The Office of Academic Affairs awarded Janice Julianti ’22 (BFA), whose thesis project is featured on this page, the Ana Blanc Verna Award. This award is given to a graduating BFA student who demonstrated unique creative vision. At NYSID, thesis projects are long journeys that challenge students to brainstorm, conduct research, and synthesize all they have learned. The journey ends with a presentation to a jury of faculty and industry professionals. Our students work closely with faculty to create hypothetical designs that offer solutions to real-world problems.

Student: Janice Julianti
Project: The Kingsland
Award: Ana Blanc Verna Award for Excellence in Interior Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Instructor: Robert Dadras

When Janice Julianti set out to design what would become “The Kingsland: Affordable Housing Apartments for Seniors and the Disabled,” she was struck by the way the COVID-19 pandemic isolated seniors, and drove many into poverty. She says, “I kept thinking about my own grandparents in Indonesia, and how a better living environment could have supported them through this period. I wanted to create an environment with healing moments that brought seniors personal growth, intellectual stimulation, and a connection to nature.” She set the project in the footprint of a 31,684-sq.-ft. warehouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She divided the building into two zones, a rectangular apartment complex with 23 residential units; and on the west side in a square structure, communal spaces such as a classroom, a cafe, and a staff room. Julianti adapted existing features of the building, such as the garage doors on the former loading docks, to bring in daylight and create a seamless flow to the outdoors. She used the rooftop to create a wheelchair accessible garden, and visually connected the rooftop, the second-floor greenhouse, and the first-floor lobby through a skylight, so there would be views of the greenery throughout the space. The second-floor apartments meet ADA standards and are designed for a wheelchair to move through them; the loft apartments challenge more mobile seniors to continue climbing stairs. Among the sustainable features are rainwater collection, solar panels, and abundant natural light.