Klinker Scott

Scott Klinker has been Designer-in-Residence and Head of the 3D Design Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art since 2001. Klinker earned a B.S. in Industrial Design from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and later an M.F.A. in Design from Cranbrook. After years of designing in larger corporate contexts - as an in-house designer at Ericsson, and as senior staff at IDEO - Klinker ventured to Japan in 1999 to lead a product design program at the Kanazawa International Design Institute. He also founded his independent studio, Scott Klinker Product Design, which focused on developing licensed designs for contract furniture, household goods and toys. He moved his practice to Cranbrook in 2001 and began to build partnerships with small, design-driven companies that shared his passion for innovation. In 2004, Scott’s Spaceframe Builder’s Kit for Offi & Co. was selected by Fortune magazine as one of the top 25 products of the year. In 2006, following his first solo exhibition at Cranbrook Art Museum, he was featured as one of Newsweek’s annual ‘Design Dozen’ selection of best new designers. Meanwhile, Scott has been busy organizing and curating exhibitions to promote Design in Kanazawa, Chicago, Detroit, New York and Milan. As an active agent in education, culture and commerce, Scott is building new works, connections and discussions to inspire design culture in America and abroad. You can see Scott’s products at Design Within Reach Stores, Chicago's NEOCON furniture show and New York’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. His work has been featured in ID Magazine, Metropolis, Wallpaper, Interior Design magazine, The New York Times, Fortune and Newsweek magazines.