Jack Franz – Portfolio

End-of-Year Wrap-Up:

As the year comes to a close, I’ve had some time to look back at the two main projects I tackled in this class—the Cozy Cabin Perk-a-Cola Display and my Upcycled Golf Club Headcover. On the surface, they’re completely different. One is a tech-heavy interactive display based on a video game, and the other is a soft goods project made from thrifted materials. But both taught me valuable lessons about aesthetics, process, and how design choices affect how people experience an object.

The Cozy Cabin Perk-a-Cola Display

This was my main project—and the one I poured the most hours into. It started with an idea I’d had since middle school: bringing the Perk-a-Cola bottles from Call of Duty: Zombies to life in a physical display. I didn’t want to just make a shelf—I wanted something interactive, something that reacted when you placed or removed a bottle.

Throughout the process, I had to combine everything I’ve learned in school: Arduino programming, circuit building, 3D printing, and CAD modeling. But the biggest takeaway wasn’t technical—it was aesthetic. I really had to think about how this object would feel in a space. That’s where the “cozy cabin” theme came in. I leaned into wood textures, pine trees, and rustic details to make the whole piece feel like it belonged in a log cabin, even though it was full of electronics.

Getting the tolerances right on the coaster mechanism (which triggers the lights and sounds) was probably the hardest part. It took lots of test prints and patience. But in the end, the whole thing works—and more importantly, it feels true to the vibe I was going for.

Upcycled Golf Club Headcover

This project was very different from the Perk-a-Cola build. It was all about material and aesthetic feel, not circuits or code. I wanted to create a headcover that felt old-school, classy, and personal—something you’d find in a grandparent’s garage, but still want to use today.

Instead of buying new fabric, I upcycled materials from a thrifted socks and logos. I liked the idea of giving new life to old stuff—and it pushed me to think differently about sourcing materials and building around what I had, not what was easiest to buy.

The biggest aesthetic goal was to keep it clean and vintage-looking. I kept the design simple and let the texture of the materials do the talking. It ended up looking exactly how I pictured—something cozy, practical, and unique.

What I Learned About Aesthetics

Before this class, I hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about aesthetic design—I usually focused on how things worked. But through both projects, I started to understand how much look and feel matter. A good design isn’t just about function; it’s about the vibe it gives off, how it fits into a space, or how it makes someone feel when they use it.

I learned how materials, textures, and even small design choices (like rounded edges or color palettes) affect the mood of a project. The cabin display wouldn’t be the same without the moss and wood tones, just like the headcover wouldn’t work without the softness of worn flannel.

Both projects taught me how to use references and adapt them into something new—whether it was pulling inspiration from a video game machine or from vintage golf gear.

 The Design Process

One of the biggest skills I picked up this year was how to trust the process. I got more comfortable with exploring ideas, prototyping early, and iterating based on what didn’t work.

In the Perk-a-Cola project, I learned to test mechanisms before finalizing them. In the headcover, I learned to let the materials guide the design rather than forcing a plan. I also improved a lot at documenting my process through sketches, CAD, photos, and blog posts—something that used to be an afterthought for me.

Time management was another big lesson. I learned to break things into smaller steps, budget for delays (like bad prints or failed tolerances), and always leave room for troubleshooting.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, I’m proud of how both projects turned out. More than that, I’m proud of how much I grew in the way I think about design—not just how to build something, but how to make it feel right. Whether it’s a glowing, nostalgic shelf or a soft, vintage golf headcover, every choice adds up to a bigger aesthetic story.

Moving forward, I want to keep bringing that mindset into whatever I design—blending form, function, and feel into projects that are personal, purposeful, and creative.