Max Beach

Lecturer, Max Beach has more than 17 years of industry experience with product, transportation, brand experience, and exhibit design as a founding partner of Linespace (formerly IDA) in Culver City, CA. He has produced a range of projects including; recreational watercraft, electric vehicle charging equipment, consumer electronics, hardware and tools, and product brand guidelines. Working with brands like AeroVironment has broadened his range of expertise with brand focused design solutions for OEMs like; Nissan, Toyota, Audi, and BMW. Having managed product development teams for various disciplines, including; electrical and mechanical engineering, user interface, prototype development, and plastic part manufacturing, he continues to embrace diverse projects at Linespace. With clients like Kawasaki he has lead the development of consumer brand experiences in the form of 80'x80' trade show booth designs that attract, engage and inform the visitor. For his design contributions on the cy-fi wireless speaker, he was honored with the 2009 CES Innovation Honoree Award. 

 

Childhood fascination with cars, led him to study at Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The multi-disciplinary nature of industrial design appealed to his greater inclination for variety. Entering the design field as a boat designer in Fargo, North Dakota for Sugar Sand Marine, Beach worked on several aspects of design for the complete product line including, color & trim, display and graphic design. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he began a freelance design practice gaining a diverse experience in the field.

 

As an active member of the IDSA community Beach was twice elected to the Chapter Chair position. Max has helped to re-grow the LA Chapter and has championed initiatives to raise awareness to the business community. 

 

In 2006 Max joined California State University, Long Beach as a lecturer in the Industrial Design program. He has instructed foundation courses like Rapid Visualization and Advanced Form Study. Since 2011 Beach has taught the spring Senior Industrial Design Studio where he helps prepare the students for a career in design. He piloted the advanced form design class and worked with the program coordinator and other instructors to develop a course content as it was added to the program curriculum. Beach also serves on the drawing curriculum committee where he and other instructors meet to discuss techniques, course content, methods, industry relevance and technology as it pertains to instructing students from fundamental to advanced levels of visual communication. 

 

Along with instructing at CSULB Beach has taught at Otis College of Art and Design. Beach has been a guest lecturer at Art Center College of Art And Design and has served as an advisor to the curriculum committee for CSULB ID, Otis IPD and Art Institute-OC ID Programs.

 

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