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Making designs with a subtle sense of humor
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WHO is she?
Kelly Rockwell is an engineering designer at Humanscale, a company that makes ergonomic office furniture, including LED lamps such as Element Disc. Born in America’s Midwest, she studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. She is also heavily involved in the comedy community in New York City, spending her nights writing and performing to make people laugh.
Tell us about some of your works and the one you are most proud of.
I have been involved in a number of projects at Humanscale, from LED lights to air purifiers to chairs. I am most proud of Element Disc, because I took a leadership role in its development. I was the lead engineer working with an industrial designer, a consultant engineer, and the manufacturing partner in Shanghai. The result was a beautiful, high-quality product with an innovative light guide technology.
What project are you now involved in?
I am currently an engineer on a new chair that is made by Humanscale and designed by Todd Bracher. It is very beautiful and elegant.
Describe your style.
I like colorful and cheerful things. My design style has a sense of humor. I don’t need things to be expensive or to match. Some of my dearest objects might be considered silly or inelegant.
Where are you most creative?
Anywhere I can be alone.
What does your home mean to you?
At this point in my life, my home is the place where I sleep. Otherwise I am out and about in the city, either performing or rehearsing.
What do you collect?
I am not ashamed to admit that I collect Regency romance novels. The Regency period was between 1811 and 1820 in England and there’s a whole genre of fiction devoted to the time period. Think Jane Austen, but far more frivolous.
Where would you like to go most in Shanghai?
I love Shanghai! I’ve been numerous times as an engineering designer at Humanscale and I’ve made many friends among our manufacturing partners in Jiading District. The last time I had planned a thank-you celebration for everyone I’d worked with, but we had to postpone it because I got sick. So if I could be anywhere right now, it would be with my Chinese friends in Jiading.
What will be the next big trend in lighting?
I think consumers will become more educated about how LEDs work. There are many metrics in LED lighting that us engineers understand but the general public doesn’t yet, such as CRI, efficacy and color temperature. In the future, I hope these will be household terms.
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