Nick Hollister.
Industrial Designer
Education
Purdue University
BFA in Industrial Design
Minor in The Russian Language
Experience
Industrial Designer - Hasbro
Industrial Design Intern - ICM Design
Research Analyst - Balkans investment Consulting Agency
Me
I’m a designer who’s driven by curiosity, exploration, and the process of turning ideas into something real.
I believe the strongest work comes from close cross-functional collaboration. I thrive working in person; whiteboards, quick mockups, and side conversations.
Outside of design, I’m a long-distance runner. Endurance training has shaped how I work: consistent, resilient, and comfortable staying with a challenge long enough to see progress.
Thanks for taking the time to explore my work.
Email
Resume
Linkedin
Work
- Nerf_ Value Channel
- Nerf _ Roleplay
- Nerf _ Licensed
- AEC Design Competition _ E Bike Storage
- Sketchbook _ Ideation & Exploration
- Maps _ 3D Prints & Studies
- Metalwork _ Project Sampling
Electric Bike Storage _ AEC Design Competition
Personal Project
Industrial Design + Manufacturing
2 Months
2022
Project
A two-part storage and transportation system for urban e-bike owners, developed for an aluminum extrusion design competition. The brief required all primary components to be designed around extruded aluminum profiles; challenging form, assembly, and manufacturing decisions from the start.
Process
User research across the US and Europe identified apartment-dwelling e-bike owners as the core demographic, with weight and indoor storage as the dominant pain points. Physical carrying tests informed ergonomic decisions for the Sling, while the Loft's lift mechanism and rail system were developed specifically to take advantage of extrusion's strength-to-weight ratio and linear geometry.
Solution
The Loft: a wall-mounted electric lift using extruded aluminum rails to raise and store a 100 lb e-bike while keeping it charged and off the floor. The Sling: an over-shoulder carrying strap with extruded aluminum hardware distributing load across the body for stair transport. First place finish.
Initial Insights
Demographic
20–70 years old
The age range of e-bike users is wide - they serve as a commuting tool and assist riders up hills.
Living Space
E-bike owners are concentrated in urban environments, living in apartments and smaller spaces with flights of stairs.
Storage Indoors
E-bikes must be stored indoors to protect against weather and theft.
Where indoors?
Typically stored in the living room on the floor using the kickstand, near an outlet to charge.
Weight Dangerously heavy
An e-bike weighs around 50 lbs - difficult to carry up stairs and dangerous to lift for older users, ruling out overhead storage.
Understanding the User Journey
Through extensive testing of carrying a bike of similar weight to the average e-bike, I found traditional carrying methods places all of the bikes weight on the bicep - leading to quick fatigue.
Quick mock-ups were made in an attempt to transfer more weight to the entire body.
Design Objectives
Attractive
Something that people would not mind having inside the house. Sleek and modern.
Integrated
An aesthetic that is comfortable indoors and the garage. Not distracting without bike.
Functional
An understandable, simple, and easy to use system of lifting and storing bike. Function is not obvious but it is intuitive.
Durable
Can withstand consistent use. Solid material choice that is sustainable and strong.