Parsons Product Design Summer Intensive: An Unforgettable Creative Journey

💡 COURSE DETAILS

Course Name:
Summer Intensive Studies – Product Design

Program:
Standalone summer course (not part of a larger program)

Class Size:
Approximately 15 students

Instructor:
Professor Tak

Teaching Style & Insights:
Professor Tak had a unique teaching approach characterized by continuously resetting students' ideas. Just as we thought we'd reached our perfect solution, he'd prompt us to scrap everything and start over. Initially frustrating, this method eventually proved invaluable, teaching us the crucial lesson that our first ideas are rarely the best. Iteration became the heartbeat of our learning.

Course Objective:
The course was structured to build technical proficiency, develop robust portfolios, and introduce us to Parsons' signature design methodologies. The primary emphasis was on packaging design, exploring the emotional resonance achievable through thoughtfully designed packaging.

🧠 LEARNING JOURNEY

Initial Mindset:
Before enrolling, my expectations weren't clearly defined; having previously considered Parsons for my undergraduate studies before choosing University of the Arts London (UAL), I viewed this program as an opportunity to gain valuable exposure to Parsons' methodologies and experiences while expanding my skillset in product design - an area complementary to my ongoing studies in Design Management.

Evolution Over Three Weeks:
Initially, I was accustomed to the leisurely pace at UAL, where extended deadlines often led me to procrastinate. Parsons’ intensive format was a stark contrast, with tighter schedules and a heightened focus on iteration. This intensity quickly taught me to detach from my initial ideas, understanding that industry demands flexibility and multiple creative solutions. Accepting and leveraging iteration became key. However it wasn't much of a shock workload wise since I usually do things last minute and therefore time intensively anyway.

Key Skills Developed:

• Technical mastery in laser cutting and etching, preparing laser files, using woodcutters, drills, saws, chocolate boilers, and molding processes.

• Overcoming initial fears of Adobe Illustrator, quickly becoming adept in its basics for design production.

• Deepened understanding of packaging's emotional and practical dimensions.

"Aha!" Moments:

• Realizing the practical necessity of presenting multiple concepts in industry settings, even strategically pitching less-favored ideas first to set the stage for stronger concepts later.

• Discovering Adobe Illustrator was far less intimidating once I committed to learning it hands-on.

Challenges Faced:

• Struggling most significantly during my final project due to unforeseen complications in laser-cutting sessions. An incident with a technician named Nick nearly derailed my final submission—forcing an all-night manual labor sprint—but ultimately salvaged by resilience under pressure and adaptability in crisis.

🛠 PROJECTS

1. Interactive LEGO Minifigure Packaging

Brief:
Create interactive packaging enhancing user engagement, sustainability, and reusability.

Concept:
Designed packaging doubling as a display case—enhancing visibility, shelf appeal, and sustainability by repurposing packaging post-purchase.

Materials & Tools:
Cardboard, Illustrator, laser cutters, manual crafting tools.

Outcome & Feedback:
Praised for sustainability-focused design and functionality, showcasing clear in-store appeal.

🔗 View LEGO Project Presentation

2. Zoopi's Zooplets – Custom Chocolate Packaging

Brief:
Create chocolates, molds, and corresponding packaging narrating a personal story or concept, intended as a gift.

Concept:
Inspired by "Willy Wonka," I created a whimsical chocolate experience under the playful brand "Zoopi Zonka." The final design featured chocolate bottles pouring into chocolate shot glasses, every single component edible, emphasizing creativity and gift-worthiness for friends who enjoy casual drinking (I am looking at ya'll from London).

Materials & Tools:
Chocolate boilers, vacuum-formed molds, Adobe Illustrator for dielines, laser cutting for box creation.

Outcome & Feedback:
Applauded for originality, storytelling, and playful, experiential design.

🔗 View Zoopi's Zooplets Presentation

3. Memory Box

Brief:
Create packaging that also acts as the product itself, embedding emotional value and utility.

Concept:
A handcrafted wooden memory box capturing and preserving significant moments from the three-week course in New York City. Equipped with an external roller mechanism, users could scroll through printed photographic memories contained inside.

Materials & Tools:
Wood, laser cutter, Illustrator, manual woodworking tools (saws, drills).

Challenges:
Notably impacted by laser-cutting difficulties, resulting in an intensive final night of manual labor and on-the-spot troubleshooting.

Outcome & Feedback:
Despite obstacles, praised for emotional resonance, craftmanship, and innovative interactive mechanism.

🔗 View Memory Box Presentation

🔧 TOOLS & MACHINERY

• Adobe Illustrator: Used extensively to create dielines and digital files required for laser cutting and packaging design.

• Rhino: Utilized for precise digital modeling, particularly helpful during the prototyping phases of the memory box.

• Laser cutters and etchers: Employed for precise cutting and detailing of packaging prototypes, especially for wooden elements.

• Plastic mold heat press & Chocolate boilers: Integral for creating custom chocolate molds and ensuring proper chocolate tempering and molding.

• Wood cutters, saws, and drills: Used for manual crafting and adjustments, especially critical after encountering issues with laser cutting schedules.

🧠 Personal Growth and Reflections

The Parsons Summer Intensive was a transformative chapter in academic life but also personally. Initially, I stepped into the program with uncertainty, having recently experienced emotional challenges from heartbreak and hoping this course could offer an escape. Interestingly, I'd planned to attend long before my emotional downturn, but its timing turned out perfect, offering both distraction and renewed purpose.

Through the course, I learned to embrace iterative thinking. Previously, I often clung stubbornly to my first idea. Parsons taught me industry realities: rarely will your first concept pass unchallenged. Prof. Tak’s relentless resets initially frustrated me, yet ultimately freed my creative approach. I internalized that generating multiple solutions wasn’t merely strategic but essential in professional design practice. This shift improved my problem-solving skills significantly.

Overcoming initial hesitations with software like Adobe Illustrator became another pivotal growth area. Illustrator (all adobe ui to be honest) felt daunting, yet by necessity—preparing laser cut files—I was pushed into the deep end, discovering it was manageable and even enjoyable. This confidence has spilled into other areas of my practice, reinforcing my belief that initial apprehension should never prevent experimentation.

However, the most powerful growth occurred when faced with unexpected challenges... particularly the laser-cutting incident with technician Nick. What initially seemed like an insurmountable setback taught me resilience and resourcefulness. When my final project's completion hung by a thread, it tested my patience, negotiation skills, adaptability, and hands-on craft skills. Instead of surrendering, I adapted, purchasing a saw, working tirelessly overnight, and leaning into alternative solutions offered by Prof. Tak. This experience taught me that creativity under constraint can yield incredible outcomes, provided one stays determined and resourceful.

🌎 Social and Cultural Experiences

Socially, my three weeks at Parsons were rich and deeply rewarding, largely thanks to my diverse roommates:

• Rafa, a half-Brazilian, half-Russian Strategic Design student, was spirited, energetic, and endlessly curious. He infused our apartment with lively political discussions, religious debates, and entrepreneurial brainstorming (and some wack drawing skills). Rafa’s stories, often shared late at night (if he wasn't out partying), were as vibrant as his personality.

• Matias, a Mexican Interior Design student recovering from his own recent breakup, provided emotional companionship. Our mutual emotional healing created a bond, leading to memorable culinary adventures around New York. Our frequent walks exploring NYC deepened my appreciation for cultural diversity and architecture (he knows too much about the skyline, things you would never google).

• Stanley, my American-Indian doppelgänger from Pittsburgh, shared my ambitions for bulking. As gym buddies, Stanley offered invaluable guidance in weightlifting, creating routine and camaraderie in an otherwise demanding schedule. His genuine care for everyone's well-being greatly contributed to the warm atmosphere of our shared home. He also happened to be taking the same course as me so we practically spent the entire 3 weeks side by side.

Beyond roommates, the classroom became a family. Collaborative peer feedback sessions fostered strong connections, and field trips to chocolate shops, markets, and packaging suppliers strengthened our communal spirit. Our final presentations were individual, yet the journey was collectively navigated, reflecting genuine teamwork. We still make it a point to catch up if any of us ever land up in the same city.

🎯 Daily Life and Extracurricular Activities

Daily life in NYC during the intensive was a vibrant blend of work, leisure, and exploration. Our mornings involved rushed preparations and elevator waits that notoriously took ages, usually resulting in us barely reaching class on time (Kerry hall elevators simply DO NOT work and we may or may not have set off 5 stairwell alarms across 2 building to get to class early on the last day). Breakfast often became brunch, squeezed between sessions due to our perpetually tight schedules.

After class, afternoons and evenings were more relaxed, filled with group basketball games, rock climbing, piano lessons, museum explorations, and picnics in Central Park. Dinners at local eateries or spontaneous pizza runs at 3 am defined many nights, emphasizing New York’s ceaseless energy. Every Wednesday, my unique practice of meeting five strangers via the Timeleft app introduced an element of unpredictability, adventure, and social enrichment. Conversations often spanned from simple introductions to deep philosophical exchanges.

Late evenings were reserved for homework marathons, creative discussions, or heart-to-heart talks in the common room with our resident advisor; a charismatic insomniac musician juggling multiple jobs. These nightly interactions eventually always evolved into philosophical dialogues about life, creativity, relationships and future aspirations, forming core memories and meaningful friendships.

🌆 Reflections on NYC

Though I'd visited New York previously, this marked my first independent experience, free from family oversight. The city's scale, pace, and relentless intensity struck me anew, invigorating my independence and confidence. New York's vibrant culture of spontaneity.. always alive with opportunities around the clock was like London’s lifestyle but on steroids.

The city’s intensity wasn't without its challenges; I narrowly avoided several accidents, from bb gun shots in parks, near misses with cyber trucks, to literally falling face-first onto concrete while accidentally jumping over Stanley. Yet, these encounters with NYC’s chaos strengthened my adaptability and alertness.

Moreover, interacting daily with locals dispelled stereotypes of coldness or aloofness. Behind an initially brusque demeanor, New Yorkers often revealed warmth, humor, and openness once engaged genuinely. The city taught me to approach people without assumptions, reinforcing the power of authentic connections in bustling metropolitan environments.

🌟 Conclusion and Recommendations

The Parsons Product Design Summer Intensive was one of the most impactful experiences in my academic and personal life. It significantly reshaped my approach to creativity and iteration, empowered me technically, and deeply enriched me culturally and socially.

Professionally, it sharpened my packaging design instincts, making me hyper-aware of materials, functionality, and emotional resonance in design. Personally, the intensive instilled profound resilience and adaptability. It reaffirmed my belief in design's power to narrate stories, provoke emotions, and enhance lives beyond mere functionality.

Would I recommend this experience? Absolutely. Anyone seriously interested in product or packaging design or design generally would gain tremendous value. It’s particularly perfect for students seeking intensive skill-building, industry-standard methodologies, and rapid portfolio development. It's also ideal for anyone seeking personal growth, given its challenges and social dynamics.

Financial and scheduling factors notwithstanding, I’d advise future students and industry experts alike to embrace the intensity, lean into collaboration, and expect transformative challenges. The Parsons Summer Intensive isn't just a course, it's a catalyst for growth, self-discovery, and lifelong memories.