by Cranbrook Academy of Art Alumni," Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 2001
Recent Exhibitions As Curator
- "Innate Gestures," Cranbrook student workshop with Leon Ransmeier at ICFF in NYC, 2009
http://www.innate-gestures.com
- "Design Democracy," with Context Furniture at ICFF, NYC, 2008
- "Crystalized Electronics," Cranbrook student concepts for Swarovski as an online gallery, 2007
- "Authors of Use," Cranbrook students at Felissimo Design House in Manhattan, NYC, 2005
- "Material Cultures," Cranbrook Students at Chicago’s NEOCON World’s Trade Fair, 2004
- “Life (Styled): Objects for Emerging Attitudes,” Cranbrook Students at the Milan Salone de Mobile, 2003
- "On the Pleasures of the Table," Student exhibition at ICFF in NYC. Awarded ‘Best School 2002."
Spaceframe Builders Kit
2004, recyclable PET
dimensions variable
Selected Bibliography: Print
- Steinkopf, Hayley. ‘Mix Modern,’ 944 Magazine, July 2010.
- Matlow, Jeanine. ‘Furniture Designer’s Line Reworks Modern,’ Detroit News, May 7, 2010.
- Keeps, David. ‘Modern for the Masses,’ LA Times, July 11, 2009.
- Klinker, Scott and Alexis, Jeremy. ‘Design Versus Innovation: The Canbrook/IIT Debate,’ Innovations Magazine, February 2009.
- Klinker, Scott and Alexis, Jeremy. ‘Design Versus Innovation: The Canbrook/IIT Debate,’ Interactions Magazine, January 2009.
- Vasilash, Gary. ‘Context is Key,’ Automotive Design And Production Magazine, January 2009.
- Green, Roger. ‘Cranbrook Craft & What The Future May Hold,’ American Craft, August 2008. Pg 61.
- Barseghian, Tina. ‘Review,’ Readymade Magazine. August 2006
- Houseley, Laura. ‘Fast Forward,’ Wallpaper Magazine, July 2006, pg. 186.
- Hinds, Julie. ‘Sitting Pretty,’ Detroit Free Press, July 17, 2006. Section C1.
- Kalins, Dorothy. Design Dozen ‘Tables Turn Milan/Detroit,’ Newsweek, June 26, 2006.
- Klemic, Mary. ‘New Dimension,’ The Eccentric, February 16, 2006. Section B1.
- Kowalski-Dougherty, Carissa. ‘Young American Designer’ (daab Publishing, 2006).
- Hamilton, William. ‘A Showcase of New Design,’ The NY Times, May 18, 2006, Section D3.
- Hirst, Arlene.. ‘Take Note,’ Metropolitan Home, June, 2006.
- DeRose, Jen. ‘Update,’ Interior Design Magazine, December 2005.
- Kelly, Joseph. ‘Design Visionaries,’ Clear Magazine, Vol. 4. Issue 4.
- Bonamici, Kate. ‘The 25 Best Products of the Year,’ Fortune Magazine, December, 2004.
- Rohrlich, Marianne.‘Take a Left at Lapland,’ The New York Times, November 25, 2004.
- Heller, Steven. ‘Best of the Best,’ Metropolis Magazine, September, 2003.
- Zimmer, Dieter. ‘Magic Tables,’ Md Magazine (Germany), November 2002.
- Weeks, Katie. “Design Head of the Class,’ HOW Magazine April 2003.
- Neefe, Lauren, ed. ID Annual Design Review, August 2000, pg. 188.
- Houseley, Laura. ‘In-house News,’ Wallpaper Magazine, Issue 14, November 1998.
- Pearlman, Chee, ed. ID Annual Design Review, July 1997, pg.192, 208.
Selected Bibliography: Web
- Pilligian, Ellen. ‘Detroit Make it Here: New forms, new ideas: Q&A with Scott Klinker,’ November 2009.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20091105/DM01/911059997 - Keeps, David. ‘Modern for the Masses ,’ LA Times, July 11, 2009.
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/11/home/hm-mod11 - Noordeman, Arjen. ‘Ten Questions for Scott Klinker,’ Cranbrookdesign.com. February 2009.
http://www.cranbrookdesign.com/index.php/topics/more/interview_with_scott_klinker/ - Klinker, Scott and Alexis, Jeremy. ‘Design Versus Innovation: The Canbrook/IIT Debate,’
Cranbrookdesign.com, January 2009.
http://www.cranbrookdesign.com/index.php/topics/more/design_versus_innovation_the_cranbrook_iit_debate/ - Klinker, Scott. ‘Beyond Fashion: Reviving Experimental Design,’ Core77.com, March 2008.
http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_items/beyond_fashion_reviving_experimental_design_by_scott_klinker_9171.asp - Sterling, Bruce with Klinker, Scott. ‘What is a Spime?’ Google Video, May 2007.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3857739359956666768# - Klinker, Scott. 'Toward a Cultural Innovation,’ Core77.com. Sept. 2006.
http://www.core77.com/reactor/09.06_klinker.asp