NYSID’s students have won many awards, its faculty are recognized trailblazers and its curricula and offerings are continuously evolving and pushing the standards of interior design education ever higher.

FACULTY NEWS

Activism Meets Design in Leyden Lewis’ Work for the Black Artists + Designers Guild

When the dynamic ceramicist and artist Malene Barnett founded the Black Artists + Designers Guild (cheekily nicknamed “the BAD Guild”) last November to address the lack of diversity and inclusion in the creative industries, NYSID’s Institute for Continuing and Professional Studies Director Leyden Lewis became one of its very first members. He was profiled with five other designers in Elle Decor about the work the BAD Guild is doing to increase the representation of black designers and artisans. This year, Lewis, also the principal of Leyden Lewis Design Studio, spearheaded two of the BAD Guild’s major projects. In April, he curated a much lauded exhibition at High Point called “Beyond the Mask: Storytelling in Black Art + Design.” Comments Lewis, “I had the opportunity to demystify what BLACK-ness means when it comes to interior design, fine art and the decorative arts. I was able to demonstrate that it’s not exclusively ethnographic; it’s solid global design, and there are so many ways to be BLACK in design.” In March, he worked with a consortium of other BAD Guild members to create a stunning vignette for the DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) “Dining by Design” fundraiser. Speaking to Interior Design, Lewis said, “We wanted to connect our booth visually, poetically and aesthetically to the reality that, in the South, black women account for 71% of women living with diagnosed HIV.”

NYSID Deans Take Leadership Roles on the Interior Design Educators’ Council

In January, Ellen Fisher, NYSID’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, was elected president-elect of the Interior Design Educators’ Council, meaning she will serve as president in 2020–21. Also, Barbara Lowenthal, NYSID’s Associate Dean, was re-elected East Regional chair of the organization.

The New Director of Sustainability has Both Experience and Passion

Says David Bergman, the new Director of NYSID’s MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments (MPS-S), “Sustainable Design is at an evolutionary point in its development, a point at which it has gone from a siloed and appended afterthought of design to an almost fully integrated part of it.” Bergman is skillfully leading NYSID’s MPS-S program into the future at this critical juncture, bringing to NYSID all his experience as an LEED accredited professional, a practicing architect for 30 years, a Certified Passive House Designer, and author of Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide. He is also the principal of DavidBergmanEco, and founder of Fire and Water, a lighting design firm.

NOTEWORTHY

10th Anniversary of the Institute for Continuing & Professional Studies

This spring marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of NYSID’s Institute for Continuing & Professional Studies (ICPS). Says Leyden Lewis, Director of NYSID’s ICPS, “We are approaching the 10th anniversary by opening up a conversation with working design professionals about what they need to advance their careers and what they’re curious about.” Lewis invites members of the design community to contact him with ideas at icps@nysid.edu. To celebrate the anniversary, Lewis will be setting up a series of 3-hour, hands-on master classes with celebrated designers and artisans working in the field. Exciting details to follow.

The New MFA-1 Student-to-Student Mentoring Program

Many of the students in the MFA-1 program have never had an art class or any experience in spatial planning before NYSID, so the plunge into the College’s studio culture can feel intense. In response, MFA-1 students Mona Nahm and Tiffany Zhou, both members of the Graduate Students Association, established an informal student-to-student mentoring program, which enables first year MFA-1 students to get guidance from second-year students. NYSID’s Dean of Students, Karen Higginbotham, is currently working with the Graduate Students Association to formalize the program for the fall of 2019.

NEW COURSES

Designing Happiness: “The Psychology of Well-being”

In response to concerns about the high levels of depression and anxiety among today’s university students, schools are increasingly offering elective courses detailing the science behind living a happy and meaningful life. Designed and taught by Penni Morganstein, Psy.D., NYSID’s Director of Counseling Services, NYSID’s version of a happiness course, called “The Psychology of Well-being,” is geared toward creatives who require increased self-awareness and strategies to refresh themselves and cultivate their creativity. Dr. Morganstein gives students a foundation in positive psychology, administering a test designed by Martin Seligman to help students identify their top five strengths. She teaches students the variables that correlate most with happiness: adequate sleep, exercise, social connectedness, and a sense of gratitude. She introduces the “theory of flow,” which Dr. Morganstein explains is, “The idea that anxiety should not paralyze you, but be motivating enough to get you to that sweet spot where you’re optimally productive.” Specific strategies, such as meditation and the “Artist Date,” are modeled in this one-credit elective.

Journey along “The Silk Road”

This spring, NYSID introduced a new two-credit course called “The Silk Road,” taught by art historian Ann Bell. The ancient Silk Road was active for approximately 400 years (200 BCE–200 CE), beginning in the time of the Han Dynasty in China. Says Bell, “One of the major goals for students is to develop a visual vocabulary, especially of non-Western design. We learn to identify stylistic characteristics from places like China, India, the Ottoman Empire, Persia and the Roman Empire, and analyze how they intersect.”

ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Sharing Wisdom and Experience: NYSID’s 2018–19 Alumni Mentors

There’s nothing quite like having a seasoned professional to ask questions and bounce ideas off as students look toward their future careers. Eleven alumni took some time off from their busy schedules to mentor student designers in the 2018–2019 school year. This fifth year of the program saw Jumana Alderzi ’18 (MPS) of BAM Architecture Studio mentor Carmen Cid; Mike Bowers ’16 (MFA-2) of DDC International mentor Khanh Tran; Carissa Byrne Hebert ’09 (BFA) of IA Interior Architects mentor Ara Kim; Lawrence Chabra ’09 (BFA) of Robert A.M. Stern Architects mentor Nicole Titus; Suzy Genzler ’12 (BFA) of NK Architects mentor Yi-En Lee; Mariem Horchani ’09 (MFA-1) of MHM Interiors LLC mentor Maye Al-Kuwari; Jazmin Jasquez ’17 (AAS), a store designer for Amazon, mentor Janeen Arnold; Joshua David Lefkowitz ’11 (AAS) of Joshua David Home, LLC, mentor Vanessa Lourenco; Jeremy Peng ’13 (MPS) a technical designer for Gensler mentor Keisuko Omato; Stephanie Sarkies ’08 (BFA) of Pembrooke and Ives mentor Vanessa Schwartz; and Lydia Tiasina ’15 (MPS) of HOK mentor Rashmi Nair. NYSID and all the students are truly grateful to these mentors, who have had an important impact on our students at a formative moment in their lives and careers.

Three New Ways for NYSID Alumni to Get Involved

NYSID’s Office of Alumni Relations is introducing three new ways alumni can get involved with emerging designers and students in the fall of 2020. As part of the Alumni Ambassadors Program, alumni will welcome newly admitted students to the school; from making the initial congratulations call to hosting small meet and greet events. Also through the Next Steps Program, alumni will mentor new graduates of NYSID for the first 6 months after commencement of their employment, helping ease their transition into the working world. Through the Alumni Working Group, alumni will get involved with planning Gala 2020, Dialogues on Design, the Educated Eye luncheon, and Alumni Lectures.

For more information about any of these opportunities, contact Samantha Fingleton at 212-472-1500 ext. 431 or sfingleton@nysid.edu.

STUDENT AWARDS

NYSID Students Win Major Industry Awards

Three NYSID students in the BFA won AFD Steelcase Scholarship awards based on their designs in Contract Design II. The first prize scholarship of $10,000 went to Marissa Kronenfeld, the second prize of $7,500 to Brittney Snyder, and the third prize of $5,000 went to Daniel Davidge. Three other students–Monica Ferrara, Coriann Pormilli and Daniela Vanegas—received an Honorable Mention. The students studied with instructors Barbara Weinreich and Alana Okun.

Recent graduate Hao Wu ’18 (MFA-2) won Contract Magazine’s Interior award in the “Student” category for his design “The Synergy Station.” Wu’s work takes green design beyond LEED and WELL building standards with a plan that reduces the time that a building is vacant, therefore reducing waste. The jury said of the design: “There is a direct relationship between the research and the elements of the project’s solutions, and a demonstration of an understanding of the human scale and experience throughout.” Wu also won the IDA’s Emerging Interior Designer of the Year award for his project, “The M Hotel.”

Ara Kim ’19 (MFA-1) won the ASID Student Portfolio competition. She was one of five winners, and was awarded a $3,500 scholarship for the impressive scope of work in her portfolio.

The New York City section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC) selected Brigid Hardiman ’19 (MPS-L) as the recipient of the fourth annual merit-based IESNYC scholarship. The scholarship award was $25,000.

NYSID STUDY ABROAD

Art and Design of Japan

Faculty member Dr. Zhijian Qian, art historian, curator, calligrapher and expert in Asian art, along with Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean Ellen Fisher, led a group of NYSID students on a tour in May 2019 that started in Tokyo and that included visits to many historical and cultural sites, including the Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Ginza district, with a special focus on the work of architect Tadao Ando. The course continued with visits via high-speed train to Osaka, Kyoto and Nara.

Greece: The Roots of Classical Design

Francisco de Leon, NYSID design, technology and drawing instructor, led this tour of Greece in May 2019. The focus on classical architecture and design was reinforced each day by drawing at the location, as the group visited Crete and ancient Athens, studied the Acropolis, and traveled to the site of the Oracle at Delphi.

STANDOUT PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Straight Talk on Adversity and Inclusion from the Black Interior Design Network

On December 19, NYSID welcomed alumna Beth Diana Smith ’14 (AAS) back to her alma mater for an event featuring her and other members of the Black Interior Design Network on the subject of “Breaking the Mold.” The other speakers were moderator Keia McSwain, project manager of Kimberly & Cameron Interiors and president of the Black Interior Designers Network (BIDN), and interior designers Alicia Bailey, Kesha Franklin, Keita Turner and Saudah Saleem. A large crowd turned out for the event. Panelist Saudah Saleem said to Business of Home after the talk, “For many of us, design was not even introduced as a possibility as a career; whereas in other communities, design is something introduced in childhood. So, to have so many people in one space and feeling the same thing was really powerful.”

“More Than a Pretty Space” Focuses on Design Entrepreneurism

On April 17, some of the most enterprising interior designers in the field gathered to discuss the business of building an interior design brand and the importance of building a network of peers in the visual arts. Malene Barnett, crossmedia artist, principal of Malene B Atelier and founder of The Black Artists & Designers Guild, interviewed

NYSID trustee Alexa Hampton, principal of Mark Hampton LLC and the creator of multiple lines of stylish home products that bear her name; Sheila Bridges, principal of Shelia Bridges Design and Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, principal of BNO Design.

Cindy Allen on Interior Design Magazine’s Hall of Fame

On January 30, the editor in chief of Interior Design, Cindy Allen, introduced the process behind selecting designers who make it into the magazine’s “Hall of Fame,” and discussed the contributions of this year’s inductees: Kengo Kuma, Marcel Wanders, Patrick Tighe and Iwamoto Scott. She also shared her principles for success with NYSID’s students, wisdom that included: “Fight to be original; Find mentors to support you; Collaborate without fear or insecurity; and Work harder than anyone else.”

ROOMS Series Opens With a Felix Rodewaldt Exhibit

The new ROOMS exhibition series, curated and designed by Darling Green, explores a cross-section of art and interior design. It’s fitting, therefore, that Felix Rodewaldt became the first artist featured in this series as he has created many room-defining works for restaurants, clubs, and embassies. Rodewaldt is best known for his bold, geometric murals, often made using adhesive tape and house paint. The paint was generously donated by Farrow & Ball.

Alumnus Laurie Smith on Taking Home Design to the Airwaves

NYSID alumna Laurie Smith was one of the first designers to hit the airwaves on TLC’s Emmy-nominated show “Trading Spaces” in 2000. Smith and the original cast of “Trading Spaces” returned after 10 years to TLC in the spring of 2018 with the series reboot, and starred in a second season this spring, 2019. On May 8, Smith, also the author of Discovering Home, returned to her alma mater to discuss her unconventional career, in which she successfully melds her expertise in home design with her background in broadcast journalism.

Fall 2019 Public Programs

NYSID’s public programs feature accomplished design professionals who discuss innovative ideas in interior design, architecture, and the built environment. Visit nysid.edu to find out what’s on the schedule for fall 2019.