A wide shot of a ceramics studio, featuring students working with pottery wheels and other tools.
SAIC faculty member Ben Stagl.

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Ben Stagl

Lecturer

Contact

Professional Site

Bio

Ben Stagl (he/him) is an artist, designer, and co-owner of ChiLab Studio in Chicago. For the past two decades he has actively worked to produce original works that blur the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, and interior design. Stagl's projects have ranged in scale from the intimate to the civic, and are informed both by a rich education in classical traditions as well as a passion for advanced digital practices.

Awards: 2016 City of Chicago DCASE Individual Artist Grant, Chicago, IL; 2014 Best in Show—Modern Luxury Magazine; 2012 Propeller Grant: Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, IL. Publications: Interior Design Magazine, NewCity Magazine, Architect Magazine, Modern Luxury Magazine, The New York Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Oregonian. Exhibitions: CHGO DSGN at the Chicago Cultural Center; WANTED Design; Tent London; Uber Freight at The Old Post Office.

Personal Statement

My work resides at the intersection of art, design, and fabrication, where the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, and interior design dissolve. With a foundation in artisanal crafts and a passion for advanced digital technologies, I approach each project as an exploration of materiality and form, considering how design shapes the environments we inhabit and the ways we engage with the world around us. Whether it’s an intimate object or a civic-scale installation, my goal is to create work that invites reflection and fosters meaningful interactions.

As an educator, I bring my firsthand experience working in the design and manufacturing industry to the plate and share what I have learned about the process of making. I encourage my students to embrace the iterative nature of design, where experimentation and refinement lead to unexpected innovation. I aim to cultivate curiosity and critical thinking, challenging students to consider the cultural, environmental, and social contexts of their work while helping them find their individual voice.

Ultimately, whether in my practice or teaching, I believe design is more than making—it’s a way of thinking, questioning, and connecting. I see my role as both guide and collaborator, creating space for thoughtful exploration and the development of work that is as intentional as it is inspired.

Work

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

Core Studio 3 introduces students to designing objects and systems that behave¿objects that sense, respond, and interact over time. The studio marks a transition from designing isolated artifacts to designing systems whose form, logic, and interaction are inseparable.

Students are introduced to fundamental concepts of interaction and systems thinking, including inputs and outputs, states, timing, feedback, and legibility. Using simple electronics, sensors, and actuators, students prototype behaviors and explore how objects communicate what they do through form, response, and feedback. Coding is approached conceptually and pragmatically, with emphasis on understanding and shaping behavior rather than technical mastery. AI and traditional coding tools are used to support iteration, translation, and debugging while students retain authorship over design intent.
3D modeling is used to design structures, enclosures, and assemblies that integrate physical form with electronic components. Prototyping combines rough physical builds with basic interaction logic to test usability and clarity. Visualization tools are introduced to diagram systems, map interactions, and make invisible processes understandable.
By the end of the studio, students understand building as an integrative practice¿one that brings together materials, structure, and behavior to create coherent interactive objects.

Who this course is for
This studio is for students who are comfortable designing physical objects and are ready to explore how objects can act, respond, and interact. It is intended for students interested in interactive products, responsive environments, and hybrid physical¿digital systems, regardless of prior coding experience.

When to take it
Core Studio 3 is typically taken after completing Core Studios 1 and 2, once students have foundational experience with materials, prototyping, and digital workflows. The studio is designed to run alongside the core skills courses¿Designing Interaction, Sketching, and 3D Modeling¿reinforcing the integration of material exploration, digital workflows, visualization, and prototyping. It is intended to be taken after or alongside the Designing Interaction core skills course. The studio also pairs well with technical or future-focused electives.

Class Number

1457

Credits

3

Description

As the second studio in the MDDO graduate sequence, this course gives students the opportunity to develop their skills in individual project development and form-giving while practicing the use of research and design tools. The primary purpose of this studio is to help students identify their individual motivations as designers by working on a self-defined design project within a structured iterative design process.

As a complement to this inquiry, in-class presentations, readings, and discussions will familiarize students with the landscape of contemporary design practice. Readings will include theoretical, historical and critical texts. Design as a process will also be discussed.

Students can expect to complete a multi-stage semester long project. You must be a Master of Design in Designed Objects student to enroll in this course.

Class Number

1945

Credits

3