Color and Material Design Graduate Students Find Inspiration from Light, Movement and Form with Leon Speakers

Students were challenged to conceptualize a branding strategy through the application of Color and Materials Design to sound (product design), space (interior design) and spirits (packaging design). Designs also included immersive elements of light, movement, form and art. 

Leon Speakers, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been a pioneer of design-driven speakers and technology concealment solutions for over 25 years. Their unique team of artists, designers, engineers, and craftspeople have been meticulously designing and handcrafting their award-winning products with a vision of bringing both better sound and style to every space they touch. The Leon Creative Campus, home to Leon Speakers headquarters and manufacturing facilities, has expanded over the years to include experiential art and performance spaces, Mofi Electronics – maker of custom-design turntables, and new addition to the campus, the Mothfire Brewing Co.  

Color and Materials Design Adjunct Faculty, Jennifer Atanasovski, saw the partnership as a unique opportunity for students to explore a wide array of design possibilities with Leon’s brand strategies. “The Leon Speakers and Mothfire Brewing sponsored project was framed in an open, exploratory way. Without a pre-designed product dictating color blocking or material application. It challenged the designers to think conceptually and create a material-led project that would dictate the form language.”

The final projects presented to the Leon Speakers team representatives showcased inspiration from a diverse range of areas. Student Shay Albert pulled elements from nature with his design “CICADA,” a speaker line utilizing the biomimicry of the cicada’s tymbal organ. Fellow Color and Materials Design student Lauren Forgacs’ work “MOTH TO A FLAME: An Exterior and Interior CMF Strategy for Mothfire Brewing Co.,” focused on curated materials centered around the concept of drawing people into an inclusive space through modern art, craft and beer.

“We were so thrilled to be a part of this project,” said Leon founder and Mothfire co-owner Noah Kaplan. “Design drives everything we do across our campus, and materiality is such an important part of that approach. We were so impressed with the creative inspiration and accurate themes the students drew from our products and campus.”

This educational partnership with Leon Speakers was part of a CCS initiative focusing on experiential learning, which assists with the preparation for life after graduation. It provides students with opportunities to gain practical skills through hands-on experiences with faculty, peers, industry, and community partners.