Industrial design students at California College of the Arts have created a new line of pet products for the Turkish design firm Gaia & Gino through a fall 2005 studio course sponsored by the firm. Eleven of the student designs were selected for production. Under the brand name Gino the Dog, the products-including dog bowls, beds and houses. The course was taught by Steven Skov Holt, Susan Kralovec and program chair Yves Behar.
"Cornered" by Richie Tanaka
"We are thrilled to take student projects from conception to production" Behar commented. "Gaia & Gino had the forethought to use a studio course as a laboratory for great design ideas, and I applaud their support. I also look forward to continuing the relationship between their brand and CCA." Behar, an award-winning industrial designer who is founder and principal of fuseproject, a San Francisco-based design studio, will act as design director for Gino the Dog as the brand develops additional products and design collaborations.
Gaye Cevikel, owner of Gaia & Gino, decided to produce selected designs by the CCA students in order to show her firm's commitment not only to the generation of designers it currently works with but also to the young creatives who represent the future of design. Among the student designs featured in the Gino the Dog product line is Brandon Warren's "Wild," a food and water bowl made of formed glass, with natural fill lines for food and water, in a sculptural shape inspired by river rock. In its shape and function, the "Wild" bowl represents the same paradox of domesticated nature as the dog, a creature evolved to live in the human world.
Also selected for production is Brian Mclntyre's "Collar," a soft, portable doghouse that appeals to both pet and owner. Its thick, soft cushion is covered with cleanable fabric; the same fabric is stitched to contrasting leather to make a base for the cushion and a cover for the doghouse. The cover and base zip together so that the doghouse can be disassembled and partially folded for transportation to a weekend getaway. Other innovative designs for bowls, dog beds, a chew toy and additional pet accessories fill out the product line.
The Gino the Dog line launched in New York during the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in late May 2006 and released for retail sale in fall 2006.
About the College
Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts is the largest regionally accredited, independent school of art and design in the western United States. Noted for the interdisciplinary nature and breadth of its programs, CCA offers studies in 19 undergraduate and 6 graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design and writing. The college offers the bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of architecture, master of fine arts, master of arts and master of architecture degrees. With campuses in Oakland and San Francisco, CCA currently enrolls 1,600 full-time students.
California College of the Arts: https://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/296
About Gaia & Gino
Gaia & Gino is a global design brand with a Turkish identity, founded by Gaye Cevikel in Istanbul. The name Gaia & Gino combines Cevikel's nickname and the name of her golden retriever. The firm works with designers to produce innovative tabletop objects and accessories for the home and, now, for pets.