Mark J. Kim
Industrial designer — Toronto, ON

Products, finishes & the stories that sell them.

I'm Mark Junghee Kim, an OCAD-trained industrial designer. For sixteen years I've led product development, CMF, brand and visualization work at Rubinet Faucet Company, taking a fixture from first sketch to the showroom floor.

DisciplineIndustrial design · CMF · Marketing design
CurrentlyMarketing / Design, Rubinet Faucet Co. (2010–)
TrainingBDes Industrial Design, OCAD University
ToolsetSolidWorks · KeyShot · Blender · ZBrush · 3ds Max · Unity · Adobe CC
Prototyping3D printing — Bambu Lab, Creality
Fig. 0Rubinet fixtures — product photography
01

Selected product work

4 projects
  1. P—01The Nouveau SeriesHandle design evolutionProduct dev.→
  2. P—02Iconic RedStrategic CMF developmentCMF→
  3. P—03LaSalle SeriesIndustrial round handleProduct dev.→
  4. P—04Living Luxe Design ShowModular exhibition systemSpatial→
P—01 / Product development

The Nouveau SeriesHandle design evolution

Taking the established H2O Series handle and elevating it into a luxury decorative piece, through surface treatment instead of costly decorative machining.

Fig. 1.1Nouveau Series — launch visual
Fig. 1.2Patterned surface treatment — detail
Brief

Give the H2O handle a decorative, high-end expression without changing what made it reliable.

Approach

A research-led exploration of alternative surface treatments as a route to ornament, in place of expensive decorative machining.

Balance

Aesthetics weighed at every step against manufacturing feasibility and long-term durability.

P—02 / Colour, material & finish

Iconic RedStrategic CMF development

A proprietary red finish developed to match the signature red knobs of Wolf ranges, so Rubinet kitchen fixtures sit naturally in high-end kitchens built around them.

Fig. 2.1Red-finish kitchen faucet in context
Finish target Iconic Red Matched to: Wolf range red knob
Fig. 2.2On-screen approximation
Opportunity

Premium kitchens are often designed around a statement range. The faucet should belong in that room.

Approach

Develop a proprietary finish colour-matched to an iconic appliance detail rather than offering a generic red.

Result

A finish that positions Rubinet fixtures as natural companions to high-end appliance suites.

P—03 / Product development

LaSalle SeriesIndustrial round handle development

A new Industrial Round Handle variant for the LaSalle Series, designed to sit alongside the existing lever and cross handle options.

Fig. 3.1Round handle — finish variants
Fig. 3.2Industrial round handle, matte black
Brief

Extend the series with an industrial-character round handle that reads as part of the same family.

Engineering

Designed to manage water drainage so moisture doesn't sit on the handle.

Longevity

Surface and form chosen for long-term finish durability in daily use.

P—04 / Exhibition design

Living Luxe Design ShowModular exhibition system

A reusable, modular booth system built for fast assembly and teardown, and for recovering assets after each show, under a tight budget and tighter logistics.

Fig. 4.1Booth on the show floor
Fig. 4.2Booth render
Fig. 4.3Display unit — dimensioned drawing
Constraint

Limited budget, limited crew and limited time on site.

System

Modular components that assemble and break down quickly and reconfigure for future events.

Value

Built for asset recovery, so the investment carries from one show to the next.

02

Beyond the product

Brand · Visualization · Misc.

Branding

Visual brand elements kept consistent across product design, manufacturing, packaging and point of sale: catalogues, price lists, web and app content, and dealer co-op campaigns.

Nouveau product app
Website — tablet view
Packaging
Product catalogue
Price-list binder
Presentation folder
Business cards
Die-cut print collateral

Product visualization

Photoreal scenes that set the visual message for each product line. Every fixture, room and material below was modeled, lit and rendered by me in Blender.

Fig. V.1Freestanding tub filler — brushed gold
Fig. V.2Shower system — brushed gold
Fig. V.3Lavatory faucet — chrome & aqua
Fig. V.4Lavatory faucet — red lever detail
Fig. V.5Glass shower enclosure — brushed gold
Product-line campaign panels10 panels

Misc. — Visualizing the invisible

Illustration, concept art and side projects, from editorial illustration to game concept work.

Vehicle form sketches
Shower head concept
Electronic product concept
Character sketches
Hand shower concept
Display pedestal concept
Product concept drawings
03

Profile

Experience · Education · Tools

I studied industrial design at OCAD University and later added game animation and art at Seneca College. That mix shows in my work: I engineer the object, then render and market it.

At Rubinet I sit between product, sales and dealers. I develop new handles and finishes, design the catalogues and displays that present them, and keep the technical documentation behind them accurate.

Tools
CAD / 3D / Real-time
SolidWorksSW ComposerSW VisualizeKeyShotBlenderZBrush3ds MaxUnity
Adobe
PhotoshopIllustratorInDesignDimensionPremiere Pro
Prototyping
3D printingBambu LabCreality
Experience
  1. 2010 — Now

    Rubinet Faucet Company / Marketing & Design

    Product catalogues, price lists, website and app content; dealer co-op campaigns and display design; sales presentations; product manuals and spec documents.

  2. 2009 — 2010

    MyDepot Canada / Illustrator

    Editorial illustration and website content management.

  3. 2009

    Vast Studio / Concept Artist

    Game concept sketches for 2D mobile platforms.

  4. 2008 — 2009

    K&B Canada / Graphic Designer

    Advertisements, video clips and brochures for clients.

Education & recognition
  1. 2008

    OCAD University / BDes, Industrial Design

    Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition — 2nd runner-up

    Design Exchange Student Competition — 2nd place, product design
  2. 2015

    Seneca College / Game Animation & Arts

    Ubisoft NXT 2016 Showcase — Honourable mention