Aesthetics Of Design Portfolio: Bryce Johnson

My experience taking aesthetics of design was a great one. At the start of the class, I knew I that I needed to make two projects, an upcycle project and a final project, each based on its own aesthetic. At the time, I was not sure what I was going to do for either project, or how to transfer an aesthetic into its own project.

Over the course of the class, I got better at understanding what to look for in a certain aesthetic, and how to transfer those ideas into my own project. While I often struggled with the assembly process of these projects, I feel that I learned a lot about designing and building things from scratch, and am leaving the class with some important new skills.

Below are the two projects I worked on. I have linked posts to more information under each.

Upcycle Project: Iceberg Tissue Box

For my Upcycle Project, I designed and built a tissue box that includes elements from the Frutiger Aero aesthetic, along with a lighting feature. Β It is a tissue box and lamp combination, comprised of 1/8 inch clear blue acrylic panels and ABS 3D printed components. It serves as both a lamp that can add ambience to an area, a tissue box, and a decorative art piece.

My artistic goals for this project were to create something that matches the Frutiger Aero aesthetic, and that I would be happy to look at. I feel like I fulfilled these goals: The blue and white colors and nature themes fit Frutiger Aero, and Seeing the tissue blend in as an iceberg I think looks great! The lamp portion turned out even better than expected, since when it is dark, it emits a cool blue glow that is calming and reminiscent of an aquarium.

A full post about the design and build process here: https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/19/frutiger-aero-iceberg-tissue-box/

Final Project: Glass Block Lamp

For my main project, I made a mid-century modern furniture inspired floor lamp. I used glass blocks and diffused LED strips as the primary lighting element, and the frame is manufactured using pine hardwood. The overall height of the lamp is ~3.5 feet tall, and is powered by a wall plug. The LED strip is a 2700k warm white diffused LED strip, that includes a controller and remote to adjust the brightness and lighting mode. This project was created as a statement piece for my living room, that fits the aesthetic of me and my own space.

I am really happy with how the project turned out. I believe I have created a style of lamp that has not really been explored yet, and that has combined several design ideas that I like. I plan on keeping this lamp in my bedroom or living room as a statement piece for the foreseeable future, since it closely matches my own aesthetic that I maintain in my space.

More detailed description of the project here: https://www.aesdes.org/2025/04/23/glass-block-lamp-final-report-the-what/

Detailed build process here: https://www.aesdes.org/2025/04/23/glass-block-lamp-final-report-the-how/

Image credits: All photos taking by me of my projects.

 

2 Comments. Leave new

  • Ben Harming
    May 3, 2025 4:18 pm

    Hey Bryce, love the glass lamp a lot. I’ve always been a huge fan of those block glass windows… I want yours in my room!! The warm orange light is perfect.

  • Clemens Pacher-Theinburg
    April 27, 2025 3:40 pm

    Hi Bryce, I really like how your project turned out. Not only does it fit in great with the aesthetic, but I also really like how well the light dissipates in the glass; I appreciate the even distribution of light while being unable to see the light source. Great work!

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