SCHOOL OF
DESIGN STRATEGIES
The School of Design Strategies began with three programs: Foundation, Design & Management, and Integrated Design. It now includes Environmental Studies and Urban Design as well. Although the school is fairly new, the programs within it have existed for over ten years. Its main focuses are cities, services, and ecosystems. There are approximately 1,400 students studying the uniques areas of design that SoDS offers. Our school is doing things that others have never done before.
“Trans-disciplinary design indicates a move from design as a strictly professional and vocational training to where design becomes a set of skill, attitude, mindset, and capability that can be applied in a very wide variety of human endeavors that have not been exposed to design.� Miodrag Mitrasinovic, Dean of SoDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS DESIGN & MANAGEMENT.................................1 INTEGRATED DESIGN......................................17 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES............................33 URBAN DESIGN ...............................................41
D E S I G N
A N D
M A N A G E M E N T
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The unique opportunity to explore design fields and industries while completing a business program
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“We know our students will gain knowledge and practice to intervene in the world as a constructive force.� - Matthew Robb
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Design+Management is a business curriculum with an emphasis on design. Students graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (BBA). Because D+M is part of Parsons, a front runner in the creative industry, there is a unique opportunity for all students to acquire great insight on design strategies. D+M allows to students to focus on design research methods, practice in group contexts and understand business techniques. D+M wants students who are well-rounded and diverse to create an environment of young and bright individuals who won’t be intimidated in facing global issues. As students progress in D+M, they will tackle problems such as dwindling natural resources, tightening goverment regimes and being conscious of environmental factors. From selected interviews with facutly, an alunmus and current students we hope to enhance awarenss on this unique program. Is Design and Management right for you?
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Program Director
Matthew Robb
What kind of students does D+M look for? We look for students aren’t obvious art school students. For D+M, a portfoilo is not required. When students apply, there is an essay portion and if the student can write a clear, well-composed essay, we think of that as a plus. Students who can synthesize their ideas with analytical and reasoning skills. Students will need to possess top shelf skills. We look for evidence that a 17 year old can develop into someone who can serve a business best. Where do you see the D+M working towards? Today the designer is often passive. They wait for clients and companies to pitch them an idea or come up with a technology that constrains the creative process. Here in the D+M program, we strongly promote the relevance of design or design 6
thinking in a broader spectrum of the business world. We want our students to have a proactive role in society, be flexible and apply designer skills and sensibilty to a gigantic range of problems like pollution, inequity and sustainability. What aspect of D+M are you most proud of? I see students that graduate with business skills and a greater knowledge of how the economy works. They know how to research, handle money and have a broader awareness of the world. They understand the pros and cons of capitalism and that there’s money in markets beyond that of luxury brands. There’s the opportunity to reuse and repurpose products that may be viewed as unuseable. I want students to know that the world was always this way. It doesn’t have to be this way.
How long has the D+M program been running? The program has been around for about 25 years. The curriculum was originally constructed as Design Marketing, but about 6 years ago it offically changed to Design and Management. Once a very small program, it has become comparable to Foundation program comprised of more than 600 students. What are some challenges students will face in their classes? Students will come into contact with situations such as converting a business thats used to selling products into a business that sells a service. They will discuss the benefits of business models like ZipCar and alternative packaging. There are tremendous opportunities for the bottom of the pyramid like rural people that don’t have access to cars, cellphones and computers, even soap and mundane, boring items. What are some success stories that have come out of D+M? Many serious students want to start their own business, and although this isn’t the case for every student, we have some that have come out of our school and flourished lin companies like Alice’s Tea Cup, FashionNYC, and Bella Fleur.
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Interview
with Sophomore
Jim Chen
What do you think of the program overall? I feel it has a solid introduction to design thinking and allows the student to be more flexible in their career choices. The program has a lot to do with projects incorporated with design and business strategy. Many ideas that are important to D+M are how to be thoughtful with design and sustainability. However, I’m thinkinf of changing majors. Perhaps to Product, or Integrated Design. Sometimes, I think we try to cover too many things in the D+M courses, instead of focusing on specific interests. D+M students can’t take a lot of design courses. What are your goals as a student in D+M? I may start my own business, but I’m not very sure. Before I came to New York, I wanted to be a design project manager. 8
What do you think of the students in D+M? Most of them are a little too into fashion, but it doesn’t bother me that much. Do you believe the class expenses, outside tuition, were reasonable? If not why? I think tuition is a bit too high. Each semester I spend about 500 bucks on supplies. What do you think of the faculty? Most of the teachers are good, but its different for each one. Frank Holliday is great for design. He’s funny and you learn a lot. He’s good at inspiring students, while not being too harsh, and still very motivating. As an international student, has Parsons met your standards? Parsons and D+M are pretty accommodating to international students.
“If you’re not prepared for New York City, then you shouldn’t come.” 9
Junior
Anna Lownes
Do you believe Parsons D+M is setting you on the right track towards your career goals? The good thing about the program is that you can go in whatever direction you please. So, this business knowledge is great. What I’ve been doing is just interning as much as I can (I’m on my 5th internship) so that I get a feel for what I like. D+M is really for people who one day want to run an existing business, or open their own. The good part is that if you like fashion, the whole business thing applies to fashion (as it does to everything else). You learn what makes companies run. Do you believe the class expenses, outside tuition, were reasonable? If not why? Yeah, there really aren’t many expenses here, besides when you have design 1-4, sometimes you have to buy supplies. Like, my sophomore year in design, we had to make a 3D model of our project. D+M kids don’t know how to do that very well. But 10
see I went through foundation year, so it wasn’t new to me. They had a guy come in and show us how to use an Olfa knife and cut illustration board. I mean COME on. Books are books. They are pricey. I have just come to buy mine used and then re-sell them. There’s not much you can do about that I guess. There are a lot of textbooks we would have to buy, but never used.
Are you enjoying the program overall? Why? Yes, for the most part. I do wish we could concentrate more in one specific area during our junior and senior years but I have not had that much of a chance to do that yet. Mostly I had to take business classes and stuff. Also, I am a creative person (some kids in Design and Management are not as much, each one has their strengths) and I miss having a creative outlet. I would love to be able to take a fine arts class (something like screening printing, photography, painting, etc). I am pretty sure that you can take classes like that as electives, but it’s not that easy with scheduling and rules. In D+M you do have mostly design classes up through your sophomore year, but it depends on your teacher. Plus, it is mostly graphic/2D/information and organization classes. It’s not that hands on and I miss that the most.
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Junior
Sierra Holland
Do you like Design and Managment overall? Overall I do enjoy Design and Management. I think that it is training me well for the career fields I am considering in the future. I am still a little unclear as to what I want to do for a career, but I often consider advertising, PR, or starting my own business. I would also want to I ntegrate my creativity into all of these possibilities so I’d want to do any of these in an Art/ Design related industry. Would you ever consider changing majors? I have been in Design and Management the whole time I’ve been at Parsons. In the past I have considered switching majors because I feel like I am a very creative person and sometimes I wish I was able to take more art classes. I also feel like sometimes people that are in Foundation assume we’re not as creative because we’re graduating 12
with a business degree. However I initially wanted to get a BFA of some sort, but for me, Design and Management was best so I could gain business knowledge as well as improve my design skills. Instead of switching though, I just take electives in other departments. Do you believe the class expenses, outside of tuition, were reasonable? If not, why? In D+M we don’t have to buy as many art supplies because we don’t have many studio classes. So, it helps to have the Adobe Software, and we also get a great student discount, but there is also access to that at school if someone really couldn’t afford it. Our expenses are mainly in books, and I feel like they are on average $200-$400 a semester, which is pretty reasonable. Teachers also often give a lot of required reading online so we don’t have to purchases full books for one chapter!
Do you have an intership? When did you first get one? Where are you working? I am currently at my first internship at Harper’s Bazaar Magazine in the accessories department. For D+M one internship is required before graduation and you receive credit for it. I chose to wait until Junior year because they put a slot for it in your schedule so you don’t have too many classes. I feel like any time before spring semester Sophomore year would just be too overwhelming for someone to get one. How many hours a week do you spend on assignment outside of class? Each class takes a different amount of outside homework time. Some classes are a lot of reading and papers and others are design based projects. I guess I would say I spend about 3 hours per class. Do you feel you have a lot of freetime? Freshman year I was extremely overwhelmed with the amount of work I had. I feel like my time management skills have evolved each year, allowing me more free time. This semester I always make time to go out with friends every Friday and Saturday night, with the exception of the midterms and finals weeks.
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Alumnus
Kelvin Lin
Occupation: Associate Information Architect Did you like the program overall and why? Yes, I loved Design + Management. The program offered various courses that can be applied to many industries, which is very useful, especially in a economically depressed time. Students are able to tweak and select courses within the path that they are interested in. The instructors are respected within their fields, they are very passionate, and they are encouraging to the students. Students can often see and feel the department’s passion in helping the student succeed. Did you have an internship? What year did you first get one? Where did you work? Yes, I had several. My first internship was during my Sophomore year. I’ve interned at Giorgio Armani, Fly Magazine, Vivienne Tam, WFG Media, and Create The Group. 14
What where your favorite aspects of the program overall? One of my favorite parts of the department is the relationships I’ve developed with my professors, advisors, and staff members at D+M. I’m still in touch with many of them and they’re always very encouraging and excited in my career/personal development. Another favorite at D+M was the Senior Thesis course. The course allowed us to spend an entire year on something that we’re very passionate about. I would do it all over again. Explain some important projects that you completed in D+M. I took a class all about “sharing” that I loved. It was so fascinating and all so new. To most people it would seem radical, but come on, this is the New School. We had to design our own sharing system that we modeled after another, so we chose CouchSurfing, and then made up another system called Socialyze, which was a way for people to meet
and swap advice. Other projects would be analyzing the differences between city and rural schools with a campus, and also designing sustainable packaging. How many hours a week did your spend on assignments outside of class? Every semester varied, but I would say approximately 20 to 25 hours a week. Did you feel you had a lot of free time? Not quite. But then again, each student varies depending on how much effort they put into the course and the workload their teacher’s give them. In my case, I felt it was a little intense, so for a few semesters, I took 5 courses per semester instead of 6 to ease my workload.
How did you like the people you interacted with in the program? All the staff within Design + Management are very approachable, and they always have the students’ best interest at heart. Students are generally pretty respectful with only a few exceptions. I would say 1/3 of the students in D+M work very hard, 1/3 thinks they’re too good for the program, and another 1/3 are somewhere off in la-la-land.
What is something you wish you would have known before coming to NY or Parsons? How much of a lack of community there is and how no one holds your hand here (not that I would want that, however). It’s just that you are REALLY on your own at this school I feel like. As for New York, I don’t know. Parsons was kind of a last minute decision. But I love New York. I think I will stay here forever!
“Even though I’m sometimes still unclear about what I would like to eventually do down my career path, it’s been an awesome journey so far.” -Kelvin Lin 15
This book was created by Max Cantrell and Louis Dorantes for John Roach and Julia Gorton’s Spring 2010 Laboratory class. A special thanks to Jim Chen, Sierra Holland, Kelvin Lin, Anna Lowes and Matthew Robb.
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Design is not just about creating elegant objects or beautifying the world around us. The best designers match necessity to utility, constraint to possibility, and need to demand. These design thinkers rely on rigorous observations of how we use spaces and the objects and services that occupy them; they discover patterns where others see complexity and confusion; they synthesize new ideas from seemingly disparate fragments; and they convert problems into opportunities. Tim Brown, IDEO
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The Integrated Design Program (IDP) is a self-guided undergraduate The Integrated Design Program BFA program offered under the (IDP) is an interdisciplinary selfSchool of Design Strategies, and it guided undergraduate BFA program is fundamentally different than offered under the School of Design any other program offered at the Strategies that is fundamentally New School University. different than any other program Rather than majoring in one or offered at the New School University. two specific disciplines, IDP allows IDP is interested not only in how students to broadly explore their area design can be used as a tooloftostudy—IDP students can take bring value to others, but how it 40% can of their courses at any school be used to create solutions to under the Parsons and Lang. collective challenges facing us today. Rather than merely teaching Human-centered at its core, IDP is how to create aesthetically concerned with challenging students our pleasing objects, campaigns, and assumptions about what it means to be designers and what it means spaces, IDP empowers students to to be consumers, and how these think from a broader perspective questions can engage us to design about design and how it can be used in a way that can have a real impact to create solutions to the collective in the world. challenges facing us today.
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IDP asks students to think broadly about design, challenging them to consider not just what they are making, but how they are making it, what kind of impact it will have on the world, as well as what kind of people are buying and using it. IDP is not just about making pretty things – the program encourages students to think about the context of the things they are creating. By focusing on the bigger picture design is treated as a tool that can be used to have a positive impact on the world.
IDP is an extremely flexible program, affording students the ability to take full advantage of a wide range of courses offered at the New School University. While all IDP students are required to take a core set of courses that equip students with skills that all designers should have, the electives are completely open, allowing students to design their own path of study. Rather than focusing on one discipline, IDP students can take courses and build skills from any department.
Integrated Design students can take 40% of their courses at any school at Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang School of Liberal Arts in pursuit of their unique interests.
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The Four Tracks The Integrated Design Program allows students to enter the world of design through the context of one of four areas of study: Fashion, Urban, Sustainability and Service. In contrast to other programs that guide students along a preset path of courses, IDP is structured to allow students to design their own education based on their unique interests, using the tracks as a kind of lens through which they approach their design education.
Fashion Integrated Fashion is a progressive program that has been designed for students who are interested in the world of fashion rather than just the industry of fashion. Compared to other fashion programs, Integrated Fashion does not focus solely on the techniques of producing clothing or the current trends in society, but rather it seeks to challenge the traditional assumptions and beliefs about the fashion industry. The world of fashion involves how we think about clothing and who we are, it includes the way that we conduct business transactions around clothing, it explores the way the developed world is involved in fashion and how those processes and systems that are directly related to fashion can be reexamined and improved. It has to do with not just the clothing, but the meaning of clothing. Rather than a traditional fashion education that grooms students to function within the system of the established industry, Integrated Fashion seeks to create alternative economies that are concerned with how fashion can be used to communicate values of equality and sustainability. Students address the world of fashion from a multi-disciplinary perspective—rather than being limited to a program that merely teaches students how to construct garments, Integrated Fashion empowers students to become designers with game-changing potential.
Urban Integrated Urban is focused on the concept of the city as an urban ecosystem, encouraging students to utilize design to explore the ways we are connected to our cities and ultimately how we can create environments that challenge the traditional concepts of space and how it can be designed to best suit the behaviors and demands of an urban population. In an era where more than half the earth’s population 21
reside in cities, Integrated Urban Design asks important questions about our urban identities, impacts, and futures, and how design can be used to improve the quality of our ever-changing lives.
Sustainability Sustainablity does not just mean changing the materials that we consume to be “greener”—Integrated Sustainability is concerned with how design can be used to navigate the complex issues of how we relate to and interact with our environment, and how designers can intervene to create and support sustainable ways of working and living. Rather than other programs that may focus on using science or policy, the Sustainability track is focused on using design and business as tools for having an impact in our environment. The courses are structured to look not only at the built environment around us, but also the ways in which we interact with and live in those environments that have lead us to live unsustainably.
Service Integrated Service is focused on the broad spectrum of real world experiences that we encounter every day: transportation, financial services, waste management, technological services, health care, food service, retail, arts and entertainment, tourism, education, etc. Integrated Service investigates how these services can be designed to create more meaningful experiences that contribute to creating better and more fulfilling experiences of life. Although we’ve been engaged in services all our lives, most people only pay attention to the final product without realizing that the service that accompanies the product is critical to its success or failure.
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Students select their courses within the context of their chosen path, integrating their electives into their area of study.
For example... Perhaps a student is interested in the role of women in society and how this can be represented in the type of fashion that they create. Aside from the core IDP courses, this student could use their six elective credits (per semester) to take gender studies courses, psychology courses, fashion construction courses, as well as art history courses that look at women artists — and all within the context of their broad query area under the Integrated Fashion track.
Being an integrated designer means a variety of different things—the idea is that in IDP you’re not just learning a skill set, but a new way of thinking that is essential for any successful designer to have, regardless of the specific discipline or projected outcome. IDP empowers students to take their design skills into the world in a variety of different ways, enco uraging the development of designers that are flexible enough with their competencies that they can not only thrive in a changing marketplace but design in a way that can have a real impact in the world. Rather than feeding into one particular industry, becoming an Integrated Designer allows students to approach a broad range of job opportunities.
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“IDP allows students to take courses across all programs at Parsons, and as a result they’re not so narrowly focused. Unlike students who come out of other programs with the label of “product designer” or “architect” the students that emerge from IDP are chameleons. They are capable of maneuvering their skills through multiple areas, systems, and industries. Because of their exposure to a broad range of coursework, students have a very robust and broad portfolio upon graduation, putting them in an extremely competitive place with other graduates who may have more standard portfolios.” Carrie Neal, IDP Advisor 24
The Student Experience
{
“We are interested in students having different outcomes from this program” -Nadia Elrohsky
“If the Sustainabilty track had a motto it would be ‘Wtf, are you drinking from a plastic bottle?’” -Clarah Kim “IDP allows you to combine interests together. It gives you a lot of freedom to experiment and shift ideas, as long as you can justify it.” -Celia
self-directed
broad process focused
innovative approaches
helping people
why does this matter? design thinking research. research. think outside the box
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Stephanie Valencia says,
“Explore!”
benlalli.tumblr.com
Service Design
Service Design is a relatively new topic of design, but an important one. The way that the service associated with a product is designed greatly contribues to its success or failure. “We have been engaged with services all our lives. We buy food, use various technologies and interact with others. And yet, many people pay attention only to the design of a product and not the service that is provided with the product. In the Service Design area of study you focus on what it means to serve others through design.” -Nadia Elrohsky Director of Integrated Design
If you are interested in re-designing services, helping others, and making big changes in the everyday life Service Design is for you!
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advice
“Don’t be scared and try new things.”
misconceptions
“That we’re confused and can’t make up our minds.”
who is IDP
“A thinker, a modern world designer who thinks outside the box.”
in ten years “I want to be helping people, through service and design.”
“ The thing that most surprised me was the extent of disorganization. IDP is an organized mess...in a good way.” 27
Jenny Oh!
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misconceptions
“That you won’t get a job”
advice
“Use your summers wisely. Develop your design personality.”
IDP as a Person
“Someone very active with people and the environment, almost like a hippie.”
in ten years
“ I would like to own my own label with a non-profit aspect.”
“In the beginning of each semester, you write an area of study statement. With that statement, you have to select your own classes and decide by yourself which ones you think would fit best with the goal you have in mind.”
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Un-Fashion lets you study fashion your way.
“Fashion is intended for students who are interested in the world of fashion as opposed to the industry.� -Nadia Elrohsky Director of IDP Separate from the industry of fashion in Midtown that focuses on trends, studying Fashion through the Integrated Design Program will introduce you to a different side of fashion. It will make you question the way we think about clothing, make transactions, and will incorporate the developing world in a discussion about fashion. Un-Fashion challenges issues that the modern fashion industry is very disconnected from. These could be anything from the needs that emergency medical units have with clothing or simply challenging the traditional way we make clothes. If you want to experience an alternative side to fashion, IDP is the place for you. 29
Ariel Patterson misconceptions
“You can just do whatever you want.”
advice
“ Be ready to not have a lot of teacher direction. They will not baby you along the way.”
IDP as a Person
“ They would be flighty, non-chalant, and only care about what they are working on.”
in ten years
“ Create my own business and sell my own ideas.”
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Urban Design
The Urban Design area of study is focused on the ecology of the city. It looks at the urban condition and measures the changes within that context. Using qualitative and quantitative observations and measurements, the student focuses on problems in the urban community and ways to solve them through design. Therefore, students interests, as with any other program in IDP, are combined in a constant study of what it means to live in the city.
“ We want you to be able to approach design problems that are broad. How you approach them is completely dependant on your interests.” - Nadia Elrohsky
“ If you want to get a little taste of everything, you should go into IDP. I started studying Urban Design, changed my mind and now I’m studying Fine Arts and Fashion.” - Ariel
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The IDP section was investigated, interpreted, and lovingly constructed by
Erica Derricka & Ryan Reid
With many thanks to John Roach, Julia Gorton, Cynthia Lawson, Nadia Elrokhsy, Carrie Neal, Pascale Gatzen, and all the awesome IDP students who allowed us to harass them 32
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 34
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“This Program Is For You If You Are...... Someone that is an activists, wanting to implement what they learn in attempts at social change” -Cameron Tonkinwise
Someone looking to actually learn what goes behind the design work” -Alexandre P. Wolf
Someone that cares about the environment” -Erica Schapiro-Sakashita Someone who likes to experiment and don’t mind being political.” -Cameron Tonkinwise
Someone comfortable with a wide range of courses and teaching modes” -Cameron Tonkinwise
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This Environmental Studies Program is like no other of it’s kind!
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This Environmental Studies program gives you the chance to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Environmental Studies. With integrated courses in design, natural and social sciences this program extends way pass just natural ecology and the preservation of resourses! Instead it highlights environmental policy, urban ecosystems science, and sustainable design. What make this program so unique is it’s ability to combine distinguished courses with the expertise of the faculty and also incorporating the interest of the students. The main goal of this program is to give students the capability of knowing the best way to improve the sustainability of cosmopolitan city living by pulling together teams of experts to tackle complex problems in thorough and creative ways. 37
s
eminars have 18-20 students, studios 12-15 students. This is a new cross divisional degree program so you are studying with a mix of Eugene Lang and Parsons students, as well as a few New school for General Gtudies and Music students. The program has young and dedicated faculty who are passionate about making a major social change toward a more sustainable future. The faculty all are embedded in New York City environmental organizations, whether NGOs, government agencies or commercial consultants. 38
“I give this program a 10. It is truly a unique one.” -Alexandre P. Wolf “I LOVE this program. I think its the most progressive program at the New School”. -Alexandre P. Wolf “Its a new field, there are not many people who can do what we do. We are a new kind of student who hopefully can change the way for future students.” -Alexandre P. Wolf
“This program is also fairly unique in having most courses involve fieldwork or partnered projects, and requiring internships with environmental organizations to graduate. New York City’s ecological sustainability is the course’s learning environment.” -Cameron Tonkinwise t 39
“In the next 5 years, this program will be an environmentally focused interdisciplinary degree program that will have set a new standard in liberal arts degrees.” -Cameron Tonkinwise 40
Environmental Studies • Havanna Fisher
UDP
SCHOOL OF DESIGN STRATEGIES
URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM
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“
“I find it exciting that our students can be
the start of something. - Victoria Marshall
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Designers are equipped to think about the why and how of a problem. Urbanism translates design to fit areas related to problems in society. The students base their work on human needs, wants, and desires so that they may increase the general quality of life. Our goal is to render individual ideas into a map of a sustainable ecosystem. The designers are challenged to turn the city into an amorphous space in a set of locations. Although urban design does not exist as a professional education, it is a global issue. Students interact with diverse cultures and neighborhoods to create personas that represent those communities. After these profiles, they form scenarios to identify the gaps within the habitat. Finally, they design a strategy that cooperates with the environment and is meaningful to its residents.
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We are designing scenarios people will be inspired by. At the School of Design Strategies, urbanism focuses on complex approaches towards a healthy way of living. Students study booming economies, developing cities, and people in their neighborhoods. They examine community development in order to create a stronger micro-economy.
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In urban design, we think about cities as ecosystems. We imagine ourselves in those ecosystems, and design from within. It deals with all different flows of people and ideas. We have sustainability in mind, and we really try to engage in that ecosystem. 45
The Urban Design program is one of a kind. Literally. The School of Design Strategies is excited for the opening of its newest university-wide undergraduate program in the Fall of 2010. Students can earn a Bachelor of Science at Parsons or a Bachelor of Arts at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts under Urban Studies. Currently, there is no other undergraduate Urban Design program in the world. Similarly to Urban Design, Urban Studies deals with social relationships, institutions, and street life. Within the Parsons and Lang partnership, students will share a core curriculum with three main parts: Intro, Project, and Laboratory. The duality of the curriculum helps the students develop a shared language centered around the city. Urban Studies is often misconceived as boring, highly technical, and quantitative. However, classes often team up with city or neighborhood organizations and try to solve problems within their infrastructure. Program co-chair, Joseph Heathcott says, “It’s fun. People should really love their major. When students declare and Urban Studies major, we never lose them.” Although a large number of students typically move on to graduate school, others look for jobs with non-profit community organizations, city agencies, art institutions, or cultural institutions. There is a wide variety of things you can do with urban studies. Our professors specialized in sereval different areas such as history, geography, urban planning, and more. “Our best attribute is how we are involved in the city around us. We’re not restricted to the classroom. You have to learn how to listen to the city and its rhythms so that you can see its potential.” Joseph Heathcott, Program Co-director
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“Urban Design is an expertise that is emerging. It is not something that has a history, and it does not include dogmatic training. It is cutting-edge. It is new. There are very few places in the world that are doing this.� Miodrag Mitrasinovic, Dean of SoDS 47
Parsons the New School for Design • School of Design Strategies • Lab Cluster 8 • Krista G Sison Special thanks to Miodrag Mitrasinovic, Victoria Marshall, & Joseph Heathcott
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This book was created in Laboratory, one of the four studio classes offered in the Foundation Program at Parsons The New School for Design. The project, called Seeing the Future, tasks groups of freshmen with researching the student experience within the schools and programs at Parsons. This book is based on their research, interviews, site visits and observations. sds.parsons.edu