about
This project centered on exploring the design process through the constraints of cast iron cookware. The work focused on understanding how functional requirements, user needs, and production realities shape design thinking.
goal
Our goal for the cookware collection was to create a set that combined visual appeal with everyday practicality. We planned to cast each piece in cast iron for our final prototypes.
outcome
The Stylo cookware collection is designed to stack neatly for easy storage and to function as a versatile starter set, well-suited for a new homeowner or someone beginning their cooking journey.
STYLO
Cookware Collection
Cookware Collection
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6 Week Project
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
Virginia Tech School of Design
Team Members: Jacob Camarata and Chapin Henry
ideation.
Sketches by Chapin Henry
sketching
Early in the process, we explored a wide range of forms and features, testing how each design could balance user needs with the realities of cast iron production. Decisions like adjusting handle angles for better grip, refining wall thickness for even heating, and incorporating draft angles for mold release became key points of iteration. Each round of sketches helped us resolve these challenges, gradually shaping designs that felt both functional in the kitchen and feasible to manufacture.
early prototyping
Quick prototypes allowed us to evaluate the proportions, handle angles, and overall balance of the cookware designs at full scale. These rough models were a way to test ideas in real space, helping us make decisions about comfort, usability, and form before moving on to refined models and finishes.
making.
final prototypes
Our casting plans for this project got postponed/cancelled so we had to quickly find another way to make our final prototypes. Our models were 3D printed, then sanded and primed a few times. Using a combination of two different hammered textured black spray paints, we were able to replicate cast iron texture.
casting?
casting patterns
I modeled and produced the 1/3 scale casting patterns in CAD, incorporating draft angles to ensure they could be successfully molded. Creating these patterns on my own gave me the opportunity to translate the designs into forms ready for casting, while refining proportions and details along the way.
keyshot renders.
Final KeyShot renderings
thank you.
