Last February 3, the College’s Industrial Design (ID) program brought the College’s state-of-the art facilities into students’ homes with a virtual tour and orientation on lab safety and equipment with “Benilde ID Lab, Live!” Through virtual platforms Zoom and Facebook Live, the webinar series was led by ID lab technician Emerson Gochuico.

How could students’ safety be ensured despite lack of supervision and different working environments? One prerequisite subject for ID frosh is LABSAFE; a class which teaches students about the use of the most essential tools and machines, as well as proper safety precautions when handling them.

Three professors were given the task of bringing this subject into the virtual space—Foundation Track Coordinator Marlon Barnuevo, Product and Core Track Coordinator Johann Mangussad, and Technology Track Coordinator Patrick Sunico. 

“We realized that the closest thing we could do to "bringing the lab to the students" for now was to show the current LABSAFE students the lab virtually,” Barnuevo expressed in an interview with The Benildean.

“ID Lab, LIVE!” was then set into motion and focused on lab safety. This allows students to be protected as they do hands-on lab work such as woodworking, cutting, carving, sanding and electricals at home.

A return to SDA

On the day of the webinar, ID students were able to come back to the lab virtually. Hosted by Barnuevo and Gochuico, “ID Lab, LIVE!” began with a preface by Sunico on the history of the program and lab. 

As one of the College’s earliest programs, the ID lab has changed through the years; beginning with simple tools and a small space in the DLS-CSB Taft campus and evolving into the state-of-the-art lab, currently housed at the School of Design and Arts (SDA) campus.

This was then followed by the orientation on the proper dress code and safety precautions while working inside the lab or at home, such as using a respirator mask when sanding and working  with chemicals. Gochuico presented basic hand tools and virtually walked the students through the lab’s array of power tools and heavy equipment such as a lathe machine, band saw and belt sander. 

The webinar concluded with a Q&A portion where students clarified points about the various equipment, procedures and asked for recommendations on the best tools for doing ID projects at home. 

What’s next?

While it’s far from the physical experience of being at the school facilities, the webinar has given the current frosh batch a better grasp on life as an ID student. On the other hand, the event was a much-needed “return” to the SDA for the faculty and the older batch of students. 

Barnuevo affirms that there are plans to create more live events straight from the ID lab. However, with the pandemic still in full swing and safety concerns for the on-site production team, he emphasizes that this type of event mustn't be done too often. 

“As Industrial Design educators, we preach the value of creativity in problem solving. We find it more than prudent to explore every creative means attainable to teach effectively online,” he added.

“ID Lab, LIVE!” has opened new doors both for the program’s students and educators. By providing a virtual space that is as close to replicating the physical environment as possible, the program remains true to its roots in problem-solving and continues to fight for creativity and innovation.