Photos from industrial design's observational beehive project

July 11, 2017

Three Appalachian State University industrial design majors – Ginny Stern ’15, Cary Cook ’16 and senior Eric Antolic – researched and designed an observational beehive that has become a hit for N.C.-based company Bee Downtown.

Owner Leigh Kathryn Bonner needed some revisions to a window-ledge beehive model before she could replicate it and sell to customers. Appalachian students stepped up to challenge, creating opportunities for a regional company while helping preserve the honeybee population.

This observational beehive was created for N.C.-based Bee Downtown by industrial design majors Ginny Stern ’15, Cary Cook ’16 and senior Eric Antolic for businesses wanting to host a bee colony. The finished product supports the honeybee population while allowing people to view bees’ daily activities inside a glass frame.
See bees at work in this observational hive built by industrial design majors for a business windowsill.
An early faceplate sketch for the student-created observational hive.
An early design of the observational hive’s functionality.
Students outlined what their design needed to incorporate, including functionality, aesthetic appeal, practicality and accessibility.
An early design of the observational hive’s functionality.
Cary Cook ’16, left, and senior Eric Antolic are two of three industrial design majors who created an observational beehive for a Durham business, Bee Downtown. Photo submitted
Ginny Stern ’15 is one of three industrial design majors who created an observational beehive for a Durham business, Bee Downtown, while a student. Photo submitted