Conor Ahearn Class of 2016

05.12.2016

Patrick is proud to announce that his son, Conor Ahearn, is graduating from the College for Creative Studies (CCS) today, May 12, 2016, with a Bachelor’s in Product Design and a focus in Entrepreneurship.  Located in Detroit, MI, CCS is ranked #3 Design School in the U.S. and Best in the Midwest. With Patrick’s daughter, Taylor, in graduate school in NYC for professional photography, the Ahearns are certainly a creative family – but today is about Conor and his achievements over his past four years at CCS.

Conor has been building momentum in the design community since his admittance to College for Creative Studies. Having gained the knowledge and skillsets taught at CCS and applied them with his natural sense of curiosity and desire to improve through design, recent design works have shown success within the industrial design industry. Conor’s design for the Mechanical Advantage Tool (MAT) gained recognition from the Industrial Designer’s Society of America, having been selected to be a finalist for the IDEA award. The MAT is a gardening utensil that aims to help the disabled and elderly continue their hobby even when arthritis strikes. Designing to solve a large scale problem is always Conor’s intention when putting pen to paper.

To be able to put himself in these empathetic situations for design projects, Conor set forth an effort to begin the exploration and interaction with different cultures around the world in order to better understand the people around him. Living aboard provided new problems that design could solve. Whether the interacted problem is a social, geographic, or living problem, they all provide great first-hand information to pull and learn from.

The Student Exhibition Opening

This Friday, May 13th, Conor will be showcasing his thesis project at CCS’s biggest and most anticipated event of the year, the Student Exhibition Opening. The big reveal is a fully functional motorcycle Conor designed. Showcased are the sketches, prototypes, and final product.

M.A.T

Mechanical Advantage Tool

The Mechanical Advantage Tool is a gardening tool designed for the 52.5 million American adults that have Arthritis. Utilizing the strength of the upper arm while isolating the wrist allows gardeners to still be able to continue their hobby even when their wrist joints are aching or their arthritis is causing discomfort.

Shinola Detroit

The Cruise Collection

The Shinola Detroit Cruise Collection is a collection of luxury accessories designed for the successful consumer who has time to cruise and to enjoy their hobbies – the Sunday Drivers. The collection includes gloves, footwear, and bags.

Ahearn Furnishings

First Collection of a Developing Brand

 

AREA 32

Antarctic Research Facility

AREA 32 is an antarctic research facility designed for research in the antarctic providing a low maintenance, efficient, and warm shelter for researchers, scientists, support workers, and technicians. The purpose is to house the inhabitants in a comfortable and modern environment while utilizing Eco-friendly sources of fuel and power to keep the Eco footprint and amount of waste produced to a minimum. Within the facility, Conor designed the kitchen, dining table and chairs, living room and furniture, bathrooms, tracked lighting, and more.

STARK

A Vacuum for the Modern Consumer

STARK is designed for professionals and homeowners who dedicate their lives to design such as architects, graphic designers, and industrial designers. The bold and beautiful vacuum is unique and highly functional. Homeowners are able to display their household and its contents with pride.

BE

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be Hydrated.

The BE brand was developed to aid in the fight against dehydration, bringing families together in being healthy. The base station purifies the water and uses its hydration tracking system to give the users an accurate way to record their hydration and set their goals. The BE bottle provides a stylish and customizable way to carry their water and other beverages.