The Office of Academic Affairs awarded Stefano Falez ‘23 (MPSS) the Chairman’s Award for his overall performance at NYSID. At NYSID, capstone 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: Stefano Falez
Project: KEEL.LABS
Program: Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments
Instructors: Luca Baraldo and Bethany Borel

A real company and brand inspired Stefano Falez. KEEL.LABS is a North Carolina-based start-up driven by the exploration of new resources from the ocean to create fabrics with low carbon footprints. One of the organic materials the company uses as the basis for its textiles is kelp, which is harvested sustainably and transformed into a biopolymer, making the material of Kelsun. Falez set out to create a headquarters for KEEL.LABS at 3 East 28th Street in New York that could be both a showroom where potential clients could experience the product and brand, and an office conductive to different forms of work. Says Falez, “The overall concept of the project was to best represent the ideals of this young start-up through the use of materials reminiscent of the sea, a central element of the start-up’s identity.” Falez sets the tone in reception with a gorgeous stainless steel ceiling in a water ripple pattern. A movable cast glass partition makes the large space flexible, so it can be divided for tasks that require privacy or opened for parties and events. Falez pays close attention to the acoustics, because he wants to muffle noise for workers trying to concentrate, and also create the auditory and visual experience of being underwater. The PET plastic ceiling baffles from Arktura resemble waves; the wool ceiling clouds from Buzzi resemble sea creatures; both absorb sound waves. Falez optimized the use of daylight and used smart sensors to dim the lights at times of day when less light is required. The materials he selected, such as a floor made of “sea stone,” a cement-like material made from discarded shells, are in line with the company’s mission and vision.