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Inside MillerKnoll: A behind-the-scenes visit for Product Design students

Wednesday, 21 October, 2026

Our second-year Product Design students recently visited MillerKnoll’s European headquarters, stepping behind the scenes of a company with a particularly special connection to their own place of study at Locksbrook Campus. 

Today, Locksbrook is home to the School of Design and School of Creative and Cultural Arts. But 50 years ago, the building had a very different purpose, designed by Grimshaw Architects, it was built as a factory for Herman Miller. Its history is woven into the story of design and manufacturing in the city, making the university’s ongoing relationship with MillerKnoll all the more meaningful. 

For students on the Product Design course, the visit offered a chance to see that very world of design and production up close. Walking the factory floor, they discovered that, alongside the machinery and technology of modern manufacturing, much of the work still depends on the hands and expertise of highly skilled craftspeople. It was a reminder that even in an increasingly automated industry, people remain at the heart of making great products, which is what the School of Design also strives for. 

Students also had the opportunity to chat with members of the MillerKnoll team, several of whom had once worked in the Locksbrook building itself, back when it was a working Herman Miller factory. Hearing their stories brought a sense of continuity to the day, where a building that once played a part in making furniture is now helping students learn how to design it. 

Perhaps the most exciting part of the visit was stepping into the development workshops. Here, students were shown a selection of prototypes still in development, offering a rare glimpse into the thinking, testing and experimentation behind new products. What were they working on? We’d love to tell you, but some secrets are best kept in the workshop! 

Product Design student Harvey Rosser commented: 

“This was a great experience. We got shown around the factory and shown how everything is made. It is a great industry connection and was very educational to see how everything is made behind the scenes!” 

The visit was a fitting way to mark Locksbrook’s 50th anniversary, celebrating not just the building’s past, but the connections that continue to give it meaning today. Through ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Product Design course, the relationship between education and industry remains very much alive, giving students the opportunity to learn from the people, processes and ideas shaping design now. 

Fifty years on, Locksbrook’s story is still being written, this time by the next generation of designers.