My name is Nick Richardson. I have had a passion for great design, invention, and problem solving from an early age. When I was just ten years old, I broke my dominant hand in a snowboarding accident, and could not write for two months. This inspired me to invent a special writing utensil to do my homework. It turned out it could also help people who had other kinds of injuries, carpel tunnel syndrome, or arthritis, to write comfortably. The NickPen was my first invention.
Much later, for my senior thesis at MICA,
I designed and fabricated a system of prosthetic arms (BamBam Prosthetics) for amputees in developing countries. The system is based on an adjustable socket with interchangeable terminal devices that can be used for different functions. It is made primarily from bamboo and different cloths, and is intended to be manufactured locally and at minimal cost. BamBam Prosthetics is exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in the "Beautiful Users Exhibit" from December 12, 2014 - April 19, 2015. After its stay at the Cooper Hewitt, BamBam, as well as the rest of the Beautiful Users Exhibit, will tour the world for the next 2-3 years.
I designed and fabricated a system of prosthetic arms (BamBam Prosthetics) for amputees in developing countries. The system is based on an adjustable socket with interchangeable terminal devices that can be used for different functions. It is made primarily from bamboo and different cloths, and is intended to be manufactured locally and at minimal cost. BamBam Prosthetics is exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in the "Beautiful Users Exhibit" from December 12, 2014 - April 19, 2015. After its stay at the Cooper Hewitt, BamBam, as well as the rest of the Beautiful Users Exhibit, will tour the world for the next 2-3 years.
In addition to designing innovative products with the capacity to improve lives, I have always been fascinated by the performing arts, both on and off stage. My first job was Production Assistant at the Theater-by-the-Sea in Matunuck, Rhode Island. After graduating from MICA in 2012, I had an internship with Derek McLane, the Tony Award-winning scenic designer, where I had the chance to work on designs for several Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, as well as the 2013 Academy Awards.
For several years I have worked as an assistant designer at Donald Richardson AIA & Assoc. both during the summer and other hiatuses. There, I have worked on a number of private houses as well as institutional projects, most recently the new Edgewood Yacht Club for clients that included Brown University and Moses Brown School. After New Orleans was devasted by Hurricane Katrina, I helped redesign a church in the 9th District.
In 2012, I graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a BFA in Environmental Design. While there, I worked on a number of product and space designs, including a system of toys for teaching young children about physics (GoBlocks), the Burma Transitional School Shelter, and the Hoop House, a system for big city farming.
All of these, and more, are featured in my Gallery. Enjoy!