9495 - Digital Design and Fabrication: Windsor Style Stool

Delivery Options Classroom

Course Description

This entry-level course will provide the opportunity to design and make a small piece of furniture, incorporating 3D CAD modeling software and digital fabrication technologies. Work will be focused on the particular opportunities and constraints of making a windsor-style stool in wood, where spindle legs are connected to a thick seat with mortise and tenon joinery. Traditional concept development techniques (sketching and model-making) will be augmented with digital design tools. Projects will be realized at full scale, executed on a 3-axis CNC router. Students will be introduced to 3D modeling and CAM programming with Autodesk Fusion and will gain hands-on experience working with CNC machinery.

Learner Outcomes

Following completion of this course, you should be able to:

Develop a 3D design from concept to finished object.
Demonstrate an understanding of windsor-style mortise and tenon joinery in wood
Demonstrate skills with 3D Modeling and CAM programming in Autodesk Fusion.
Gain a basic knowledge of making objects with CNC routing.

Notes

For RISD Students:

RISD Continuing Education (CE) credit is treated as transfer credit by RISD’s undergraduate degree programs. If approved, satisfactory completion of this Furniture Design course with a ‘C’ or better can count as 3 transfer credits toward major/non-major studio elective (NMSE) requirements. Complete the Transfer Credit Prior Approval for Major/Non-Major Credit form in etrieve before completing the online course registration.

Students from institutions other than RISD:

Students seeking academic credits are urged to contact their home institution to arrange prior approval before registering. Policies on transfer credit vary by institution and by program, and it is at the discretion of your home institution to determine what credits it will accept and how they might meet individual academic requirements.

For additional information about RISD Summer Intensives and Transfer Credit Policies, visit our webpage.

Prerequisites

Students must be an adult age 18 or older to participate.

Instructors

Christopher Specce

Enroll Now - Select a section to enroll in

9495 - 001

Jun 22, 2026

Classroom

Campus: RISD Main Campus

Available

Jun 22, 2026 to Jul 21, 2026

Studio

9:00AM to 5:00PM

Jun 22, 2026 to Jul 06, 2026

Studio

9:00AM to 5:00PM

Jun 23, 2026 to Jul 07, 2026

Studio

9:00AM to 4:00PM

Jul 13, 2026 to Jul 20, 2026

Studio

9:00AM to 4:00PM

Jul 14, 2026 to Jul 21, 2026

Schedule and Location

View Details

76.0

RISD Main Campus

Classroom

Tuition credit (3 units)

$3,380.00

Lab Fee

$300.00

Mandatory

3% Service Fee

3 units

Jul 13, 2026

Jan 15, 2026 to Jun 18, 2026

Jun 22, 2026 to Jul 26, 2026

Necessary Supplies

Students are responsible for purchasing their own art supplies, equipment, software subscriptions, and/or books. For most classes, the cost is under $125 (estimate). A supply list will be available on the course site in Canvas at least 30 days prior to the first day of class.

Once you have received your enrollment confirmation and logged in to Canvas, navigate to Upcoming Courses on the left-hand side of your dashboard. Supplies will be listed on your course homepage under the supplies heading. Some or all of your course supplies are available at the RISD Store.

Section Notes

This course requires access to Autodesk Fusion. Please visit the Autodesk website to check "minimum system requirements" for your computer before registering.

The course lab fee will cover material costs and some supplies for the project. Students will be provided with prepared material. Projects will be limited in scale and complexity to facilitate learning outcomes in a timely manner.