Atelier - Summer 2023

Illuminating a Demand

Diogo Coelho ’18 (MPSL) & Other Alumni on Opportunities for Lighting Designers

WELCOME

Here at NYSID, the summer affords us a rare moment to pause, take stock of what we’ve learned from the profession, and look forward. This is important because our thought leadership role in interior design education is at the core of the college’s mission.

To lead, we must listen. The way we anticipate where interior design and related disciplines are headed in 5 to 10 years is to be in constant conversation with practicing designers. Our faculty of designers and architects, our advisory boards composed of industry leaders, and our alumni keep us plugged in to what’s developing inside interior design and architecture. One of the reasons we offer post-professional master’s degrees in Healthcare Environments (MPSH), Sustainable Interior Environments (MPSS), and Lighting Design (MPSL) is that we anticipate these areas of expertise to be of tremendous value to the industry now, and in years to come. For the same reason, we’re now recruiting for NYSID’s new MPS in Digital Practice Management (MPSDPM), which launches in Fall 2024 and will be the first program of its kind in the country (see Layout).

SUMMER

2023  VOL. 5 / NO. 1

PRESIDENT David Sprouls

EDITORIAL AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

Bay Brown

WRITER AND MANAGING EDITOR

Jennifer Dorr

ART DIRECTOR

Boyd Delancey

COPY EDITING

Leslie Robinson

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Matthew Septimus

PRINTING

JMT Communications

Jeff Tucker, President

New York School of Interior Design

170 East 70 Street

New York, NY 10021

Atelier is published twice a year, by the Office of Marketing Communications & Engagement, for the alumni and friends of the New York School of Interior Design. It is printed on recycled paper with vegetable inks.

To submit story ideas or comment, email atelier@nysid.edu.

NYSID.edu/atelier

This issue’s cover story, “Illuminating a Demand,” is a deep dive into the field of lighting design through the eyes of three NYSID alumni: Estefania Diaz ’15 (MPSL) / ’16 (MPSS), Iliana Filotheidi ’19 (MPSL), and Diogo Coelho ’18 (MPSL), as well as those of MPSL Program Director Shaun Fillion . The lighting industry is amid a sea change due to advancements in LED technology and controls, along with evolving energy codes. As a result, there’s a growing demand for expertise in lighting design, one reason we’ll be introducing a minor in lighting design to the BFA in 2025. Once again, it’s our alumni and faculty who are keeping us abreast of the movements in the field, driving our curricula forward.

Perhaps one of the most important ways this institution is leading is by broadening the population of people who are exposed to and educated in interior design. The Supreme Court’s ruling that affirmative action should not be considered in college admissions has not altered our commitment to expanding diversity at NYSID and in the field. Diversity, including economic diversity, is a priority for this institution. When we bring more voices to the table, the whole industry benefits, and we could not do this without your support. Thank you for helping us raise more than $600,000 for the NYSID scholarship fund at Gala 2023. Special thanks go to NYSID Board Chair Ellen Kravet and Trustees and Gala 2023 Co-chairs Chesie Breen , Ingrid Edelman , Alexa Hampton , David Kleinberg , and Betsey Ruprecht for helping make the evening a success. We’re also grateful to our Gala honorees John Edelman , Peti Lau , and Suzanne Tucker for allowing us to celebrate their accomplishments in the service of scholarship.

NYSID is always looking to the future, but we’re also rooted in the history of interior design. We value this college’s origins in residential design and the decorative arts. One great example of this is the Advanced Trade Techniques courses taught by Harry Heissmann , a protege of the late Albert Hadley, who was a member of NYSID’s Advisory Board. Heissmann lets us glimpse inside his process in “The Secrets of Bespoke Design.”

Whether you’re reading this magazine at your desk or in a hammock by the sea, I hope you’re taking time to enjoy life this summer. Be happy and well.

DAVID SPROULS , PRESIDENT, NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN

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Illuminating a Demand

Alumni Estefania Diaz ’15 (MPSL) / ’16 (MPSS), Iliana Filotheidi ’19 (MPSL), and Diogo Coelho ’18 (MPSL) on the Growing Need for Lighting Expertise

Why Are NYSID Students Winning So Many Awards? Behind the Outstanding Projects

The Secrets of Bespoke Design

Peek into Harry Heissmann’s Advanced Trade Techniques Courses

Stay in Step with Your Alumni Council

Alumna Leslie Robinson ’21 (MFA1) Chats with AC Leaders Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS) and Krista Gurevich ’16 (MFA1)

VISUAL THINKER / Design Deconstructed

NYSID alum Robert Kaner ’02 (AAS) obtained a BA in public policy from Princeton before getting a law degree from Harvard. He became a partner at the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in 1996. In 1999, he pivoted, left the firm, and enrolled at NYSID to pursue his lifelong interest in Modernist design. He began his design career at Steven Harris Architects, after which he established Robert Kaner Interior Design in 2003. His company celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Alumna Krista Gurevich ’16 (MFA1), vice president of the NYSID Alumni Council, is on his staff and collaborated on this project. Kaner’s life and design are testaments to the fact that taking risks can have rewards.

Glamour in Geometry

Kaner designed this interior for a couple who had multiple residences and would be spending only part of their time in New York. He says, “The fact that this was not my clients’ only home gave us the freedom to play with glamor and glitz. The space didn’t need to feel subtle or everyday, but it did need to be comfortable.” Kaner wanted the interior to feel rooted in its downtown neighborhood and the architecture of the building, a new Tribeca structure with references to Brutalism. To give the interior “edginess” that spoke to the Brutalist gestures of the building, he incorporated metallics, brasses and bronzes, and created a refrain of angles in the carpet, furniture, and overhead fixture–one that mimics the geometry of buildings against the skyline. The space functions flexibly for entertaining in front of this spectacular view or watching TV on a wall opposite the couch.

Kaner chose this low-backed, sectional couch from Todd Merrill to open the sight line to the apartment’s striking corner windows. A small column to the right of the window bumps out into the room and would have kept Kaner from getting the sofa flush against the wall, so his team cut a notch out of the back of the sectional, and painstakingly calibrated the seating’s tufts.

Kaner worked with Venfield NYC, using pieces of brown vintage glass to create a fixture inspired by the lines and curves of a NYC subway map.

This custom rug, commissioned from Tai Ping, plays off the lines and colors of the ceiling.

Kaner commissioned a decorative painter, former NYSID faculty member Dean Barger, to do a burnished bronze finish on the concrete strips of the ceiling to give them the rough quality of ingots.

Illuminating a Demand

Three MPSL Alumni & Program Director Shaun Fillion on the Growing Need for Lighting Designers

THE NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN’S ONE-YEAR, POST-PROFESSIONAL MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES IN LIGHTING DESIGN (MPSL) HAS A 100 PERCENT EMPLOYMENT RATE FOR GRADUATES WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM’S COMPLETION, AND HAS FOR YEARS. THIS IS NOT AN EXTRAORDINARY STATISTIC FOR NYSID: POST-GRADUATION EMPLOYMENT RATES ARE HIGH FOR ALL OF THE COLLEGE’S DEGREE PROGRAMS. WHAT’S NOTABLE ABOUT THE OUTCOMES FOR THE MPSL IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF ITS GRADUATES ARE GETTING MULTIPLE OFFERS. MPSL PROGRAM DIRECTOR SHAUN FILLION , LC, CLCP, EDUCATOR IALD, SAYS A SURGE IN THE DEMAND FOR LIGHTING DESIGNERS IS BEHIND THESE GREAT OUTCOMES. FILLION, AS WELL AS ALUMNI ESTEFANIA DIAZ ’15 (MPSL) / ’16 (MPSS), LIGHTING DESIGNER AT VENTRESCA LIGHTING DESIGNERS; ILIANA FILOTHEIDI ’19 (MPSL), SENIOR LIGHTING DESIGNER AT HLB LIGHTING DESIGN; AND DIOGO COELHO ’18 (MPSL), LIGHTING PRODUCT MANAGER AT AMERLUX, SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS.

“Light is a storytelling medium,” says Shaun Fillion , director of lighting design at RAB Lighting, and program director for NYSID’s MPSL since 2008. “Architectural lighting design is a chance to take a built environment and manipulate it over time. . . to tell a story, not about journeying through the space, but rather how the space changes over time, from day to night. Everything now is dimmable, many fixtures can change color, so we are creating scenes that shift over the course of a day to increase the enjoyment and wellbeing of the users.” Fillion would be the first to tell you that the impressionistic and human-centered art form of lighting design is made possible by a deep technical knowledge, and this has never been more true than today, as LED technology and energy codes grow more complicated.

Fillion, a lighting industry leader who chairs the IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) Progress Committee, says there has been a surge in the demand for lighting professionals of every kind in recent years, and he’s not the only one talking about it. In a 2023 Lighting Jobs Outlook roundtable hosted by the Pompeo Group, Rachel Gibney, managing principal of specification sales for Chicago Lightworks, said, “All positions are going to be in high demand.”

“The lighting industry has been growing, especially the design section of the industry. Some of this is driven by how complex the industry has gotten,” says Fillion. “Energy codes required by states have pushed architects and engineers to the point of bringing in lighting designers to help bring their projects to fruition. Historically lighting design was a luxury, something that would only be integrated into a very fancy building. But as lighting

codes and controls get more complex, lighting designers are in demand for all types of buildings.” Fillion notes not only that architectural lighting design firms are growing and adding staff, such as the recent expansion of the US firm HLB Lighting Design to Dubai, but also that lighting engineering firms have started to build internal lighting design teams, as is the case with AKF’s Lightcraft, BR+A’s Borealis Lighting Studio, Arup, and Cosentini. Manufacturers are also hiring lighting designers, who are using their knowledge to shape luminaires and make them function more artfully.

The demand for specialized knowledge in lighting design at every level of the building industry is such that NYSID is developing a lighting design minor within its BFA program in Interior Design. The objective is to make NYSID graduates as multifaceted and marketable as possible. The minor is slated to become available to undergraduates in 2025.

The New York School of Interior Design offers the MPSL in New York City, and an entirely online MPSLD (digital) program, which can be experienced from anywhere. Fillion notes that the goals of the students in the in-person and online programs tend to be slightly different. Many of the remote learners are interested in starting their own lighting firms, such as the burgeoning Tennessee-based L+Arc Lighting Design, co-founded by two NYSID MPSL alumni, Bobby Bradley ’21 and Dianna Osickey ’21. The in-person students, however, are almost all focused on careers with the many world-renowned lighting firms in greater New York City. We talked with three lighting designers who came to New York for the program and are now thriving.

RIGHT: SOCIAL HUB FOR DNB’S OFFICES. LIGHTING: HLB LIGHTING DESIGN. ARCHITECT: M MOSER ASSOCIATES.

PHOTO: AARON THOMPSON ABOVE: PHOTO: MATTHEW SEPTIMUS

When Iliana Filotheidi was a student in the MPSL at NYSID in 2019, Shaun Fillion took her, along with her cohort in the program, to meet the managers and principals of a variety of lighting design firms in the greater New York City area. This was not a part of a class. This was something extra that Fillion does for his students to open doors. She says, “Shaun is more than an instructor. He’s an inspiration and a mentor.”

Filotheidi began investigating the MPSL program while she was working as a junior architect at the firm Hill West Architects in 2018. In her work, she’d observed that “architecture can’t come to fruition without lighting.” She’s also noticed, “With architecture, you shape the experience. With lighting, you play with emotions.” Architecture had been her mother’s career, and she grew up with a similar passion but realized that architecture didn’t complete her. Filotheidi, a native

Iliana Filotheidi ’19 (MPSL)

Senior Lighting Designer, HLB Lighting Design

of Greece, had the talent to be an architect, but lighting design called to her. She researched options and found the NYSID program. She switched her work visa to a student visa and “went for it,” but she felt anxiety about making such a big change. “I was a practicing architect, and completely switching careers brings up a lot of feelings, which Shaun helped me through,” she remembers.

When Fillion took her and other students around to lighting design offices around the city, she grew excited about her prospects. She got multiple business cards from principals. One of those business cards helped her land her first internship opportunity in lighting design. Another card was from HLB. On that visit to the HLB office, she’d had an opportunity to meet Senior Principal Ken Douglas and Principals Lee Brandt and Faith E. Baum. She’d instantly loved the energy of the company. She was able to express her interest to Douglas since she had his business card, went through the application process, and got the position. It probably didn’t hurt that she graduated as NYSID’s Chairman’s Award Winner for the MPSL in 2019.

Filotheidi has already been promoted to senior lighting designer at HLB, which means she is able to take the lead on many of the lighting projects she’s assigned. She says “Our courses really prepared us. I didn’t see a huge gap between school and professional projects.” A recent project she adored working on was the Norwegian bank DNB’s offices in Hudson Yards. HLB’s client was the architecture firm on the project, M Moser Associates. She

worked under the auspices of Project Manager Adam Kroll from M Moser and Principal-in-Charge Lee Brandt, her principal at HLB. The office was designed to be collaborative, and each space had different lighting requirements depending on the behaviors the team wanted to encourage. She also needed to strictly adhere to WELL Platinum and LEED Gold certification standards.

Filotheidi has a passion for biomimicry (design that mimics patterns in nature). So when the architect asked her team to create the dramatic experience of gazing up at the Northern Lights in a long corridor outside the elevator, she was excited. She and her team created a pattern of blue and green light on acrylic panels. “One of the wonderful things about this space is that it’s mutable. They asked us to create different moods with different lighting options.”

The requirements for other spaces in the DNB offices were different. In a social hub with greenery on the way to the lounge area, the architect wanted people to come together for intimate conversation, so the team used vertical sconces of textured metal to “bring the eye to the level of human beings,” says Filotheidi.

Filotheidi says there is a lot of documentation, adherence to rules, and budgetary consideration in her designs, but these constraints can sometimes make her work more creative. She approaches lighting with a naturalist’s eye. She says, “With lighting, we also need shadows. The dark side is part of the lighting design.”

Estefania Diaz ’15 (MPSL) / ’16 (MPSS)

When lighting design is well done, you don’t notice the lighting,” says Estefania Diaz, ’15 (MPSL) / ’16 (MPSS), a lighting designer at the architectural lighting firm Ventresca Lighting Designers, headquartered in Long Island City, NY. “It causes you to feel and respond, but not in a way that’s obvious.” One of the things Diaz loves the most about her job at Ventresca is the variety of projects she’s tasked with, because the firm works in the retail, hospitality, and high-end residential sectors. It was a smaller company when she started in 2016, but it’s growing and winning contracts to work with many prominent brands. Some of the exciting projects she’s worked on have been the McKinnon and Harris showroom (with architecture firm Two Street Studio), the award-winning Moose Knuckles flagship Soho store (with O’Neil Langan Architects), and Le Rock restaurant (with architecture firm Workstead).

Diaz says the most important thing

to understand about the work of a lighting designer is that it’s technical knowledge that makes the art form possible. “At Ventresca, we are technical but also very artistic,” she says. “It’s the technical aspect that allows us to create such beautiful spaces.” For their work on Le Rock, her team collaborated closely with the interior designer to evoke and highlight the Art Deco surroundings of Rockefeller Center. They proposed soft, warm, ambient illumination, using a lot of accent lighting like sconces. Diaz’s role was “to work on the lighting plan and zone schedule, which is crucial in a lighting project.”

Diaz got her undergraduate degree in interior design in Ecuador, where she was born and raised. She began her career in visual merchandising and store design for a major department store chain in her home country. As she flew all over the country designing stores, she developed the opinion

that lighting was the most powerful component of retail design. She wanted to expand her knowledge of lighting design, and coming to New York had always been her dream.

She looked at many programs and settled on the MPSL at NYSID. One of the things that attracted her to NYSID’s program was the international makeup of the cohort. She says, “A very global community forces you to open your eyes to new things, and this feeds design.” She also liked the program’s one-year duration. She adds, “I was already a professional, so I wanted to get the knowledge quickly and hit the ground running in my career.” She says, “It was a really complete program, and I am still using all the knowledge I learned there. . . from the science of lighting, that is, how we see light in our brains and eyes, to technical and presentation techniques.” She remembers Lighting Design Studio I as her favorite course:

Lighting Designer, Ventresca Lighting Designers, LLC

“In that amazing classroom, they have all of these controls and you are really free to experiment with beam spread, CCT (correlated color temperature), everything. You are allowed to fail and learn from it. This is so important.”

Diaz did hit the ground running in her new lighting design career. Even before she finished the MPSL program, she got an internship at Ventresca. She says, “I had multiple offers for internships. The school helped me vet the offers. The professors know the companies and helped me choose what option was the best for me.”

Diaz laughs at the memory of how eager she was to finish her first postprofessional master’s degree in a short time, because soon after she started working at Ventresca, she began to think about how much she would also like to have the MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments from NYSID. She attended NYSID’s MPSS program in 2016, the year after she graduated from the MPSL. She recalls, “My

family was always very conscious of our impact on the environment. So for me, implementing the sustainability aspect in my lighting design career was important. We have to create designs that are better for the environment and better for people living in them.” Energy conservation is a principle she brings to every lighting project at Ventresca. She says, “One tactic to save energy is using daylight savings controls to create different zones with the lighting. With these controls, the lights dim and/or turn off automatically in the presence of daylight and we waste less energy.”

Diaz notes that LED technologies are evolving and getting increasingly sophisticated. She says, “There are warm beam controls that allow you to dim to a warmer color. There are small fixtures that allow you to hide the light source. Even as the size gets smaller, the performance of LEDs is getting better, offering better lumen coverage, less energy consumption, and longer life. There are so many options, and you

have to understand them all to pick the right products for your application.”

She believes the increasing complexity of both lighting technology and building industry codes is driving the demand for lighting specialists. “There are so many rules we have to follow to make our lighting design compliant with the codes, and the architects we work with trust in our knowledge to get it right,” she explains. “The technical aspect of lighting is what differentiates a lighting designer from an interior designer or an architect. Of course, as interior designers we learn how to use lighting in space, but a lighting designer has to know the regulations that vary from state to state. We must be able to do something as specific as using a predictive photometric program (AGi32) to document that the emergency lighting will be sufficient.” She concludes, “The beauty we create could not happen without a foundation of technical knowledge.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: MOOSE KNUCKLES NYC FLAGSHIP. LIGHTING DESIGN: VENTRESCA LIGHTING DESIGNERS. ARCHITECT: O’NEIL LANGAN ARCHITECTS. PHOTO: MOOSE KNUCKLES FAR LEFT: PHOTO: MATTHEW SEPTIMUS. LEFT: MCKINNON HARRIS SHOWROOM. LIGHTING DESIGN: VENTRESCA LIGHTING DESIGNERS. ARCHITECT: TWO STREET STUDIO. PHOTO: ASHOK SINHA BELOW: LE ROCK PRIVATE DINING ROOM. LIGHTING DESIGN: VENTRESCA LIGHTING DESIGNERS. ARCHITECT: WORKSTEAD. PHOTO: MATTHEW WILLIAMS

Diogo Coelho’s progression in his design career has not been predictable, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Originally from Portugal, he was working as an interior designer and product designer at a custom window manufacturer called Deleme Janelas in Lisbon, when he fell in love with the American who would become his wife. “What drove me to get a postprofessional degree in lighting at NYSID was love,” he recalls. He had already obtained a bachelor’s degree in Interior and Equipment Design and a master’s degree in Equipment Design in Portugal, but he wanted to move to New York and find a program that would guarantee him strong industry connections and job prospects in the US. He and his then-girlfriend researched many post-professional programs in the US, and they were drawn to the strong job

placement statistics of NYSID’s MPSL program. As a designer of custom windows, Diogo had spent many hours talking with customers about daylight. He says, “As window designers and manufacturers, we knew we could not control daylight, but we could harness it. So I went for the MPSL to understand more about these intersections.”

Coelho says NYSID’s MPSL program exceeded his expectations. “NYSID is a small school, so you tend to build really good relationships with faculty,” says Coelho, “In this case, this was with Shaun Fillion, whom I see as a mentor. The program opened the doors to the lighting industry network. It’s a very welcoming industry.”

It’s not only the connections but the learning that Coelho found invaluable. “NYSID’s program taught me the most important tools to become the

lighting designer I am today. They teach you how to work with a particular software called AGi32, so you can make photometric predictions about how your design will affect space,” Coelho says. “You put your hands on fixtures in the lighting lab so you can experiment with the distance to the wall, how glary or comfortable the light appears, and all of the other variables. You learn to communicate your ideas to clients with digital image editing programs, but also, with hand drawings.”

Coelho had multiple internship offers before he graduated. “Everybody in the program got multiple offers from lighting design firms,” he says. He went to work as a lighting designer for the architectural lighting firm Cooley Monato Studio in 2018 and worked there for four years. After the birth of his first child, and more than a year and

Diogo Coelho ’18 (MPSL)

Product Manager at Amerlux

a half into the pandemic, he reevaluated and began to think about finding a job closer to his home in New Jersey. Once again, it was love, and prioritizing his family’s needs, that drove Coelho to consider a career pivot. He sought a job as a product manager at Amerlux, a manufacturer of spec-grade lighting, which has its headquarters in Oakland, New Jersey. “Sometimes in life you have to take risks,” he muses. He took the job in May of 2022, and he finds the work “extremely exciting.”

“My background in interior design and lighting design prepared me to transition to this side of the industry,” he says. “There is a saying that the product manager is the voice of the customer, and our customer is the lighting designer!” Coelho’s job is to be something of a chief “listener”: He must engage with every department of his company—business development, engineering, sales, marketing, financial, production, and customer service—to

help create a product that meets the customer’s needs at the right price point, and bring it to market. One of the things he values about his company’s culture is that it’s “the opposite of stagnant,” and his team is always evolving the product, making changes daily based on feedback from architects and lighting designers.

His major project for the past year has been overseeing and coordinating the development and release of Finch, which he calls “a very small aperture size collection,” that was just launched at LightFair, one of the major industry trade shows, in May 2023. “We built a 1.25-inch aperture and the fixture functions as a surface and recessed downlight. It puts out over 1,000 lumens, so it’s a big deal for such a small aperture,” he adds. The trends he is seeing in lighting fixture design are “things getting much smaller, more sustainable, and more adjustable.”

Finch fixtures follow DfD (Design for

Disassembly) standards, meaning all of the pieces can be reused and recycled. The Finch line is especially sustainable, because at the end of the LED chip’s life in about 10+ years, the client can replace the chip but continue to use the same fixture, so there is less waste. Amerlux is also working to attain a Declare label for all of its products. Declare is a label that reports all product ingredients, in compliance with the Living Building Challenge. Despite their tiny size, Finch products are manually adjustable, a feat of engineering.

Coelho believes that the high demand for lighting designers is evidence that the architecture industry is coming around to the idea that “lighting design should not be an afterthought.” He adds, “When the lighting design is synched with the architecture and interior design from the beginning, the project is always better.”

LEFT: WORK-IN-PROGRESS IMAGES OF FINCH, THE NEWEST RELEASE FROM AMERLUX, WITH A 1.25” APERTURE CYLINDER. BELOW: COMPONENTS FROM VARIOUS AMERLUX LINES.

PHOTOS: VIBIN CHOWALLUR. OPPOSITE PAGE:

PHOTO: MATTHEW SEPTIMUS

LEFT TO RIGHT: SHENG WEI (WILSON) YANG ’22 (MFA1), MOTOMU SAKAKIBARA ’22 (BFA), MOHAMED ABDELAZIZ ’23 (MFA2), SARAH CHOUDHARY ’23 (MFA2)

2022-23 HAS BEEN A BANNER ACADEMIC YEAR FOR NYSID STUDENTS IN REGARD TO WINNING INDUSTRYWIDE COMPETITIONS. TWO RECENT GRADUATES, SARAH CHOUDHARY ’23 (MFA2) AND MOTOMU (LUCIA) SAKAKIBARA ’22 (BFA), WERE SELECTED FOR THE METROPOLIS FUTURE100 PROGRAM IN 2023, WHICH IDENTIFIES THE TOP FIFTY GRADUATING INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS IN THE US AND CANADA. FOR 2022, NYSID STUDENTS AND RECENT ALUMNI TOOK SEVEN OF THE TOP HONORS IN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS (IDA) CATEGORIES, INCLUDING “EMERGING INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR” FOR SHENG WEI (WILSON) YANG ’22 (MFA1); THE “PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD” FOR MOHAMED (SAM) ABDELAZIZ ’23 (MFA2); AND A GOLD, TWO SILVERS, AND A BRONZE FOR CHOUDHARY. THE IDA ALSO GRANTED HONORABLE MENTIONS TO FOUR OTHER NYSID STUDENTS. THERE WERE WINS FROM SOME OF THE SAME STUDENTS FOR THE 2022 MUSE DESIGN AWARDS, THE 2022 LIV HOSPITALITY DESIGN AWARDS, THE HOSPITALITY DESIGN AWARDS, AND THE 2022 NYC x DESIGN STUDENT AWARDS. WE SET OUT TO FIND OUT WHY THE STUDENTS OF THIS SMALL COLLEGE ARE WINNING SO MANY ACCOLADES.

There’s a personal story behind the project that won the IDA’s Gold for Commercial Design in 2022. When recent alum Sheng Wei Yang , known as “Wilson” to his former classmates at NYSID, first arrived in the United States from Taiwan, he was “obsessed” with snow because he’d never experienced it before. Snowboarding felt magical to him. On a trip to the outlet malls in Woodbury Commons, he bought himself a snowboarding jacket from the luxury outdoor brand Moncler. It became his most treasured possession.

Flash forward to 2020, the second year of Yang’s MFA1 program, to the Interior Design Studio III class with instructor Todd Class, also NYSID’s assistant dean of Academic Computing & Technology. Yang, whose undergraduate degree is in “biomedical studies” found himself “afraid and overwhelmed” when NYSID’s curriculum progressed from residential design in the first year of the program to commercial design in Studio III. Class tasked Yang and his classmates with creating a unique retail environment in the footprint of a real store in SOHO. “We used to joke that Todd is like the dad of NYSID. He’s so supportive as you make the leap to commercial design,” says Yang. “The most interesting thing about the retail project was the research on case studies we were required to do. When you ran into a

problem in your design, Todd gave you not just good general advice, but specific solutions and examples.” Yang’s story points to an idea that has been repeated by many NYSID students: The intimacy of its small classes allows for extensive guidance from instructors who are practicing designers.

Yang poured his passions for snow, cold, photography, and the Moncler brand into his retail project for Studio III. He based his store design on Annie Leibovitz ’s photos for the fall/winter 2015 Moncler advertising campaign. He envisioned a section of the store that would replicate cold mountain weather conditions as customers tried on the product.

After he graduated, he sent this project, as well as the thesis he worked on under the auspices of NYSID instructor Barbara Weinrich , for consideration by the IDA. No one helped him with his contest entry, but he’d had extensive portfolio feedback from instructors and guest critics on his projects in studios. He won IDA’s Emerging Interior Designer of the Year, the Gold for Commercial Design for Moncler Studio, and the Silver for Museum Design for his thesis, the Museum of Fashion Design and Technology. He also won the MUSE Design Award for Interior Design - Exhibits, Pavilions & Exhibitions, for his Museum of Fashion Design and Technology.

project : Moncler Studio

(ID Studio III – Todd Class, instructor)

• 2022 IDA Silver

project : Museum of Fashion Design and Technology

(ID Studio III – Todd Class, instructor)

• 2022 MUSE Design Award for Interior Design - Exhibits, Pavilions & Exhibitions

project : Museum of Fashion Design and Technology

(Thesis – Barbara Weinreich, instructor)

2022 IDA Emerging Interior Designer of the Year

2022 IDA Gold for Commercial

SHENG WEI ( WILSON) YANG ’22 (MFA1)

Says Yang, who now works as a junior designer at ForrestPerkins, a division of Perkins Eastman, “It meant a lot to win the awards because it was validation from outside the school as I applied for jobs and entered the work world. These awards on your resume can give you a shot at one of the companies on your ‘dream job’ list.”

MEET NYSID’S DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION COORDINATOR

Shell Azar is NYSID’s senior academic advisor and design scholarship competition coordinator, as well as a practicing designer and principal of SAS Design Studios. The landscape of existing contests and their rules shift every year, and it’s part of her job to keep students informed of which awards they are eligible for and to support them if they ask for help. She’s vigilant about communication with the student body, sometimes even working with Academic Affairs to inform specific students that their body of work might be a good fit for a contest. However, she takes little credit for the recent victories of NYSID students. “It might start with the people who apply to NYSID to begin with,” hypothesizes Azar. “Our students are highly motivated achievers, often people who have already been out in the world and are now laser-focused on their futures in design.” She adds,

“Also, the adjunct faculty are at the top of their game at architecture and design firms, and they push our students to present professionally in a way that the industry recognizes.”

INSIDE A STUDIO THAT PRODUCED MANY HONORS

Instructor Joseph Goldstein’s MFA2 Studio II, which focuses on the design of museums, produced projects that won the IDA’s Silver for Institutional Design and Bronze for Commercial Design for Sarah Choudhary, four IDA honorable mentions for Pooja Panchal , Mohamed “Sam” Abdelaziz , Nivedhitha “Nivi” Ravi , and Juyeon Kim , as well as the IDA People’s Choice Award for Abdelaziz. This is an incredible cluster of honors and awards from a single studio and instructor.

Abdelaziz, who won the IDA People’s Choice Award, says of Goldstein’s studio, “Joseph demands that you think outside the norm and create something that is truly unique.”

When asked if there was something special about his Studio II course, Goldstein said, “Perhaps only that I try to have one more project review with guest critics than may be typical. Getting specific feedback on the details of their projects from practicing designers is incredibly useful to my students. There are so many excellent outside critics to call on here in New York. My students get three

project : Komorebi Console (Furniture Design – Rene Estacio, instructor)

2022 Interior Design magazine’s NYCxDESIGN Award

• 2023 Metropolis Future 100 project : Portfolio

POOJA PANCHAL ’23 (MFA2)

• 2022 IDA Honorable Mention project : Museum of Fast Cars and Cinema (MFA2 Studio II – Joseph Goldstein, instructor)

NIVEDHITHA (NIVI) RAVI ’23 (MFA2)

• 2022 IDA Honorable Mention project : Museum of Bollywood Musicals (MFA2 Studio II – Joseph Goldstein, instructor)

MOTOMU (LUCIA) SAKAKIBARA ’22 (BFA)

guest critiques, which elevates the discourse and has the effect of enabling the course to get better over time.” For the Museum of the Moving Image project in his studio, he requires his students to produce a video of a project, which makes their portfolios especially dynamic.

When asked, Goldstein helps his former students with contest applications by reviewing their entries and giving feedback, and when needed, he writes recommendation letters, but never during the semester. “In the studio, our goal is student learning and innovation so that designers develop as potential future leaders in the field of interior design. Supporting student contest entries typically comes in long after the semester.”

When Goldstein reviews his former students’ portfolios and projects for contest entry, his advice is not about changing the images or renderings. He tells them that the words matter too. He helps them make sure the applications are “without spelling errors and have a written description of the concept which is grammatically correct.” As once suggested to him by Dean and VP for Academic Affairs Ellen Fisher, he also advises them to put their “strongest images first,” because “contest juries may have thousands of applications to sift through and it can be important to make an impression immediately.”

PERSPECTIVES FROM TWO MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

MFA2 alumni Sarah Choudhary ’23, who just graduated in May, won the IDA’s Design Studio Gold in Institutional and Silver in Commercial for her NYU Museum of Fashion Design, which she created in MFA2 Studio I with Donna Goodman . She won the IDA’s Silver for Institutional Design, and Bronze for Commercial for her Homage to Disney museum, which she created in MFA2 Studio II with Goldstein. She sent her whole portfolio to Metropolis before even finishing her thesis and was selected as one of the Metropolis Future100, a huge honor. She was also named Emerging Interior Designer of the Year, 2022, by the LIV Hospitality Design Awards for her project Hotel Cirque, which she created in MFA Studio III, taught by Ian Gordon . She also won the Hospitality Design Award from Hospitality Design magazine. Her award-winning hotel design is based around the brand of Cirque Du Soleil.

Choudhary thinks it’s not one studio, but the layering of design challenges through the whole program that has made her project work strong. “I think it has to do with how different every project of ours is when we are given the brief,” Choudhary says. “We are pushed out of our comfort zones, all the way from the concept to the schematic to the execution. Each professor takes an

project : Hotel Le Cirque (MFA Studio III – Ian Gordon, instructor)

Hospitality Design magazine

2022 IDA Silver for Institutional, Bronze for Commercial

project : Homage to Disney Museum (MFA2 Studio II – Joseph Goldstein, instructor)

• 2023 Metropolis Future100 project : Portfolio

• 2022 IDA Design Studio Gold for Institutional, Silver for Commercial project : NYU School of Fashion Design (MFA2 Studio I – Donna Goodman, instructor)

SARAH CHOUDHARY ’23 (MFA2)

2023 Hospitality Design Award 2022 LIV Hospitality Design Awards Emerging Interior Designer of the Year

extremely different approach, so we must try new things constantly.” Choudhary attended architecture school at Central Saint Martins, London, where her class size was huge. She says, “The one-on-one time you are able to have with instructors in small class settings at NYSID has a big impact on your projects.” Long after she finished her studio with Joseph Goldstein, she showed him her contest entries, and he gave her suggestions. As practicing architects and designers, NYSID faculty members are busy, yet they make extra time to invest in their students’ futures. Small class sizes foster strong relationships.

Choudhary’s advice to students who want to apply for awards is, “State your concept strongly,” and “Take the initiative and ask your professors to do a portfolio review.”

It’s not only graduate students who are winning the big design contests. Recent alumna Motomu (Lucia) Sakakibara ’22 (BFA) is one of the two NYSID students who were selected for the prestigious Metropolis Future100 program in 2023. She also won Interior Design magazine’s Best of the Year 2021 for her design of a Komorebi Console, and Interior Design magazine’s 2022 NYCxDESIGN Award.

“The culture and intimacy of NYSID are such advantages,” says Sakakibara, “Your professors know you and your interests.” Sakakibara says instructors Warren

Ashworth , Rene Estacio, and Stephanie Werner were a huge influence on her. She was not reticent about asking for guidance and portfolio reviews from faculty, and even the dean! She developed a relationship with Dean Fisher, and ultimately was her student in the Professional Practice II course. Dean Fisher reviewed Sakakibara’s portfolio on multiple occasions during her time at NYSID and wrote her a letter of recommendation for the Metropolis program.

“So many students shy away from contest entry. But I strongly encourage them to go for it,” says Sakakibara, who now works as a junior interior designer at Ennead Architects. “These awards definitely help in landing internships and jobs, and they are the only way to evaluate where your work stands outside an academic context.” •

MOHAMED “SAM” ABDELAZIZ ’23 (MFA2)

project : Space Travel Movie Museum (MFA2 Studio II – Joseph Goldstein, instructor)

IDA People’s Choice Award and Honorable Mention

“In the studio, our goal is not the award. The goal is student learning and innovation.”

MFA2 STUDIO II INSTRUCTOR JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN

The Secrets of Bespoke Design

Harry Heissmann’s Advanced Trade Techniques Courses Are Rare Gems

INTERIOR DESIGNERS’ RELATIONSHIPS WITH ARTISANS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE. DESIGNERS AND MASTER CRAFTSPEOPLE BECOME PARTNERS IN MAKING, COLLABORATING AROUND EVERY DETAIL TO TURN THEIR CUSTOMERS’ DREAMS INTO REALITY. PERHAPS THERE’S NO ONE BETTER SUITED TO TEACH WHAT’S BEHIND THIS PROCESS THAN HARRY HEISSMANN , THE OWNER OF HARRY HEISSMANN INC. AND THE INSTRUCTOR OF NYSID’S QUARTET OF COURSES CALLED “ADVANCED TRADE TECHNIQUES,” WHICH TEACH STUDENTS HIGH-LEVEL DESIGNING IN CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY (I), CUSTOM FLOORING (II), CUSTOM WALL TREATMENTS (III), AND CUSTOM CABINETRY (IV). HEISSMANN SHARES HIS THOUGHTS WITH ATELIER MANAGING EDITOR JENNIFER DORR HERE.

When he first came to New York from Germany, Harry Heissmann worked for three years in the office of Juan Pablo Molyneux and followed that with a year at Stephanie Stokes Inc. He then spent nine years honing his skills in the offices of the late Albert Hadley, the legendary designer and influential member of NYSID’s Advisory Board, who dubbed Harry’s desk “the magic shop.” In 2009, Heissmann struck out on his own and started his firm. He sits down with Atelier ’s managing editor, Jennifer Dorr, to share a glimpse into what he teaches in NYSID’s Advanced Trade Techniques courses. These six-week “minicourses” are one-credit electives in the undergraduate program.

JENNIFER DORR : What do you teach in Advanced Trade Techniques, and how do you teach it?

HARRY HEISSMANN: What sets you apart as an interior designer is your toolkit, the number and quality of sources you have at your fingertips so you can go into any client meeting and hit them with originality.

ABOVE: DINING ROOM OF BROOKLYN HEIGHTS DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE 2019, DESIGN BY HARRY HEISMANN. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER DELANEY

LEFT: PHOTO: KARIN KOHLBERG

It’s one thing to have fabulous ideas, but those ideas are only as good as the people who can make them a reality. So, these courses consist of some lecturing, but more field trips. I’m taking students to meet the people who are the best in their craft. It’s a very exclusive behindthe-scenes introduction. Lots of these shops are hidden on the higher floors and don’t even have storefronts! We might go to the D&D Building and meet someone who is an expert in wallpapers, for example, or I might introduce you to Miriam Ellner, an artist with an expertise in Verre Eglomisé (the technique of reverse gilding and painting on glass).

You are much more likely to find your voice in this field if you know all of the possibilities and then distill what’s relevant for you. The more you know, the more tools you have to execute your client’s dream.

JD: What’s your design philosophy?

HH: In my practice, I strive to make every project unique. My brand is the opposite of formulaic and predictable. It’s not about my style, it’s about the client’s dreams. I’m old fashioned: The client is king. It’s the service that matters. I suppose you could say I take a couture approach, or a bespoke approach, to interior design, in that everything is tailored to the client. It’s a very personal language. I’m not “gilding the lily,” but rather paying attention to every nook and cranny. This is about bringing in craftspeople who are masters and who also understand service: the clock winder, the person who can do a French Polish on a dining table or one who can tailor a club chair to your body and preferences. That’s what interior design means to me: making a client’s surroundings as comfortable, creative, and personal as possible.

JD: Where did you learn to design and create custom objects and materials?

HH: It goes back to my education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany. It was a Master of Interior Design Engineering program, a hybrid of interior design, architecture, and engineering that does not exist in America. It was one thing to dream up a piece of furniture or an object and draw it, but quite another when our professors insisted on having us build our designs ourselves. You were instructed by the artist working in a specific atelier on how to translate your drawing into a reality.

Also, I did learn a lot about materials at Juan Pablo Molyneux’s office, where I first worked when I came to New York. And Mr. Hadley, of course, was like a walking

encyclopedia of materials and styles. His office is where I honed in on the idea of not having a specific style but being able to work in different media to make the client’s dream a reality.

I think you do yourself a disservice if you work in one style. The location of the project is so important, as color looks different in Miami than it looks in New York. Another important part of my courses is to get beyond the computer. The computer is a great initial resource, but I still believe in working with all of the senses. For example, you have to touch a fabric to know whether it drapes well enough to become a curtain.

JD: Will you tell me about a project that encapsulates your deep knowledge of custom design?

HH: There’s a dining room I created for the Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse in 2019 that exemplifies my approach. There are many custom objects in the room that I made with friends, and that’s what makes it truly unique and fun. The residence was one of the oldest houses in Brooklyn Heights, and it’s rumored that a sea captain once lived there, so I imagined his descendants were living there with some of his things and some new layers of design. The wallpaper is a historical “flower and snail” pattern that I recolored with Tillett Textiles. My friends, muralists and

specialty wall finishers at Artgroove, hand painted the rug with sardines. The dining table is by Tinatin Kilaberidze , and it’s set for five because I wanted to acknowledge not everyone is in a couple. This is my version of bringing everyone to the table. The artichoke centerpiece by Christopher Spitzmiller is perhaps my favorite thing in the room.

JD: Which Advanced Trade Techniques courses will be available in Fall 2023?

HH: We’ll offer Advanced Trade Techniques II: Custom Flooring and Advanced Trade Techniques IV: Custom Cabinets. •

ABOVE AND LEFT: THE BRISTOL PALM BEACH. DESIGN BY HARRY HEISMANN. PHOTOS: KRIS TAMBURELLO

Stay in Step with NYSID’s Alumni Council

AC President Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS) and Vice President Krista Gurevich

’16 (MFA1) Have Made the Council a Great Way to Expand Your Network

NYSID’S ALUMNI COUNCIL IS LED BY TWO DYNAMIC DESIGNERS. PRESIDENT MARIE AIELLO ’04 (AAS) HEADS HER EPONYMOUS FIRM, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN HIGH-END RESIDENTIAL AND HOSPITALITY DESIGN. (MARIE AIELLO DESIGN STUDIO’S FIRST HOTEL PROJECT WAS FEATURED IN OUR FALL 2022 ISSUE.) VICE-PRESIDENT KRISTA GUREVICH ’16 (MFA1) DESIGNS FOR ROBERT KANER INTERIOR DESIGN, WHICH IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIGH-END RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS AND IS ALSO LED BY AN ALUM. (KANER ’02 [AAS] IS THIS ISSUE’S “VISUAL THINKER.”) WHEN ALUMNA LESLIE ROBINSON ’21 (MFA1) CAUGHT UP WITH THE PAIR, THEY WERE EXCITED TO DISCUSS THE NEW ALUMNI COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH WAS FIRST AWARDED AT GALA 2023.

LESLIE ROBINSON: How and why did you become involved with the NYSID Alumni Council?

KRISTA GUREVICH : I joined NYSID’s MFA1 program in 2013. I was super active at the College, and my workstudy assignment was in the development office under Samantha Fingleton . She tapped me, and I think Marie around the same time, for involvement with the Alumni Council. I’ve been a part of it ever since.

MARIE AIELLO: I got my first professional design project while I was still at NYSID, and when I graduated, I felt like I was on my own as a designer. When I had big design questions, I didn’t know whom to go to except my fellow students. And a lot of us didn’t have the answers. So it’s important to me to create an Alumni Council that’s a safe place where alums can ask questions and feel supported.

LR: What’s fun and beneficial about being in the Council?

KG : As a student, I really enjoyed being involved with NYSID. And as an alumna, I like giving back by encouraging other alumni to be active with the College and each other. We offer a way for you to create connections or rekindle friendships that go beyond business acquaintances.

MA : I really enjoy giving back to NYSID. I try to give back as much as I can, and I think creating a strong alumni community is something that I, Krista, and the rest of the Council really believe in. As we say in our mission statement, we’re committed to creating bonds between past, present, and future. And I really want to deepen those bonds.

LR: Could you tell us about some of the social or networking aspects of the council?

MA : We have several Zoom events each year. We hosted an in-person event in November 2022 for NYSID alumni and students. It was a big success. We talked about what the Council is doing and the goals that we have, including our new scholarship fund.

In February 2023, we had an event where NYSID faculty member Robert Arthur King spoke about Black architects of the 19th century. Our events are often available to the full design community because it isn’t just about us, it’s about the design world too.

KG : We also had a “lunch and learn” event with graduate students in December. We’ve had Zoom events with students as well, where we discussed our experiences as NYSID alumni. We host graduate and undergraduate student events. It’s important to make our presence known to everyone.

LR: What exciting Council events are currently on the horizon?

MA : For our future events, we are considering more in-person events that are outside the College. Perhaps an architectural tour of Manhattan, or a tour of the National Arts Club.

KG : We’ll host another in-person event this year. We don’t have full details for that yet, so stay tuned.

LR: What else is next for the Council?

KG : We’re looking to grow the actual physical Council and have a greater presence in alumni life, NYSID life, and design community life. Along with sponsoring activities, we’ll continue building our brand and our identity. We’ll continue to raise funds for the alumni

scholarship. We’ll also explore ways to partner with the different groups and departments of NYSID.

LR: What should we know about the Alumni Council Scholarship fund—why is it so important?

KG : We take our philanthropic approach very seriously. It’s built into our mission statement. Our scholarship is something that this Council created. It will be awarded at the Gala on an annual basis, as it was this year at Gala 2023. We raised money for it through our Zoom events and our other ways of soliciting alumni support. The award is $5,000 this year and will continue if alumni support it.

There’s never been a scholarship that’s been fully funded from the NYSID alumni, so this is like a whole new chapter. For alumni to be able to donate to a specific scholarship and then see who it benefits is very fulfilling.

MA : When you donate to a scholarship and you actually see the beneficiary, that makes it all worthwhile. This scholarship is also important because many people are working while going to school, and if we can help one of those people, it means everything.

We’re working toward making this an endowed scholarship because we don’t want a one-and-done type of situation. We want this award to be long lasting.

LR: How can alumni and current students get involved with the Council?

MA : There’s so much work to be done—spearheading an event, coordinating an event, working an event. But it’s also anything from helping us do an Instagram post to, if you’re a current student, helping us get the word out on campus.

KG : We’ve got committees and positions, but it’s about the person-power it takes to put on an event, make the phone calls, and get communications written. We need help not only coming up with ideas but also driving them to fruition.

We’re always looking for people interested in getting involved with the Council. It can be a big involvement, or it can be a small involvement. We know everybody is super busy, and the Council really isn’t about dollars. It’s so much more about working together and building synergies and processes. The Council is about us as a community. •

To inquire about joining the Alumni Council, reach out to Development & AC Manager Samantha Fingleton at samantha.fingleton@nysid.edu.

TOP: MARIE AIELLO. ABOVE : KRISTA GUREVICH

GIVING / Creative Corporate Partnership

Why I Give: Michael Cox

Michael Cox , the co-founder and principal of foley&cox, possesses a breadth of expertise in furniture design, customized color palettes, and interior architecture. He worked in various home divisions of Ralph Lauren for 10 years. In 2002, Michael and Mary Foley founded foley&cox and in 2007 launched foley&cox home. Today the firm of 10 works with the finest suppliers and craftspeople on four continents. To mark its 20th anniversary, the company published its first book, Language of Home, by Monacelli Press, which showcases 24 projects from its first two decades of work and acknowledges all the incredible artists, artisans, and craftspeople who have contributed to the team’s designs. Says Cox, “The book is also a love letter to our clients whom we gratefully refer to as our patrons of the creative arts.” As another celebration of its 20th anniversary year, foley&cox set out to create the foley&cox Endowed Scholarship Fund at NYSID by both donating funds and calling on its entire community of clients, vendors, artisans, architects, and contractors to help capitalize the fund. At the time we went to press, the company was approaching its goal. We sat down to talk to Cox about his communitarian approach to philanthropy and the design business.

Atelier: Did you study interior design? How did you find your way to the discipline?

Michael Cox: At Villanova University, the Augustinians taught “to whom much is given, much is expected.” Despite graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance, I was given many opportunities early in my career to learn about retail, sales, buying, production, licensing, styling, sourcing, design development, and interior design. At foley&cox, we’ve offered a chance to many candidates from industries as various as fashion, law, and banking. We strive to cultivate a firm culture that values diversity of experience for a richer, fuller world view.

Atelier: Why did you choose to endow a scholarship at the New York School of Interior Design to commemorate your 20th anniversary?

MC: As our leadership team focused on goals for the firm’s next 20 years, we recognized the significance of supporting the academic foundations of our industry. What is a better investment than the continuing education of our future industry leaders? Missy Fink, our business manager, gets the most credit for spearheading the initiative.

Atelier: Of all the colleges and universities you could choose, why NYSID?

MC: As a firm, we have partnered for many years with NYSID students through our internship program. Several of our own team members are NYSID graduates. We are part of the New York design community, and we want to strengthen and nourish our roots.

Atelier: Why did you elect to make this a diversity scholarship fund for people underrepresented in the industry?

MC: As an LGBTQ principal with a Latina vice president, Zuni Madera , I have an appreciation for how important it is to cultivate opportunities for a broader portion of our society and to foster inclusive environments in the classroom and the workplace. As we witness the tragic educational restrictions being adopted in Florida, it’s clear that fostering diversity in education is an important and relevant human rights issue.

Atelier: Why did you ask your clients, vendors, architects, and contractors to become your partners in philanthropy?

MC: This is our culture. We work closely together; we celebrate our collaborations; and we honor our commitments. We’re proud of our relationships and all our partners were generous to contribute to this initiative to support education. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all who helped us create this scholarship fund, and say we have almost reached our goal and donations are still welcome.

Atelier: What would you like to see happen in the interior design field in the next 20 years?

MC: We’d like to see an increase in awareness and appreciation of our history. Our industry is uniquely positioned to influence a healthy future and the answers to complex global issues of sustainability are literally in our antique and vintage roots. •

To inquire about donating to the foley&cox Endowed Scholarship Fund, reach out to giving@nysid.edu.

GIVING / An Individual’s Impact

The Legacy of Maria Spears Honoring a Visionary Trustee Upon her Departure from the Board

NYSID alumna Maria Spears left the NYSID Board of Trustees at the end of 2022, after a six-year tenure, in order to focus on family and traveling the world with her beloved husband, William. From the time she joined the board in May 2016, Spears was a visionary and generous benefactor of the College. Says NYSID president David Sprouls, “If you know Maria, you understand that her energy, vibrance, and enthusiasm are infectious. She’s had a tremendous impact on NYSID’s students in more ways than one.”

Spears obtained her degree at NYSID during the 1970s. Her favorite course was on the history of design, taught by the late and legendary NYSID instructor William Breger. She fell in love with both Modernism and classical French and English design at NYSID. After graduating, she didn’t become an interior designer, but rather a top realtor who rose through the ranks of Brown, Harris, Stevens to become managing director and senior vice president. “My design background enabled me to tell clients what they could do to a property and how they could change things,” says Spears. “My knowledge of design made me a successful realtor.”

In 2016, at a dinner party, Spears sat next to a NYSID board member who suggested she re-engage with her alma mater, NYSID. At the time, Spears was serving on the board of the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA), helping them with their major fundraiser, Nantucket by Design. Spears met with Sprouls and decided to join the NYSID board. Once Spears joined, she developed and pitched a big idea about how to bring NYSID and the Nantucket Historical Society together. She proposed sending NYSID students to Nantucket by Design in the summer, and giving them a chance to design and decorate rooms in the Jethro Coffin House, the Oldest House on Sunset Hill in Nantucket. She saw it as a rare opportunity to allow students to learn about design history and preservation in context, as well as a chance for these budding designers to make real contacts in the industry. Sharing the experience of something she loved with

a new generation of designers motivated her. According to Spears, much of the board of the NHA was resistant to allowing students to design the interior of The Oldest House at first, but she was insistent and convincing, and the collaboration was ultimately a huge success. “The board of the NHA was blown away by the students’ work,” she remembers. Says Sprouls, “Maria forged a whole new direction in experiential learning for our students. Until that point, our students hadn’t done any showhouses, let alone a showhouse on an island two hundred miles from New York City! Through Maria’s support and generosity, we got it off the ground. Now Nantucket by Design is an ongoing opportunity for our students, and we are also getting our students into other showhouse events, such as Design on a Dime and Rooms with a View.”

In her years as a trustee, Spears introduced two other current board members, Kelly Williams and Susan Zises Green to the NYSID Board. She and her husband, William Spears, gave to Nantucket by Design, Dialogues on Design, and other programs at the College, but it was their continuous support of the scholarship fund through the Gala that was truly extraordinary. The Spears have made it possible for many talented students—past, present, and future—to come to NYSID and complete their interior design degrees, without amassing crippling debt. “The reason to give money is to help other people succeed,” says Maria Spears. “My husband is the love of my life, and we make these decisions about giving together. I’ve always felt confident in giving to NYSID because David Sprouls is a great leader, Ellen Fisher is a wonderful dean, and (Development Director) Joy Cooper is one of the hardest working people I know.”

For the young people who are finishing their degrees or entering their careers because of the support she and William Spears provided, Maria Spears has this wisdom: “Be happy to be alive and don’t be afraid of problems. Keep doing. If you expect positive things to happen and help the people who need your help, good things will come back to you.”

A Resounding Success for Scholarships CELEBRATIONS / Gala 2023

On Tuesday, April 11, the New York School of Interior Design held its “Gala 2023” in a private club in New York City, securing more than $600,000 for scholarships. NYSID Trustee Alexa Hampton , emceed, lending both humor and insight to the evening.

NYSID President David Sprouls said to the crowd of 309 attendees, “When I’m addressing you at this annual event, it feels like I’m welcoming friends home. And that’s how I’d like you to think about The New York School of Interior Design, as your home in the interior design community.”

This year NYSID honored three design innovators who are also known for their deep knowledge of diverse historical design traditions. NYSID awarded Suzanne Tucker, co-founder of Tucker & Marks and owner of Suzanne Tucker Home, with the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award, intended for individuals who have made contributions of outstanding artistic significance to interior design. NYSID alumna Peti Lau ’11 (AAS) won The Rising Star Award, intended for a designer who has just hit their stride in the profession, a person who demonstrates great promise and vision. (The Shade Store has sponsored this award since its inception in 2019). John Edelman , CEO and president of Heller, and

the former co-owner of Design Within Reach who is known for the turnaround of that company, became the 2023 winner of NYSID’s Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership Award. This award is named in memory of the late Larry Kravet, the longtime leader of Kravet Inc., the father of NYSID Board President Ellen Kravet , and an icon in the interior design field. The Kravet award is presented to an individual who has helped advance the field of interior design and is a leader in the industry.

NYSID Trustee David Kleinberg , founder of David Kleinberg Design Associates, himself an Albert Hadley award winner in 2017, introduced his friend Suzanne Tucker. After David Sprouls bestowed the Albert Hadley Award on Tucker, she said, “I am the poster child for doing what you love. I am grateful for every mentor I ever had. My advice for the students is always, ‘Seek out that mentor.’”

Zach Gibbs, co-founder of The Shade Store, the company that has sponsored The Rising Star Award since its inception, introduced alumna Peti Lau ’11 (AAS). After receiving the Rising Star Award from NYSID Board Chair Ellen Kravet, Lau said, “At NYSID, I felt promising, talented, directed, and on my way to finally doing exactly what I was meant to do. The reason I am invested in this

College is because I want to give other students the same opportunity to discover themselves in design.”

Cindy Allen , editor in chief of Interior Design magazine since 2001, introduced John Edelman with personal photographs and stories that dated back 22 years to the moment they met in her offices at Interior Design and became fast friends. She said, “We are both design junkies. . . . It’s [John’s] insatiable passion for design that has guided many of his brilliant business decisions.”

Ellen Kravet bestowed the award that bears her father’s name on Edelman, who accepted the Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership award with the words, “I feel like the luckiest man alive. To be awarded for doing something I love seems unfair, but I’ll accept it!”

Each of the honorees received engraved crystal Octogone vases, generously donated by Baccarat.

This year, for the first time ever, NYSID’s Alumni Council banded together to raise funds for the new Alumni Scholarship. The Council raised more than $20,000 from NYSID graduates, making it possible for Marie Aiello, NYSID’s Alumni Council president, to present Ashley Abaunza , a second-year MFA1 student with an outstanding GPA and president of NYSID’s chapter of IIDA, with the first Alumni Scholarship at the gala.

The success of Gala 2023 would not have been possible without the hard work and planning of Board Chair Ellen Kravet and Gala Co-chairs Chesie Breen , Ingrid Ongaro Edelman , Alexa Hampton , David Kleinberg , and Betsey Ruprecht .

“Every dollar raised at this gala goes toward student scholarships,” said NYSID president David Sprouls. “Your donations give us the power to attract and retain the most talented students. We can’t thank you enough.” •

1: SUZANNE TUCKER, JOHN EDELMAN, PETI LAU 2: ERIC GERING, DAVID KLEINBERG, CHESIE BREEN, JAMES DRUCKMAN, ELLEN KRAVET, ALEXA HAMPTON, SUZANNE TUCKER, COURTNEY MCLEOD, DAVID SPROULS, BRAD SCHNELLER 3: CINDY ALLEN, DENNIS SCULLY, BONNIE EDELMAN, JOHN EDELMAN 4. RAYMAN BOOZER, BETH DIANA SMITH, LEYDEN LEWIS, WHITNEE WILLIAMS 5. ALEXA HAMPTON, ASHLEY ABAUNZA, MARIE AIELLO 6. ELLEN SCARBOROUGH, SUSAN ZISES GREEN, DENNIS MILLER, BETSEY RUPRECHT

Sights & sounds of Gala 2023 nysid.edu/gala2023

CELEBRATIONS / Commencement 2023

On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the New York School of Interior Design honored the class of 2023 with a graduation ceremony at 92Y’s Kaufmann Concert Hall in New York City. One hundred sixteen interior designers obtained their degrees after much hard work and tenacity. Eighty-five graduates walked the stage. The College’s abundant, accredited online degree programs made this NYSID’s most geographically diverse graduating class in the history of the College, with students hailing from 22 countries. Some of the students who studied online also graduated virtually, joining from afar via a live broadcast.

The chairman of NYSID’s Board of Trustees, Ellen Kravet , opened the ceremonies. NYSID President David Sprouls thanked the Class of 2023 for helping the College cultivate a culture of belonging; for succeeding beyond his high expectations and garnering a haul of industry awards this year; and for upholding a 107-yearold tradition of excellence, which was apparent in their thesis projects, on exhibition through September at the NYSID Gallery and Graduate Center. “You are innovators and agents of change who demand inclusion for all and embrace the responsibility of prioritizing the health of the planet, as well as our own well-being, at every turn,” said Sprouls. “We and the world are so very ready for you.”

Wisdom from the Commencement

Speakers

President Sprouls presented Kate Kelly Smith and Newell Turner, both giants in the field of design media, with the New York School of Interior Design’s highest accolade, the Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts in Interior Design.

Smith is executive vice president and managing director of Luxe Interiors + Design and chief sales officer of the Sandow Design Group. Before joining Sandow Design Group, Smith was senior vice president of the Hearst Design Group, leading the publishing side of House Beautiful, Veranda, and Elle Decor. Folio recognized her as a “corporate visionary,” naming her one of the Top Women in Media 2015. She’s the daughter of an interior designer, and her deep understanding of design has driven her publishing career.

Honorary doctorate recipients Kate Kelly Smith and Newell Turner encouraged emerging designers to create beauty and improve lives.

2023 Student & Faculty Achievement Awards

Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ellen Fisher beamed as she announced this year’s faculty and student award winners.

The Chairman’s Award

Vincenza Lampon (BFA)

Charlotte Doody (MFA1) Nivedhitha Ravi (MFA2)

Ana Blanc Verna Award for Excellence in Interior Design

Motomo “Lucia” Sakakibara (BFA)

The Alumni Award for Service to the College

Paulina Castillon Gomez (BFA)

Antonio Harris II (MFA1)

The Robert Herring Travel Prize

Diana Lawson (BFA) Shurouq Al Jammal (MFA1)

The Breger Faculty Achievement Award

Joseph Goldstein

The Office of Academic Affairs Dean’s Award for Extraordinary Service

Luz Garcia

It’s not surprising that this powerhouse of a media executive used her speech to empower NYSID’s graduates. “Design is about solving deeply personal and complex problems by making a positive impact on people’s lives,” Smith said. “You have the power to shape our environment, influence our behavior, and improve our well-being while defining style, form, and taste.”

It was meaningful to have Smith speak in tandem with the great design journalist Newell Turner, because they spent 12 years running the Hearst Design Group together. Turner was founding editorial director of the Hearst division that produced Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Veranda. He is an author, editor, photographer, and design consultant with over 35 years of experience in design and lifestyle magazine publishing. His recent book is Mexican: A Journey Through Design (Vendome Press, May 2023). He is also a former New York School of Interior Design trustee who is deeply invested in design education. Turner said, “See beauty not only in the grandeur of high-profile or big projects, but also in the seemingly mundane and everyday spaces that shape our lives. Let beauty be your compass.”

Student Speakers

NYSID allows its graduating students to vote to determine who will speak on their behalf at commencement. This year, the undergraduates selected Paulina Castillon Gomez ’23 (BFA). “Strive to show up as your authentic selves every single day,” she said. “Your work as an interior designer is not only about acquired knowledge, but also about how you connect and create for the people around you.”

The graduate students selected Antonio Harris II ’23 (MFA1) as their speaker. Harris, a US Air Force veteran, is already working as a junior design strategist at the LAB at Rockwell Group. Harris said, “We must remain committed to making intentional choices. . . to imagining the unimaginable; to providing solutions and solving important problems; to uplifting and thoroughly inspiring.” •

 CURRICULUM / ACADEMICS

NYSID Tests Out a Revamped Undergrad Curriculum

After three years of developing a new curriculum for the undergraduate programs, NYSID’s Office of Academic Affairs will begin testing it this fall (2023). NYSID’s Dean and VP for Academic Affairs Ellen Fisher, Associate Dean Daniel Harper, and Assistant Dean Todd Class updated and refined the curriculum. Now, embedded in every undergraduate class will be themes of 1) research-informed human centered design, 2) inclusivity and diversity, 3) technology, 4) sustainability, and 5) accessibility.

NY State Approves New MPS in Digital Practice Management

New York State has approved NYSID’s MPS in Digital Practice Management, which will be the first program of its kind in the nation. The College is now recruiting its inaugural class for this program that will begin in Fall 2024. The larger firms are currently hiring and promoting experts in Digital Practice Management; it’s become an area of opportunity. Digital technologies, tools, and software have changed the way the built environment is designed, documented, constructed, and operated post-construction. These technologies are driving the industry to use the most efficient techniques to coordinate between design and construction processes. NYSID will launch its a one-year Master of Professional Studies in Digital Practice Management (MPSDPM) under the auspices of program director Samuel Mikhail , AIA, LEED AP, managing director at 4iD—4 Ideal Design. The postprofessional MPSDPM will prepare candidates to lead digital project management for design firms by strategically managing professional teams; developing and implementing best-practice workflows and software; and coordinating design, documentation, and construction planning at the highest level. For more information, reach out to program director Samuel Mikhail at samuel.mikhail@nysid.edu.

An Expansion of Pre-College

One of NYSID’s institutional priorities is to help make a career in interior design accessible to a broader and more diverse demographic—namely to high school students who are unfamiliar with the field, and do not see themselves in the design profession. The College has established a Pre-College Scholarship fund and an “Open Doors to Design’’ initiative to provide an introduction to interior design for high school students in underserved communities. Thanks to the generosity of our funders, the program expanded both geographically and numerically this summer. NYSID awarded 19 scholarships through partnerships with nonprofit community organizations, including Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, YWCA-NY, Harlem Children’s Zone, and the ASID Florida South Chapter. For the first time, three ASIDFS scholarship students from across Florida will join their peers from around the world in online Pre-College classes. NYSID’s Director of Pre-College, Francisco de Leon , has a vision to bring in-person sessions of Pre-College to Florida and California next summer (2024). He says, “If we want to broaden who knows about interior design and understands what it is, we need to plug into organizations that are helping students in underserved communities.” Major support for NYSID’s Pre-College fund has been provided by Brian McCarthy, Bunny Williams, Charlotte Moss, Cullman & Kravis, Decorator’s Club, Donghia Foundation, Jamie Drake, James Druckman/New York Design Center, John Rosselli & Associates, Kravet Inc., and Studio Designer

TheNew York School of Interior Design’s curricula and offerings are constantly evolving, pushing the standards of design education further. Hear about NYSID’s exciting new hires, projects, and directions here.

The First Year of Study Abroad in Italy Was a Success

In Fall 2022, NYSID launched its first study abroad semester program. In partnership with SRISA, the Santa Reparata International School of Art, NYSID provided BFA students the chance to absorb the rich arts, culture, and history of Florence. The students were accompanied by NYSID instructor Warren Ashworth , who taught them NYSID courses in person in Italy, while the students took other courses with SIRSA and online with NYSID. Four students attended the Fall semester, and five attended the Spring semester. None of it would have been possible without the support of NYSID donors who helped provide travel grants (for additional expenses) to make the program accessible to students already struggling to afford tuition. Thanks to the generosity of NYSID’s supporters, Study Abroad in Italy is up and running and will be offered again in Fall 2023. Ashworth will once again be the faculty member on site at SRISA in Florence. To inquire about Study Abroad, reach out to Associate Dean Daniel Harper at daniel.harper@nysid.edu.

Two-Week Study Abroad Trips Resume & Sell Out

For the first time since the pandemic forced NYSID to make its travel study experiences virtual, the two-week study abroad trips resumed this past May/June with courses in Paris and Great Britain. “Paris and Environs: Modernism & Parisian Style” was taught by Thomas Mellins, author, curator, historian, and a faculty member who teaches Design Theory at NYSID. “Classical Contrast: Architecture, Interiors and Gardens of Great Britain,” a look at the gardens and interiors of Scotland and England, was led by architect David Burdette. Both trips filled rapidly.

NYSID Students Shine at Housing Works’ Design on a Dime

Showhouse

NYSID students joined the ranks of top interior designers from all over the country to design a vignette for the Housing Works Design on a Dime Showhouse, which opened to the public April 20-22, 2023, in NYC. The result was a gorgeous vignette that paid tribute to women designers of color throughout history. The home décor, furniture, art, and housewares in the “vignettes” were being sold to benefit Housing Works’ healthcare and housing for New Yorkers living with HIV and other chronic illnesses. NYSID alumna and faculty member Claudia Tejeda ’08 (AAS) supervised the team of student designers, which consisted of Ashley Abaunza (MFA1), Paulina Castillon Gomez (BFA), Isabella Hamilton (BFA), Kayla Lowry (MFA1), Nour Saedeldine (MFA1), and Melida Valera (MFA1). “We created a patchwork mural of bright colors pulled directly from a Peruvian Amarra textile, and through our selections, we wove together a tapestry of diverse styles,” said Abaunza on behalf of the team. “It has been such a fun experience and we are grateful to NYSID and Housing Works for allowing us to contribute to DOAD2023.”

PHOTO: DAVID MACALUSO

Student Designs for Lavelle School for the Blind Will Be Built

NYSID’s unique MFA1 Service Learning Studio, led by faculty member Terry Kleinberg , gives students the opportunity to work on a real project for a real nonprofit client, and do tremendous good. The Summer 2022 project served Lavelle School for the Blind, a private, state-supported school in the Bronx for children who are blind or sight-impaired and have other significant disabilities. Twelve NYSID students divided into three groups and designed three spaces: a training apartment for students to learn how to cook, clean, make a bed, and do laundry; a sustainable garden and greenhouse where students will learn to grow vegetables and flowers; and a sensory garden with outdoor classrooms where students can enjoy all the non-visual aspects of nature. The complete team of MFA1 students from NYSID was Ashley Abaunza, Sherry Guo, Charles Li, Vivienne Liu, Louis Lu, Ranjetha Bomma Reddy, Albee Wang, Sara Watson, Wenfei Xu, Zeinab Youssef, Connie Zhang , and Alessandra Zucchi . The Lavelle School for the Blind just received full funding to build the training apartments, and the project is in early phases with the architect. The team at Lavelle is also aggressively pursuing funding to build the sensory garden and classrooms.

 BOARD

Young Huh Was Appointed to the NYSID Board

Celebrated designer Young Huh has joined NYSID’s Board of Trustees. As the principal of Young Huh Interior Design, Huh has established herself as a prominent figure in the design industry. Her accomplishments are many and include:

AD100 Designer 2023, 1stDibs 50 Honorees 2023, Elle Decor ’s A-List, Andrew Martin Design Review finalist, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens Innovation in Design Award winner, and her selection as the 2022 recipient of NYSID’s Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership award. Huh is an active member of the local and international design community, and heavily involved in multiple charitable organizations and industry events. Huh most recently served as a vice chair for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House President’s Dinner, is a Co-Chair of Housing Works Design on a Dime Benefit 2023, is a founding member of AAPIDA, and serves on the Board of Directors for NKBA (The National Kitchen + Bath Association). About Huh’s appointment, Ellen Kravet , NYSID chairman of the board stated, “Young is a perfect addition to the NYSID board, as it is comprised of some of the best individuals working in the design profession today, all working strategically together to fulfill the college’s mission,” says Kravet. “In addition, Young’s vast experience will bring great inspiration to our students.”

 FACULTY AND STAFF

Career Services Coordinator Karen Singh Wants to Launch the Brand of You

Karen Singh , NYSID’s new Career Services and Internship Coordinator, has an MFA in Interior Design from Pratt and over 26 years of experience in interior design and design journalism. She has worked as a design director for Janson Design Group and as a senior market editor for Interior Design magazine. When asked why she wanted to move into a role that’s all about helping designers find employment, she thought about her first design job as a materials librarian and designer at Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer where she worked on the old Windows of the World interior and the Rainbow Room. “I loved identifying an object or textile and solving the mystery of its place and its purpose. I loved organizing things within the pantheon of design. This is what I want to do with students!” Singh says she has two major goals for the career services department. “My goal for the students who are career changers is to help them merge the skills they have from their last careers with the education they have in design,” she says. About her second goal, Singh notes, “As we work together on portfolios, resumes, and cover letters, I want to get students to dig deep and become their own unique brand, so no two portfolios walk out of NYSID looking the same.” Need guidance on the brand of you? Reach out to Singh at karen.singh@nysid.edu.

Meet International Student Services Specialist

Karen Kalriess

Karen Kalriess has joined the NYSID community as International Student Services Specialist. With over 25 years in the higher education field, Kalriess’ career focus has been supporting international students to ensure they succeed in their studies. Prior to coming to NYSID, Kalriess worked at St. John’s University’s School of International Education where she served as assistant director of Inbound and Exchange Programs. “After many years of working in international education, I find that many administrators just cannot put themselves in the shoes of inbound international students,” she says. “Even motivated, mature students will find relocating to NYC and diving into American education intimidating. I’ve lived and worked abroad, and I can sympathize. NYSID offers strong support for the international enrollees, and I’m inspired by that.”

Director of Counseling Services Rebecca Yu’s Door Is Open

Rebecca Yu recently became NYSID’s Director of Counseling Services. Yu, a licensed mental health counselor, has over 6 years of experience in individual/group counseling, crisis intervention, and clinical supervision. She started her career at Lafayette Medical Approach as a substance abuse counselor. Most recently, she worked at the Fortune Society as a director, where she was responsible for the operation and clinical management of the agency’s MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment) program to help treat substance abuse patients. Yu also has her own private practice. “One of my main priorities is to increase awareness of the services that the counseling center provides,” she says. “I want the students to know that they can come to counseling services for any kind of support, whether that’s related to school, work, or personal stressors.”

Welcome Director of Marketing Communications and Engagement, Bay Brown Bay Brown has joined the NYSID community as Director of Marketing Communications and Engagement. Brown has worked over 20 years in the communications field, with 11 of those years in higher education. As the senior editorial director in the Office of Communications at Pratt Institute, Bay oversaw the creation of a new brand identity across campus platforms, relaunched Pratt’s website, and was the chief strategist for Pratt’s content. Bay was also the head of external relations at Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, where she worked closely with campus leadership to develop a strategic communications plan for the new Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island. Bay worked as a senior editor for Architect magazine and a contributing journalist for The New York Times. She has an MA in Architectural History from the University of Virginia, as well as a BA in History from Barnard College. “I am excited to be in a role at an institution that allows me to marry my interest in both design and storytelling,” she says. “NYSID’s mission reflects my belief in the value of a rigorous education directed by established practitioners, a curriculum that prepares graduates to be tomorrow’s leading designers.”

Two of NYSID’s Newest Faculty Are Accomplished Artists

Aliyana Gewirtzman is an artist originally from upstate New York. She holds a BA in Studio Art from Pomona College and has ten years of experience in the New York art world. Her landscape paintings focus on the tension between the natural world and built environment. She teaches art foundation courses at NYSID, including Visual Concepts, Color for Interiors, and Drawing & Hand Rendering.

Chemin Hsiao has joined the faculty to teach Visual Concepts, Drawing in Situ: New York, and Drawing in Situ II. In 2021, his artist banners proposal “Dandelions Know” was selected as the winner for the Noguchi Museum to raise awareness to the anti-Asian violence surging during the pandemic. He was also a recipient of the New Work Grant & ArtSite Public Art Commissioning from Queens Council on the Arts. Since 2019, he has completed several commissioned murals for Queens communities, including Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Flushing.

ARTWORK, LEFT: ‘TIS THE DAMN SEASON BY ALIYANA GEWIRTZMAN. ABOVE: SOLITARY EXERCISE BY CHEMIN HSIAO.

 EXHIBITIONS & PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Another Life: Conversations on Imagined Space

From March 16 to May 4, 2023, the NYSID gallery featured the exhibition Another Life: Conversations on Imagined Space, an exploration of the “metaverse” and “extended reality” as it pertains to interior design. In keeping with the digitally mediated nature of the material, the curator, Darling Green, organized the show around email and video conversations with influential designers, historians, and thinkers who are working in the field of interiors, both built and speculative. The contributors were (Ab)normal, Larry Achiampong and David Blandy, Studio Brasch, Hyon Woo Scott Chung, Simon Critchley, Didier Faustino, Vanessa Keith/Studioteka, Krista Kim, Danilo Marco Campanaro and Giacomo Landeschi, Martin Levy, Dash Marshall, Laura Mathis, Sarah Nichols, Everest Pipkin, Lee Pivnik, Eva and Franco Matte Reorder, Six N. Five, Spot Studio, Superhouse, and Karin Tehve.

Mitchell Joachim – Sally Henderson Green Design Lecture 2023

Walls made out of living trees? Architecture that grows vegetables? It’s not science fiction. It’s socioecological design.

On April 19, multiple-award-winning architect Mitchell Joachim , co-founder of Terreform ONE and associate professor of practice at NYU, gave a lecture on the work of architecture in the age of synthetic biology. In the challenging context of accelerating climate dynamics, architectural design is evolving and increasingly collaborating with other fields. Joachim discussed a distinctive design tactic that investigates projects through the regenerative use of natural materials, biological science, and the emergent field of socioecological design that uses living materials. After showing edible furniture made of mushrooms and a building he designed for Microsoft in Manhattan that doubled as a Monarch butterfly habitat, Joachim left the audience with this challenge: “How do you get interior designers more interested in urban design?” The Sally Henderson Green Design Lecture is an annual event created to honor the memory of NYSID faculty member Sally Henderson , who developed the College’s first course in sustainable design.

A Banner Year for Dialogues on Design

The theme of the 2022/23 season of Dialogues on Design was “great challenges.” Series moderator Dennis Scully, also host of the “Business of Home” podcast, asked a star-studded lineup of designers to describe the spaces and projects that initially confounded them. The result was stories about getting out of tight spots with creative thinking. The 2022/23 season included Jamie Drake and Caleb Anderson (11/22), Laura Hodges (12/22), Kia Weatherspoon (1/23), Janice Parker (2/23), David Kleinberg (3/23), Nate Berkus (4/23), and Andrew Oyen and Ed Hollander (6/23).

PORTFOLIO / MPS Class of 2022 Award Winners

The Office of Academic Affairs awarded the students whose theses are featured on these pages the Chairman’s Award for their overall performance in the Master of Professional Studies programs. NYSID offers one-year MPS programs in Sustainable Interior Environments (MPSS), Lighting Design (MPSL), and Design of Healthcare Environments (MPSH). The 2023 Chairman’s Award winners for the MFA1, MFA2, and BFA programs will be featured in the Fall/Winter 2023 issue of Atelier.

“We wanted our design to convey that being healthy and eating organically and locally doesn’t always mean eating a salad. We wanted the focus to be on pleasure.”

“I chose the footprint of a former smallpox hospital because I wanted reuse what was already there and make it useful to an area underserved by hospitals.”

“In an interior design firm, having knowledge of lighting design is a plus.”

TOP: RENDERED PERSPECTIVE OF RESTAURANT AT NIGHT IN “PROHIBITION” BY GRACE SPIEZIA AND SAMANTHA BERLANGA. CENTER: RENDERED PERSPECTIVE OF SECOND FLOOR PATIENT ROOM IN “CANARSIE MICRO HOSPITAL” BY KATHERINE UGOREC. BOTTOM: RENDERED PERSPECTIVE OF MAIN

GRACE SPIEIZIA

KATHERINE UGOREC

JOSEFINA ORTUZAR

Grace Spiezia and Samantha Berlanga

Project: Prohibition

Instructors: Luca Baraldo and Bethany Borel

With Prohibition, Grace Spiezia and Samantha Berlanga set out to create a full-service healthy dining experience, offering locally sourced, pesticide-free foods in the footprint of a real building in Tribeca. The commercial space includes a market, outdoor eating, restaurant spaces, and a speakeasy, hidden by a secret entrance on the first floor. Spiezia and Berlanga took their cues from the neighborhood, celebrating the glamor of Art Deco style, and the history of secret speakeasies in New York. The motto of Prohibition is “Being Bad Never Felt So Good.” Spiezia, who was the Chairman’s Award winner for her program said, “We wanted our design to convey that being healthy and eating organically and locally doesn’t always mean eating a salad. We wanted the focus to be on pleasure.” Their instructors challenged them to infuse the design with several of William Browning’s 15 Patterns of Biophilic Design, and the pair chose Prospect, Refuge, and Mystery. The concepts of Prospect and Refuge are based on the idea that human beings in hunter gatherer societies needed to be able to hunt and forage, and then retreat to a place of safety when they were at rest. This is the reason Spiezia designed the restaurant’s unique curving booths with high backs to make the end users feel cocooned and safe. The concept of Mystery comes in the entrance to the basement speakeasy, which is dark and mirrored to create the impression of entering a different realm. All of the FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) in the space are locally sourced, GREENGUARD Gold Certified for healthier air, and have Health Product Declarations (HPDs) to rule out chemicals of concern. Spiezia and Berlanga took care to use products that were either recycled or extremely durable. Spiezia so impressed her instructors Luca Baraldo and Bethany Borel , both senior associates at COOKFOX Architects, that they recommended her for a job. She is now at COOKFOX working on an affordable housing project that will be LEED Gold Certified and Passive House Certified.

Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments

Katherine Ugorec

Project: Canarsie Micro Hospital

Instructor: Kristin Miller

Katherine Ugorec ’s Canarsie Micro Hospital, located in the landmarked ruin of a former smallpox hospital on Roosevelt Island, is designed to provide patients 12 years and older with access to orthopedic care within 72 hours of injury. The facility enables healthcare providers to triage, diagnose, treat, and perform surgery. Canarsie is a strong example of evidence-based design. Ugorec researched the demographics of Roosevelt Island and found it’s one of the few areas in Manhattan underserved by hospitals. She discovered that Roosevelt Island has a relatively young population, and a large number of families with children. “It’s an active place of parks and sports, but there are no good options in the neighborhood if you or your teen is injured and needs immediate care. I saw potential.” Perhaps one of the reasons Ugorec brings a business lens to her design work is that she worked on the financial and business management end of healthcare before coming to NYSID to first obtain her BFA in Interior Design, and later to get the MPSH. For Canarsie Micro Hospital, she came up with a space plan that made it efficient for injured patients to move through the facility from consultation to treatment. She used bold colors and strong visual impacts to make the wayfinding clear and demarcate the purpose of each zone. Through her research she learned that on the average, nurses walk 8 miles a day in their jobs, and many suffer from exhaustion, so she set up nursing stations in a way that was convenient for nurses. She named the hospital Canarsie because, “The whole island was purchased from the Canarsie tribes for almost nothing, so I wanted to pay homage to the island’s original inhabitants.” Ugorec currently works for NYU Langone’s Real Estate Planning and Development Team and is using a piece of her thesis in her work.

Master of Professional Studies in Design of Healthcare Environments

Josefina Ortuzar

Project: Lake Louise Hotel

Instructors: Nathalie Faubert and Jason Livingston

Josefina Ortuzar envisioned her lighting thesis set in a luxury hotel on Lake Louise, located in Banff National Park, Canada. She chose this wild location because it’s one of the places in the world most free of light pollution, a getaway known for its clear night skies full of bright stars and views of the Northern Lights. Ortuzar’s guiding concepts for the lighting plan of this fictional hotel were “connecting the indoors to the outdoors’’ and “light and shadow rhythm.” Usually, lighting designers employ controls to bring the lights up as the sun goes down, but Ortuzar dimmed the lights to the minimum standards of what one needs at night, in order to create clear views of the starry sky outside the hotel. The lighting plan is intended to prevent light from shining directly in the eyes of the end user, or creating a reflection on glass, all in the service of not detracting from the scenery outside. Most of the light in the space is concealed and indirect. The light from the ceiling is concealed in wooden beams. Light bounces off the ceiling at a 45-degree angle onto the floor, creating a kind of wayfinding in ceiling of the corridors. The indoor lounge is meant to have the feel of an outdoor firepit, and the light comes from fixtures underneath benches or up high, in the beams or at the top of columns, so there are no visible fixtures at eye level to occlude the view to the skies. Ortuzar, currently an interior designer at Tihany Design, is enjoying bringing her new expertise in lighting design into the luxury hospitality spaces she designs.

Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design

IN MEMORIAM

The NYSID community remembers Suzanne Rheinstein.

SUZANNE RHEINSTEIN

Suzanne Rheinstein , a celebrated interior designer, whom NYSID honored with the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award at its Gala in 2018, died in March at the age of 77. Comparing her to Sister Parish and Mark Hampton, The New York Times said of her work, “Ms. Rheinstein brought an American freshness to English country style.”

In recognition of her exceptional career and contributions, NYSID presented Rheinstein with the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award during our 2018 Gala.

During her acceptance speech, Rheinstein said: “Curiosity and generosity are two things I would like to be remembered for—a curiosity about so many things in this wondrous world. Tonight, I want to thank you for your generosity. The funds raised at this event will provide scholarships to talented students to explore their studies—contemporary and historical— about which they’re curious, and I am so pleased to be a part of making this happen.”

David Sprouls, NYSID president, has a favorite memory of Rheinstein: “In 2018, Suzanne was generous enough to host a NYSID event in her beautiful Los Angeles home. She worked closely with us to plan an event that provided an opportunity for NYSID to not only reconnect with West Coast-based alumni and friends but also develop new relationships, as Suzanne invited others she thought should know about NYSID. Her southern roots truly showed that evening with warm hospitality, delicious food and drink, the great American songbook being played on the piano, and interesting conversations happening in every room. It was a truly memorable night for all.”

Rheinstein generously shared her knowledge with students and design enthusiasts. She participated in NYSID’s “Dialogues on Design.” The NYSID community and many others will indeed remember Suzanne’s curiosity and generosity, not to mention her love of family, loyalty to friends, and talent for designing truly remarkable spaces that reflect her signature “elegant civility,” or as she described it “fewer things, but better things.”

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LEADERSHIP / Moving the College Forward

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ellen Kravet, Chairman

David Sprouls, NYSID President

Chesie Breen

Jill H. Dienst

James P. Druckman

Cheryl S. Durst

Ingrid Ongaro Edelman

Susan Zises Green

Alexa Hampton

Young Huh

David Kleinberg

Courtney R. McLeod

Dennis Miller

Betsey Ruprecht

Brad Schneller

David Scott

Kelly M. Williams

Eric J. Gering, Faculty Trustee

Joanna L. Silver, Esq., General Counsel

Elaine Wingate Conway, Trustee Emerita

Inge Heckel, Trustee Emerita

Patricia M. Sovern, Chairman Emeritus

ADVISORY BOARD

Robin Klehr Avia

Michael Bruno

Kathleen M. Doyle

Ross J. Francis

Mariette Himes Gomez

Gerald A. Holbrook

Thomas Jayne

Wolfram Koeppe

Charlotte Moss

Barbara Ostrom

Sylvia Owen

Ann Pyne

Peter Sallick

Calvin Tsao

Bunny Williams

Vicente Wolf

ALUMNI COUNCIL

Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS), President

Krista Gurevich ’16 (MFA1), Vice President

George Marshall Peters ’08 (BFA), Treasurer

Lawrence Chabra ’09 (BFA), Secretary & Communications Co-chair

Maisie Lee ’00 (BFA), Communications Co-chair

Michelle Jacobson ’17 (MPSS), Events Co-chair

Erin Wells ’04, Membership Committee

“I am absolutely overwhelmed with both pride and gratefulness for being selected as the first recipient of this award. I feel so incredibly seen and appreciated as part of the NYSID community, and I can’t thank you enough for this amazing honor.”

— ASHLEY ABAUNZA, MFA1 CANDIDATE, 2023 RECIPIENT OF THE INAUGURAL ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP, FOUNDED AND SUPPORTED BY NYSID ALUMNI