Maria Violet Miller

The Ohio State University

Sophomore Industrial Design Studio 2018, 2019

Project Objective: 

This project teaches material properties, transfer of forces, structures, part design and assembly.

Project Description:

Students have designed and constructed a product using untreated 1” x 2” pine strips and dowels only. No glue and or mechanical fasteners were used unless by special approval. This product was designed for ease of assembly and for transport in a flat pack. Students were encouraged to concentrate on reducing their assembly to the fewest possible parts. In addition, students designed all packaging and provided an instruction manual for their project to be assembled by a studio peer in under 5 minutes.

The Ohio State University  

Junior Industrial Design Studio 2019

Shared Brand Housewares Project

GRATITUDE: BE A PRECEDENT

Gratitude kitchen products build on the legacy of great American cooking. We pay homage to a diverse, unified nation, by holding every product accountable to a 75% American-made standard. Gratitude products make your kitchen a happier, more functional, more beautiful place. They are made to last for generations to come.

The Ohio State University

Iowa State University

(2015, 2017, 2018)

Choose a bird and design a house for it.

Empathy is the necessary antecedent for all design innovation. The design process first requires a predisposition for empathy to fully understand user needs and clearly define a problem before a solution can be offered. In Industrial Design, the birdhouse problem is complex in that it seeks to respond to the needs of two distinct users: the bird and the human consumer. The bird’s needs are pragmatic and human’s needs are emotional. You are asked to grapple with this strange dichotomy and to find a resolution with your design response.

This project represents your first major foray with prototyping using the Industrial Design shop facilities. You are encouraged to explore the technical, physical, structural and aesthetic properties of new materials and to understand how they can be used in a manufacturing context.

A birdhouse can be thought of as a human intervention in the natural environment and you are also asked to consider this aspect of your design. For your final review, you will produce a full-scale prototype of your design, provide a clearly written descriptive statement and document all process work.

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Design with Color

Iowa State University

DES 240X (2013,2014)

Color is powerful and manipulative. As a design ally, color is unparalleled in its distinct ability to convey mood and emotion. Color has been found to affect heart rate, blood pressure, perception of time, temperature, taste, and sound. This studio explores how color informs the design process.

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DES 340X

Professor Maria Miller

Iowa State University Bachelor of Design students raise money, research, design and build a new exterior for a decommissioned elementary school purchased by non-profit Ames Community Preschool Center. ACPC serves low-income families in the Ames community..

Maria Miller Collaborative Studio

Mid-America Regional Council Transit Committee Special Forum


Iowa State University, Arch 301

After an intensive, semester-long critical analysis of Kansas City light rail vs. streetcar proposals, third-year architecture students from Iowa State University will share their vision for the River Market District and offer a variety of creative transportation solutions.

 Five student teams will present projects with a focus on community, landscape, transportation and transportation hubs. We invite you to join us in imagining the possibilities for a more sustainable, vibrant and engaging River Market District.

Site information

Our site is located between the Missouri River, Interstate 35/70, and beneath the Interstate 29/35 overpass. The site is an extension of the Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park located between the Missouri River and a limestone bluff. The area of concentration is situated between the Riverfront Market area (Kansas City’s oldest neighborhood) and Columbus Park Industrial. This culturally rich neighborhood hosts the region’s largest farmer’s market and the Riverfront Heritage Trail.

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Coming Soon.

Coming soon.

Literal and Phenomenal

Theory into Practice