Retail Ready:
Design Students Take Their Skills to Market

Students from the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design embarked on a semester-long journey to design, produce, and sell their own products through a unique collaboration with local retailer Space Montrose. Guided by Meg Jackson, associate instructional professor, the seminar course “Contemporary Objects” offered students a hands-on introduction to entrepreneurialism in design, turning their ideas into tangible, market-ready products.

The interdisciplinary course challenged students to ideate, prototype, and manufacture modern housewares, soft goods, furniture, and functional art, all while considering branding, marketing, and the realities of production. They were not merely classroom exercises. Instead, each product faced the scrutiny of Space Montrose’s discerning customers at the product launch event on December 5, where students got to display their work in-store and talk to shoppers about their designs.

Real-World Collaboration

Every three weeks during the fall semester, students met with Carlos and Leila Peraza, Space Montrose’s owners, to present their evolving concepts and gain valuable feedback on prototyping, pricing, and packaging.

“Collaborations such as this build confidence, improve communication skills, and encourage a respect for other ways of thinking,” explained Jackson. “Real-world collaborations allow students to apply practices and experiences from industry to their own design process.”

Students quickly learned that designing for production involves more than just creativity. They grappled with manufacturing constraints, iterative processes, and the practicalities of scaling their designs for a small batch production run. For some, the transition from single prototypes to producing multiples was a steep learning curve but one that ultimately yielded a range of creative, market-ready products.

Santiago Kennedy, a senior industrial design student, enjoyed the feedback from Space Montrose. Kennedy designed the Slab Car Incense Holder, an homage to Houston’s car culture in the form of a sculptural and functional piece.

“Working with Space Montrose was awesome as it allowed me to work with a client and listen to their feedback to make further iterations to my design,” Kennedy said. “I feel like this class and working with Space Montrose has prepared me for future design collaborations.”

“My class has not had many sponsored projects, so we do not often get to design for preexisting companies. Bringing them [Space Montrose] ideas and refining alongside their feedback was an eye-opening experience,” added Kael Juan, another senior industrial design student who created a Brutalist-inspired bathroom organizer called Neru.

Learning by Doing

One of the biggest hurdles students faced was embracing the iterative process — a cycle of designing, refining, and testing that mirrors professional design work. The students’ progress demonstrated how learning to “fail forward” could lead to innovative solutions and polished final products.

While industrial design students comprised the majority of the seminar course, some architecture students with no previous experience in product design were part of the class. David Gomez, a third-year architecture student, created Sky Scratcher, a series of cat-scratching posts inspired by iconic buildings in Texas.

“This class helped me understand what it is like designing in a way for consumerism compared to design in architecture, especially the different ways to think about how the product will work and be used,” he recalled.

Drawing on her architecture background, third-year architecture student Avery Ford created Within the Lines. Ford said, “I designed a simple mirror into a piece of art mimicking a natural landscape. Drawing from my experience with spatial design, materiality, and the ways in which both natural and human forces shape landscapes, I envisioned the mirror to have versatile aspects, just like architecture. Designing an object, as opposed to buildings, was a challenge; however, working at a smaller scale still allowed me to express my interest in universal design.”

The diversity of the students’ design capabilities brought an unexpected richness to the final lineup of products. While some created sleek, modern furniture pieces, others crafted whimsical home goods or elegant soft furnishings. Each product reflected the personality and perspective of its designer, culminating in a collection that was as varied as it was cohesive.

Building Skills for the Future

Nearly all of the students in the class have future plans for their project, and some hope to continue collaborating with Space Montrose after the launch event and consignment period.

Alex Armstrong, a senior industrial design student, created the Cloud Bound Travel Pillow & Book Cover. The idea came to them from using leftover sherpa and upholstery materials to “reignite that old feeling of sleeping on your textbook in class!” Customers responded positively during the event, and now they hope to continue working with the retailer to produce more.

Walking away from the experience with more knowledge of product development, production timeframes, and effective communication, Bennett Decker already has ideas on how to improve his product, Pill Bug. The playful 3D-printed keychain inspired by origami can curl up like a roly-poly and carry small knickknacks.

“I hope to create an updated version where the magnet connection and internal components are a bit cleaner and more secure. I would like to make more color, material, and finish variations and experiment with more materials as well as other animals this shell container form could be applied to,” Decker said.

The partnership between the Hines College and Space Montrose is a testament to the transformative power of education intersecting with industry. For these emerging designers, the semester was more than just a class — it was a launchpad for their creative potential.

Hines College Students at the UH Holiday Market

At the annual UH Holiday Market hosted by RED Labs at the C.T. Bauer College of Business's Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, some Hines College students took the opportunity to put their small business on the map.

Architecture student Orlando Gomez created OGhats (@og_hats1) because of his deep passion for Western wear and caps. He uses his design skills to create custom hats, leveraging his ability in various software and engraving tools. Over time, he learned the important lesson of investing in himself by purchasing a laser cutter to help him produce higher-quality models and expand his business.

“Success does not happen overnight — it requires hard work, dedication, and persistence,” Gomez shared. “While I am still in the early stages of my business, I remain hopeful that, with time and effort, I will see it grow and thrive.”

While environmental design major Savannah George does not sell a product, she uses her artistic ability to offer henna and mehndi services through Sana’s Henna Artistry (@vaurghesan). Since she was in third grade and inspired by her mother and aunts doing henna, she has honed her hobby into a marketable skill. Starting on her own now, she built her confidence by offering her service to friends and family at first.

“This business has taught me that being versatile and open to many styles drives customers. Continuing to grow my repertoire is key and drives my inspiration,” George said. She advises students to form a relationship with their clientele and use the power of word-of-mouth to help grow a customer base, adding, “You would be surprised how your mutuals are your biggest assets!”