In Photos: Students craft purposeful designs, memorable experiences in Guatemala

Five Honours Bachelor of Craft and Design students and a professor recently returned from a two-week international field study trip to Guatemala where they co-designed and produced prototypes of various bathroom and bedroom accessories for boutique hotels.

The participatory design (approach that includes end-users in the design process) project was done in close collaboration with Itza Wood, a social enterprise that uses sustainable and locally-sourced wood to handcraft furnishings and woodware. Itza Wood's mission is to break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala's Petén region through education and employment opportunities that celebrate local traditions.

“This experience directly connected to my studies by deepening my understanding of material limitation, collaboration and real-world project development.”

– Craft and Design (Furniture) second-year student Wendi Jiang

Prior to designing and presenting three Mesoamerican-inspired concepts that combine ceramics and wood, students engaged in various activities that helped them better understand Guatemalan culture — including team-building exercises with Itza Wood staff, learning traditional Mayan weaving techniques from local women, attending a workshop hosted by non-profit ceramics maker Selva Savia, visiting ruins from the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake that destroyed Antigua, and preparing and eating traditional meals such as pepián (a thick meat stew) and handmade tortillas.

“This experience directly connected to my studies by deepening my understanding of material limitation, collaboration and real-world project development — all key aspects of furniture design and craftmanship,” says second-year Craft and Design (Furniture) student Wendi Jiang. “Plus, we had a great balance between work and life; we worked hard, but we also made time to enjoy and explore.”

Craft and Design professor Kirsten White, who organized the trip and supports Itza Wood through her own small social enterprise, is already planning a similar trip for next year. Any students interested in participating are invited to contact her via email or follow the trip’s Instagram account for more information as it becomes available.

Read on for more photos and details about the trip:

This Mayan Temple from the archaeological site Yaxha was among the many ancient buildings and ruins students visited during the trip.

Craft and Design (Industrial Design) second-year student Juan Diego Ocharan (in white) is taught how to use a traditional back strap loom by two local women in the village of San Antonia Agua Caliente.

After learning traditional Mayan weaving techniques, Sheridan students and staff joined local residents for a shared lunch of traditional Pepían — a hearty stew featuring chicken and vegetables in a rich, savoury sauce made with roasted spices, tomatoes and aromatic ingredients. ”Even though my major is in Glass, I learned a lot from this wonderful trip,” says second-year student Meng Hu, ”including how understanding cultural elements can help create better design.”

With a compressed timeline of less than two weeks, working within tight project constraints was essential.

Students created three designs of collections for hotel bathrooms and bedrooms. This one, titled Yaxha, was named after the Mesoamerican archaeological site located near where the students stayed. The design was influenced by traditional ceramics which often included feet, spikes of the Ceiba tree (Guatemala’s national tree), and the many volcanoes in the Antigua area.

The Cilindro collection was inspired by an Itza Wood bowl, which features a striking contrast between a black exterior finish and the natural wood finish inside (in this case, mahogany.) Students found that this combination adds a sense of sophistication and refinement to the overall product — an aesthetic that aligns well with the client’s hotel in terms of ambiance. Leveraging ITZA Wood’s expertise in woodturning and finishing, the group arrived at the final Cilindro design as a product that embodies craftsmanship and contemporary elegance.

The Lak collection closely combines ceramics and wood while using simplified tiered shapes of the many Mayan temples that featured warm and rounded corners. ‘Lak’ is derived from the Mayan phrase ‘In Lak’ech’, which translates to “You are my other me” — underscoring the idea that we are all connected and a statement of respect, unity and oneness.

Sheridan students and staff present their collections, including design processes and prototypes, to the Itza Wood team — many of whom do not speak English. “I learned the intricacies of designing for a client when someone else is the fabricator while also learning how to communicate without knowing the same language,” says Sarah Gomes, a third-year furniture student. “Going forward, I now have a plethora of tools to use when communicating ideas with others in a collaborative setting.”

Craft and Design students and staff gather with members of the Itza Wood team for a group photo to celebrate their successful collaboration. Pictured from Sheridan are second-year furniture students Wendi Jiang and Aline Delrue, second-year glass student Meng Hu, second-year industrial design student Juan Diego Ocharan, third-year furniture student Sarah Gomes, and furniture and industrial design professor Kirsten White.

Photos submitted by Kirsten White, Meng Hu and Wendi Jiang