NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | II

atelierNew York School of Interior Design

Haven Makers Three Alumni Share Their Passion for Placemaking in Residential Design WELCOME

I often speak of NYSID’s extraordinary job placement statistics: 100 percent of NYSID’s graduate and undergraduate students are employed or pursuing further study within six months of graduation. One of our features in this issue, “5 Transformative Internships,” provides a glimpse into what’s behind those statistics. Our students are getting the internships that lead to great jobs because they’re well prepared, technologically versatile, and have strong portfolios, but also because of you, our community. Our students and recent graduates often get a foot in the door because NYSID alumni, at firms throughout the industry, crack the door open for them. One of the benefits of a NYSID education is a tightly knit community that extends through generations and is passionate about design in all its forms. Since our inception, we have developed alongside the field of interior design, working to establish standards that raise the bar of the profession. Ours is a profession invented by creative risk-takers who saw opportunity where others saw obstacles, which you can read about in “Operating Within the System, and Outside of It.” This interview with faculty member Alexis Barr offers a taste of our popular online course that looks back at the fascinating history of the profession. It’s fitting that this atelier course is offered online, because NYSID started as a mail correspondence course in 1916. We were empowering distance learners then, and we’re doing it now. NYSID’s WINTER/SPRING 2020 VOL. 2 / NO. 1 online programs are a growth area for the College, and one reason we’re having a PRESIDENT strong year in terms of enrollment. David Sprouls The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) just reaccredited NYSID’s BFA CHIEF OF STAFF and MFA-1 programs, a testament to the fact that our curriculum is always evolving, David Owens-Hill both driving and responding to ongoing changes in design. We’re in the beginning EDITORIAL AND ART DIRECTOR stages of a self-study and a strategic planning process leading up to our Middle States Christopher Spinelli Commission on Higher Education accreditation review. We will use this process CONTRIBUTING WRITERS to propel us toward our goals, one of which is strengthening our ties to you, our Laura Catlan extended community. Jennifer Dorr For our cover story, “Haven Makers,” we’ve profiled three alumni, all NYSID PHOTOGRAPHY faculty members, who are residential design entrepreneurs and dynamic teachers. Matthew Carasella Residential design is in our DNA as a college, and half of our studios in the BFA Jason Gardner Mark La Rosa program are devoted to it. We require our students to study residential design because Matthew Septimus we have always understood that designing the home is a strong foundation for every

PRINTING form of interior design. It teaches students to pay attention to the intimacy of detail JMT Communications and decoration, and the potential for a space to comfort and restore. The overlap Jeff Tucker, President between different types of design is growing. Hospitals, for example, are applying ADDITIONAL NYSID STRATEGIC principles of residential design to create groundbreaking spaces that contribute to COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT healing. NYSID graduates are benefiting from their exposure to every type of interior Hannah Batren design, and from their adaptability. Phyllis Greer This magazine is for and about the NYSID community, and we want to hear from New York School of Interior Design you. Tell us about your exciting projects. Share your opinions about what’s going on 170 East 70 Street in the industry. Send your ideas to [email protected]. You help us shape the next New York, NY 10021 generation of interior designers, and we thank you for it. Atelier is published twice a year by the Office of External Relations for the alumni and friends of the New York School of Interior Design. It is printed on recycled paper with vegetable inks.

For more information or to submit story ideas or comments, email [email protected]. David T. Sprouls, President CONTENTS

FEATURES 10 16

Haven Makers Working Within the System, Three Alumni Design Homes That and Outside of It Comfort and Restore Our Intriguing Course on the History of the Interior Design Profession

24 26

Designing Independence 5 Transformative5 Internships Nate Berkus and “My Home in Sight” Inside Scoop on Coveted Internships

DEPARTMENTS

2 VISUAL THINKER 34 PORTFOLIO 4 LAYOUT 38 GIVING 20 CELEBRATIONS 39 LEADERSHIP ON THE COVER Lawrence Levy ’05 (BFA), Stefan Steil ’08 (BFA) / 32 SENIOR STORY 40 NEXT AT NYSID ’10 (MFA-2), and Alejandra Munizaga ’11 (BFA) standing on the spiral staircase leading to the mezzanine level of the Mario Buatta Materials Atelier in the East 70th Street building. Minimalist Kitchen in on her thinking, sourcing, and sustainable choices here. choices sustainable and sourcing, thinking, her on in us lets Jacobson counters. marble and walls white against set cabinetry walnut custom the is kitchen this of look balanced clean, to the key The holidays. the for home came kids the when space aparty into to convert kitchen the wanted away. clients The tucked is everything which in aspace and countertops clutterless requested They dominate. wildlife—to sky, and forest, outdoors—the the to views wanted couple this but artwork, arresting uses often Jacobson antiques.” and wood of warmth the but also furniture, modern and steel, stainless lines, love “clean they that expressed who 60s their in nesters empty recent were clients Her studs. to the opened to be had space but the possible, as as much reuses normally She it flooded. after kitchen this of renovation agut for in called was Design, Jacobson ML of principal Jacobson, Michelle what’s possibleindesign. experience, herstudiesinsustainability atNYSID have changed herperspective on on thisproject while shewas stillinschool. Aninterioryears designer with20 Michelle Jacobson WELL AP, ’18(MPS-S), NCIDQ, LEEDASID, APID+C, was working VISUAL THINKER/ 1 2 5 3 4 4 5 3 2 1 Design Deconstructed Jacobson. says walls,” white and space soaring the ground helps flooring the of darkness “The product. based water- a with stained are floors oak brown dark The high-gloss white panels.” it broke we up so with dark too seemed kitchen wood entire An have movement. would panels flat the so walnut chose “I says, Jacobson Michigan. in Cabinetry Millennium by made was cabinetry The counter.” and cabinetry the of lines vertical and horizontal to the shape organic added “they because room another of corner aforgotten from pears these salvaged Jacobson White. Pure in Paint Aura Moore low-VOC Benjamin with painted are walls The winter. the in insulating and summer the in radiation and heat by blocking year all efficient energy space the to make helps and selective spectrally is which alow-E have glazing, skylights and windows The

JENNYFER PARRA

BETH SINGER

LAYOUT / New and Notable at NYSID

NYSID’s curricula and offerings are evolving to push the standards of interior design education further.

 BOARD UPDATES

Cheryl Durst and Eric Gering Join Board of Trustees NYSID is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cheryl Durst, FIIDA, LEED, executive vice president and chief executive officer of IIDA (The Commercial Interior Design Association), and architect Eric Gering to the New York School of Interior Design’s Board of Trustees. Durst brings a plethora of skills, perspectives, and contacts to the College. She’s known for her fiscal acumen and organizational leadership skills, having taken the IIDA from the brink of bankruptcy in 1998 to the thriving organization it is today. She also curates and publishes Perspective, the association’s thought leadership journal. She holds dual bachelor degrees in journalism and economics from Boston University. She has been referred to by Interior Design magazine as “an ambassador for innovation and expansion, and a visionary strategist.” Eric Gering has been appointed to the role of faculty trustee on NYSID’s Board of Trustees. Gering is well suited to represent the faculty, as he has been a respected faculty member of NYSID since 2000. He has been an architect in private practice for two decades, and before that worked for Gensler, Fox and Fowle, Alfredo de Vido, and Sidney Phillip Gilbert. He has also served as a board member on the Manhattan Landmarks Committee. CHERYL DURST

 FACULTY & CURRICULUM

MFA-1 & BFA Attain CIDA Accreditation Again The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) reaccredited NYSID’s two professional-level programs, the MFA-1 and the BFA, in 2019. CIDA, an independent, nonprofit accreditation organization, exists to ensure that there are reliable standards in professional-level interior design education programs in the United States and internationally. The accreditation is an important accomplishment, and now that the process is over, Ellen Fisher, NYSID’s vice president for academic affairs and dean, wants to keep pushing forward. “We’re collecting information about trends and directions in practice so we can fold this into our thinking about revisions to the curriculum,” she says. “We research the world of practice so our students will be prepared for the next three to five years.”

LEFT: UNDERGRADUATE WORK ON DISPLAY IN THE WHITON GALLERY DURING THE CIDA SITE VISIT. NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 5

Barbara Weinreich Becomes New ICPS Director Ashley Rose Director of Undergraduate Brings Her Business Lens Programs Alumna Ashley Rose ’10 (BFA) has After teaching at NYSID since 2008, worked on the business, sales, and Barbara Weinreich, an architect marketing end of the luxury design and with deep experience in the antiques field since her graduation nine retail and residential sectors, has years ago, and this makes her a great fit ascended to the position of director to lead NYSID’s Institute for Continuing of undergraduate programs. A & Professional Studies. She worked former principal of MNA with as marketing director for ArtOrigo. over three decades of professional com, sales operations manager for practice under her belt, Weinreich Ruby Lane and RubyLUX, and sales was responsible for the design of and digital advertising specialist for Polo/Ralph Lauren flagship stores 1stdibs.com. She says, “Social media is in cities throughout the world. a powerhouse, and I know the visibility She received a BA, magna cum it can bring to a program that deserves laude, in art history from Brown recognition.” Rose believes interior University. She has a master’s design is a profession in which one in architecture (MArch) from always needs to learn more to keep up Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, and is NCIDQ with the evolving industry, and she’s certified. “I am thrilled to play a larger role in the NYSID community,” very excited about the potential of the she comments. “Having learned so much from my students and ICPS to transform designers’ careers. colleagues, I look forward to building on that knowledge and working She says, “I look forward to continuing together to support NYSID’s stellar program in undergraduate the work of the previous director, education.” Leyden Lewis, by creating master classes with design professionals, improving the website, introducing new A Stellar Year for New Instructors Design in the Natural Environment courses, creating suites for the business The nine new instructors who joined in the MPS-S. Michael Bent IIDA, of design, and more.” the NYSID faculty this fall are all ASID, interior designer and strategist practicing professionals. The breadth at Gensler, is teaching Presentation and depth of expertise they bring from Techniques I in the undergraduate different segments of the industry program. Alumnus Topaz Wong ’16 are exactly what makes a NYSID (MFA-1), interior designer, illustrator, education outstanding. Amy Everard, and presentation manager at Gensler, senior associate at Perkins Eastman, is teaching Presentation Techniques a specialist in corporate interiors and II in the undergraduate program. health care, is teaching Contract II in Alumna Qun Tiffany Yao ’12 (MFA-1) the undergraduate programs. Furniture CID, LEED AP ID+C, LEED GA, WELL designer and woodworker Thomas AP, senior interior designer at TPG, Hucker, principal of Thomas Hucker is teaching Architectural Woodwork Studio LLC, is teaching Advanced Detailing in the undergraduate Detailing in the MFA-1. Architect program. Dusan Zdravkovic, architect and digital drawing expert Bahman and interior designer specializing in Jamasbi is teaching Presentation corporate and residential interiors, is Techniques I in the undergraduate teaching Advanced Detailing in the programs. Architect Laurie Kerr MFA-1. Alumnus Christian Dunbar FAIA, LEED AP, president of LK Pennebaker ’06 (AAS), principal POLICY LAB, and formerly policy of Christian Dunbar Designs and a director of the Urban Green Council, furniture designer for Cliff Young Ltd., is teaching Principles of Sustainable is teaching Furniture Design. 6 | ATELIER MAGAZINE LAYOUT

 STUDENTS

Students Design Offices for a Nonprofit That Helps Victims of Violence & Abuse As part of the Summer Experiential & Service Learning course taught by architect Terry Kleinberg, MFA-1 students Yangfangfei Gao, Joanne Park, Mika Jiaravanont, Karina Infante, Mallie Gusset, and Nico Liu designed beautiful, functional offices for Safe Horizons in Staten Island. These students had to design an intake and counseling space for women and children traumatized by violence, a play space, a workplace for social workers, staff, and more. Part of the service learning experience is working within real parameters (and budgets) for real clients, so the students had to present to Safe Horizon staff and administration, including Safe Horizon’s vice president of real estate and facilities. They created a digital walk-through of the space that thoroughly impressed the client. Says Terry Kleinberg, “I was very proud of my students.”

NYSID Community Joins the Global Climate March Shane Curnutt, president of the NYSID chapter of The Green Design Group, organized a group of NYSID students and faculty members who marched together on September 20, wearing their “Green Design Group” T-shirts and waving signs of their own making. “It was comforting to be around a mass of people who had values that aligned with ours,” says Curnutt. “We live in a system that goes against our values of responsible choices and sustainability. It’s obscene to live like we have a backup plan. We don’t. We have only one planet.” NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 7

Students Shine on Nantucket For the fourth year in a row, NYSID students have traveled to Nantucket in late July to reimagine two rooms of the Oldest House on the island, as part of the Nantucket Historical Association’s Nantucket by Design fundraiser. Supervised by Ellen Fisher, NYSID’s vice president for academic affairs and dean, and mentored by designer Philip Gorrivan, the students were tasked with weaving the history of Nantucket into their room designs. BFA students Baily McGrath and Monica Seroiczkowski based their design on their research of Maria Mitchell, a famed astronomer born on Nantucket. AAS students Christine Simeon and Valerie Goldin-Rhem created a place of repose intended for a poet. We’re grateful to NYSID Trustee David Kleinberg for underwriting the project and making NYSID’s participation in this event possible.

Sampling Interior Design Before College Fifty-four high school students from around the country, and around the world, traveled to New York this summer to participate in college-level interior design studies in NYSID’s Pre-College Program. Students who took Pre-College I designed a one- bedroom apartment. Students who took Pre-College II designed a hotel with a small restaurant. Drawing skills were emphasized by the four NYSID faculty members who taught different segments of this program: Don Kossar, Francisco DeLeon, Pam Giolito, and Ana Peñalba. Students visited interior design firms and showrooms as part of the experience. Don Kossar, director of Pre-College at NYSID, says, “This program opens the field of interior design to teenagers. I love to see these kids discover new things out in the design world.” 8 | ATELIER MAGAZINE LAYOUT

 ALUMNI

Discovering the New Kravet Workspace Catching Up Over Cocktails at The Shade Store On September 19, the NYSID Alumni Council and On October 16, the NYSID Alumni Council, along with event co-chairs Linda Sclafani and Ethel Rompilla event co-chairs Lawrence Levy and Erin Wells, welcomed alumni to “A New Shopping Experience” at hosted a cocktail party at The Shade Store showroom the NEW Kravet Workspace in The New York Design at East 59th Street. Alumni networked over cocktails as Center. Alumni were given a sneak peek at this they experienced demonstrations in The Shade Store’s innovative showroom. dynamic space.

 NOTEWORTHY

NYSID at “What’s New, What’s Next” NYSID’s panel at this future-facing, industry-wide event at The New York Design Center in September was focused on how designers can hone their brands and find their ideal customers through social media. NYSID drew on the expertise of alumni, faculty, and even a very media-savvy student to give the audience ideas on how to ignite trends, even movements, within design. Panelists included NYSID faculty member Leyden Lewis, principal of Leyden Lewis Design Studio and an early member of the Black Artists and Designers Guild; alumnus Gideon Mendelson, founder of Mendelson Group; alumna Beth Diana Smith, principal of her namesake firm; and Dahiana Peña, a second-year MFA-1 candidate who also serves as social media coordinator for NYSID’s Graduate Student Association.

ABOVE: GIDEON MENDELSON, DAHIANA PEÑA, BETH DIANA SMITH, LEYDEN LEWIS. LEFT: PANELISTS AT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION IN THE NEW YORK DESIGN CENTER. NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 9

 NOTEWORTHY

The Michael I. and Patricia M. Sovern Lecture on Design: Annabelle Selldorf On October 30, a crowd of roughly 200 turned up at NYSID to hear architect Annabelle Selldorf discuss her storied career, especially her work on interiors. Annabelle Selldorf is the founder and principal of Selldorf Architects, a 70-person architectural design practice in New York. “AD Pro” covered the event, and said, “Selldorf spent time discussing a number of projects that hold personal significance for her—a residential building at 10 Bond Street with loftlike units, the Osborne apartment she created for longtime client Michael Werner Gallery, her upcoming expansion of the Frick, and of course, the Neue Galerie.” Selldorf also discussed the building she was raised in, a multistory unit that encompassed both her family home and her father’s furniture company, Vica, which Annabelle Selldorf is relaunching for a new generation. NYSID is grateful to the Sovern family for making this endowed lecture possible.

RIGHT: MICHAEL SOVERN, PATRICIA SOVERN, ANNABELLE SELLDORF, DAVID SPROULS.

HOME in Its Second Printing; Grab a Book & a Hoodie at Da Vinci “HOME: The Foundations of Enduring Space,” a primer on design and décor based on NYSID’s Basic Interior Design curriculum and written by Ellen Fisher, dean and vice president for academic affairs at NYSID, has gone into its second printing. It’s easier than ever to grab one as a gift, because the book is now on sale at the Da Vinci store at 70th Street, in the same building that houses the undergraduate facility. You can also get zip-up black hoodies with the NYSID name and other spirit wear in the store. 10 | ATELIER MAGAZINE DEPARTMENT

HAVEN MAKERS Designing Homes That Comfort & Restore NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 11

esidential designers and NYSID faculty members Lawrence Levy ’05 (BFA), Rprincipal of Lawrence Allan Inc.; Alejandra Munizaga ’11 (BFA), principal of Natura Interiors; and Stefan Steil ’08 (BFA) / ’10 (MFA-2), principal of Steilish Interiors and Architecture, share insights into their careers and what drives them to design homes.

The three residential designers profiled on these pages – all purchased an old house with Federalist architecture. So the alumni of NYSID’s BFA program who have gone on to become design concept became ‘A Modern Life in History.” faculty members at the College – were employed by firms For this home, Levy did all of the interior architectural doing many different kinds of design when they entered the detailing in the Federalist (American neoclassical) style, work world, but they ultimately chose to make their names including the moldings, woodwork, and a grand staircase as residential design entrepreneurs. They started their own at the entrance. He studied the breakfast room at Mount companies to shape the personal spaces where people eat, Vernon for inspiration, which influenced his application of sleep, play, love, and parent. These designers value the vibrant, deep blue silk wallpaper to the walls of the dining intimacy of their relationships with clients, as well as the room. He says, “With drapery and wall coverings, we created freedom they have to be artists. They possess deep knowledge rooms that enveloped them.” For Levy, the excitement was of the decorative arts and strong relationships with artisans, juxtaposing two different aesthetics. He set modernist artwork and they source custom and one-of-a-kind pieces that make and furniture against period-inspired motifs and architecture interiors truly unique. It’s interesting that each of these interior to make the rooms feel less formal, and more livable. “Right designers was a different kind of artist early in life, and that at the entrance of the formal foyer, we placed a huge painting they have funneled the experience of their first careers into of black ink etched into stainless steel, which immediately their practices. All share a passion for place-making in the signals this is not an old-fashioned space,” he explains. “We home that reveals the importance of what they do. added raw clay lamps and a raw-edged, custom-made table to the living room to hint at kicking back.” The rooms are THE CONCEPTUAL CHAMELEON dramatic, yet relaxed. Some interior designers take pride in having an identifiable Levy believes his first career in musical theater and acting visual brand, a look that everyone associates with them, but has much to do with his approach to design. He says, “With not Lawrence Levy ’05 (BFA), principal of Lawrence Allan my clients, I’m always trying to uncover character. I’m Inc. (lawrenceallaninc.com). He says, “I have always viewed asking myself, Who is this person? Who are they really? As a interior design as a collaborative art form. I get to know designer, you have to use your charm to dig. If you’re sincerely my clients and create a reflection of them. It’s very difficult interested in people, they will reveal some part of themselves to brand my work because it all looks so different.” Levy to you.” spends time getting to know his clients at the outset, and Levy is always busy, juggling the client-facing facets of the he won’t start a project until he has a lock on a big concept. job with the back end of the business, but he makes time to He explains, “I’m idea-driven. The big concept comes from teach at NYSID because he has “deep affection” for the school. spending meaningful time with clients. They will often tell It’s the place where, in his 30s, he finally found his calling. He you something quickly as a throwaway comment that reveals says, “I never knew performing was the wrong fit until I went something essential about them.” into design and felt so in command of my skills. When I landed Levy had the privilege of designing three different homes for at NYSID, I knew it was where I belonged.” the same family over the course of many years, as their needs Levy, whose father died when he was a child, grew up in a evolved. He did the family’s New York City apartment when working-class family with a hardworking single mother. When they were a young couple, newly married with no kids, the gut he was young, it was difficult for him to envision himself as a renovation of their vacation home in Sag Harbor, and, just last designer or architect; it was something he was drawn to but year, the gut renovation of a new home for the growing family saw as the province of the rich. But once he found NYSID, he of two parents and two children in Washington, D.C. Says Levy, was hooked on interior design and what his teachers had to “All three projects for the same family were so different because offer. Among the things he loved about NYSID was the small the client was at different stage of life every time, and because size and intimacy of the school and the accessibility of the the architecture of each building and culture of each locale faculty. Barbara Lowenthal, associate dean, was never his sparked a new concept.” Levy feels his pièce de résistance was instructor, but he once asked her for a critique. She sat down the design of the D.C. house. He says, “I knew them so well at with him, radically changed his perspective, and she soon that point. I knew she had a quirky modern aesthetic but had became an informal advisor. ▸

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: LAWRENCE LEVY, ALEJANDRA MUNIZAGA, STEFAN STEIL. 12 | ATELIER MAGAZINE FEATURES

Levy, who now teaches Residential Design II and Design at Gramercy Tavern or a gallery opening—things he’s actually Process at NYSID, says, “There were teachers who saw done—and won new clients. Something a teacher told him something in me and grabbed me by the hand. I teach because has stuck with him: “If you are running a successful business I am the product of great teachers.” you’re going to be thinking only two things: God I’m so busy Scott Ageloff was Levy’s Residential Design III professor and where is my next client coming from?” and hired him right after his graduation in 2005. Levy worked These days, Levy believes there is a trend toward simplicity at Ageloff & Associates for a year and then left to start his and livability in residential design because technology has own New York City firm, Lawrence Allan Inc., in 2006. He made life so complex. He says his clients want to knock down says, “Don’t do what I did! It was like shell shock. The first walls and create big gathering spaces where people can meet years on my own were tough and so many long hours. I am a face to face for meaningful conversation. Clients are seeking big believer that graduates should go work at a firm for three to rooms that are easy and social, with less of an emphasis of five years and learn the ropes. I like the business management formality. “The world has become a very complicated place. and development part of the business, but not everyone is cut Technology is driving our lives. Devices are isolating us. Work out for that.” These days, Levy employs a design assistant and is so competitive. People are juggling family and jobs. There keeps his office small. He likes the creative freedom that comes has to be some place you can go that’s a retreat, that’s secure with having a hand in every stage of the design process. and nurturing, where you can step away from the noise and Networking is key to his business. Levy believes he was get back to family, peace, and love,” Levy says. “That’s what a ultimately successful because he’s resourceful and outgoing, home should be, and that’s why what residential designers do unafraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger at the bar is so important.”

ABOVE: DINING ROOM BY LAWRENCE LEVY. OPPOSITE PAGE: STUDIO APARTMENT BY ALEJANDRA MUNIZAGA. NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 13

THE SANCTUARY SHAPER space,” Munizaga says. “So much about technology speeds Alejandra Munizaga ’11 (BFA), principal and founder of up life and divides attention. The home becomes a place to Natura Interiors (naturainteriors.com), recently renovated recalibrate.” what started as a “chopped-up, closed-in, unlivable” first-floor Munizaga is based in the Hamptons, and her clients are space in the Hamptons. “Let’s not forget to mention the mauve usually seeking something there, perhaps a new way of life. carpet!” she says with a laugh. She loved every minute of this She says, “Most of my work is inspired by nature in some challenge. The only upside of the space was that it was set on shape or form. This aligns with people who are going through the edge of a charming woods, with glass doors that opened a change, people who are semiretiring, divorcing, looking for to the scent of the ocean in the distance, so she worked from a respite from work.” Munizaga spends a lot of time on the the concept of “Earth & Water.” In all of her designs, Munizaga front end of the design process, getting to know her clients brings elements of the outdoors in. personally. She never rushes the discovery phase or concept To create a vibrant studio apartment out of this depressing formation. She adds,” Having a strong inspiration, a clear lower level, Munizaga opened up the entire space, leaving vision, a bold concept is everything—it’s the center of the structural columns, and creating a view from the bed toward wheel. It should drive the whole project.” glass doors that open to the woods. She passed all the cables Munizaga is obsessed with color and composition, and through one beam, increased the height of the ceilings, and she likes to use the work of local artists and craftsmen in her drenched the space in a cool hue of white, with pops of aqua interiors. Perhaps this is because she started out as a fine and orange. She drew on natural elements to give the space artist, a painter and sculptor who taught for years at The textural qualities: a thick wool blanket, a reclaimed cedar School of Visual Arts. “At a certain point in my art career, I chest, a woven rattan headboard, a wood-flap ceiling. She felt the desire for a change. I had always loved architecture used a tile that looks like wood to create a bathroom that feels and three-dimensional space,” she remembers, “so my entry like a Scandinavian sauna. The overall effect is soothing and into interior design at NYSID felt seamless.” She views interior joyful. design as an art form that relies on the same principles as fine Munizaga has an identifiable visual brand, what she calls art. “As an interior designer, I became even more fascinated by “barefoot bliss,” a style that draws particular clients. It stems the way light can influence color, she says. “Color is important from her philosophy of what a home should be. She says, “The work for human psychology.” In her composition, she favors home should be a refuge. I design spaces of warmth and calm balance over classical symmetry. that allow people to be completely themselves. My job is about Munizaga’s knowledge of art and architecture is deep, so connecting with the true essence of who my clients are. I don’t her influences are broad. She has been most inspired by want their homes to be showcases to impress other people. I Scandinavian modern design. The Japanese architect Kengo want their homes to be sanctuaries.” She believes customers Kuma has influenced her with his use of light and materiality. are increasingly looking for designs that help them heal and She’s learned from the way Louis Kahn handled wood and unwind. “I see a return to more meditative and contemplative concrete. The artist whose work she finds most compelling 14 | ATELIER MAGAZINE FEATURES

right now is Andy Goldsworthy, a Scottish land artist who THE BRINGER OF BALANCE makes transitory pieces made of natural elements, sculptures Stefan Steil ’08 (BFA) / ’10 (MFA-2), principal of Steilish that melt or decay, what she calls “art that documents the Interiors & Architecture (steilish.com), started out life as a process of change and ephemerality in nature.” fashion designer, tailor, and patternmaker for German brands Munizaga didn’t always know that she wanted to work such as Bogner and Rena Lange. He believes that the making in residential design. After graduation, she worked in the of a beautiful interior has much in common with the making interiors department for two large architecture firms: Swanke of an elegant garment. “My process is about stripping design Hayden Connell and, later, NBBJ. It took five years for her to its essentials to achieve the right proportions,” he explains, to decide to start her own firm. She says, “The transition to “and then elevating it again through the layering of beautiful working on my own as a residential designer was about having materials.” He believes the goal of design—the crux of what he a direct and more intimate connection to the client.” learned while attaining two degrees at NYSID—is to use light, Color for Interiors and Design Process are the two courses scale, proportion, color, and texture to achieve an overall Munizaga currently teaches at NYSID. She urges her students harmony that makes the user feel comfortable and centered in to get anywhere from five to 10 years at another firm before a space. attempting to start one’s own business. She says, “You need Steil, who is not a fan of the trend of maximalism, says, “To the exposure to technology and business management. You see true talent in design, you have to take away the noisy should experience how other people work. At small firms, you elements, and what you have left are the shapes, forms, and get well-rounded administrative experience. At large firms, textures that create balance and harmony.” One of his major you make more connections.” influences is the late British architect John Pawson, a master of The single most important piece of business advice she has minimalism. Steil says, “I think he uses only five materials in for someone who wants to start a residential firm is, “Find your all of his projects, yet his spaces leave me in awe. It is all about niche.” She says, “The more specific you can get about your details, proportion, and beauty of materials.” aesthetic, the more likely you are to find the kind of client that Though Steil’s interiors are as diverse as his clients, there values what you can do. Ask yourself: What do I love; What is is something orderly, refined, organic, and almost Zen in needed in the area where I live; What am I good at?” everything he touches. You can see his impulse toward creating equilibrium in his gorgeous interior design of a former hunting lodge in Princeton that was built in the 1920s. He says, “The intricate, warm wood paneling in the room was “I learn so much from beautiful, but overpowering. The previous owner had the space furnished with traditional furniture, floral fabrics, and my students. It’s the Persian rugs. What we did in this traditional space was not only balance the orange tint of the wood with blue and cool way to stay updated gray colors, but also infuse it with modern and contemporary furniture to balance the traditional envelope. Design is about on trends and talent. a balance of contrasts.” Steil is further inspired by the balance inherent in natural forms and ecosystems. Nature surfaces in Plus, I find out whom his designs in everything from stylized textiles to objects like taxidermy or pieces of bark. I want to intern or For Steil, a sense of order is not just about the look of a space —it’s also about its function. He says, “Benjamin freelance for me, and Franklin said, ‘A place for everything and everything in its place,’ and it’s a motto I live and design by. Everything should whom I can place at have its place, and everything that’s used should be returned to that place in the home. Designing homes is about beautiful companies that are furniture, objects, and color schemes, but also about where to store the vacuum cleaner and toilet paper.” He asserts that looking for new talent.” programming, creating a list of what’s needed in a space and how it will be used and stored, is one of the most important STEFAN STEIL facets of the design process. Steil wants the homes he creates to streamline life. Some of the value an interior designer brings to a project is the sourcing of materials that can’t be found just anywhere. Says Steil, “I think every client wants to own something OPPOSITE PAGE: LIVING ROOM BY STEFAN STEIL. special, a one-of-a-kind piece. For unique antiques, platforms NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 15

such as 1stdibs and InCollect allow designers to access and lobbies of apartment buildings. The contract designs he has source thousands of antique dealers around the world. For created are heavily influenced by the residential lens: they custom-made and new pieces, I usually work with well-trusted feel cozy and approachable, and in many cases, they tell a artisans, millworkers, and craftspeople.” personal story about a company’s founder. The fun, exuberant, Steil started his BFA at NYSID when he was well into his 30s, busy-yet-orderly office he created for illustrator and designer and despite the fact that the curriculum was demanding, he Darcy Miller celebrates her love of the color gold and her opted to work in interior design while in the program because predilection for collecting beautiful objects. There’s even a he “wanted to make up for lost time.” He also worked while wall display of scissors in many sizes and shapes. The fact that pursuing his MFA-2 at NYSID. He was hired at Groves & Co., other designers hire Steil is a testament to his skill. Annabelle Selldorf, MR Architecture & Décor, and Pierce Allen. Steil loves teaching at NYSID. “I learn so much from my At these prestigious firms, over the course of six years, Steil students,” he comments. “It’s the way to stay updated on designed every type of interior: hospitality, retail, workplace, trends and talent. Plus, I find out whom I want to intern or and residential, and he did it all over the world. Yet he found freelance for me, and whom I can place at companies that are himself drawn back to residential design. When an internet looking for new talent.” He has taught just about everything entrepreneur approached him to design a private residence, there is to teach at NYSID, including Color, Residential Design he thought, “This is my opportunity. It’s now or never. If I am studios, Thesis, and Contract Design studios. Color is his going to be working 10 to 12 hours a day, I’d rather do it for favorite thing to teach, because his knowledge of the subject myself.” is deep and he has accumulated it over decades. He muses, “I What Steil loves about running his own residential design graduated from NYSID with a 4.0 and I thought I was ready to firm is the personal relationship with the client and the apply what I’ve learned in the real world. Then, I was stumped freedom he has to make his own decisions. He says, “I am a by a simple little booth project for a design fair. I couldn’t good listener. I figure out how I can I bring my client’s ideas get started on this first thing because there was no direction. together, and improve on them. I study what they love and So I closed my eyes and I went back to color class at NYSID. integrate that into my design.” As Steil’s business has grown, I thought about what I had learned about tints and tones, 50 percent of his business has become contract design. In balance and contrast. I was able to pick a color scheme, and I addition to homes, he designs offices, showrooms, and the have been picking them ever since.” n 16 | ATELIER MAGAZINE DEPARTMENT Operating Within the System, AND OUTSIDE OF IT

Why the Online Course History of the Interior Design Profession in America Is So Popular NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 17

n 2018, NYSID offered the course “The IHistory of the Interior Design Profession in America” for the first time. This fall, it filled to capacity almost immediately. NYSID faculty member Alexis Barr gives us a taste of what she’s teaching.

NYSID instructor Alexis Barr, a passionate expert in design history who also teaches the Historical Styles class at the College, might be a reason why NYSID’s new online course in the history of the interior design profession is so popular. She holds an MA in decorative arts and design history from Bard College and a BA in art history and political science from Williams College, and has contributed research to projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Park Service, and the New-York Historical Society. Another reason might be that the history of interior design is populated by adaptive geniuses who operated within conventions of gender, sexuality, and social class while also exploding them. Ellen Fisher, vice president for academic affairs and dean, created this course specifically for students enrolled in the online Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program. She says, “Our distance students need to understand they’re entering a profession with a distinct and meaningful history, particularly in the U.S. Modern interior design arose from a background of European decorative arts and decoration, industrial design, the study of ergonomics, and from a growing understanding that people deserve well-designed Who were these early interior designers and why were they interior environments for health, well-being, and productivity.” able to have a career in interior design in a time when so many professions excluded women? Can you tell me a bit about the founding of the profession The very first interior design book, “The Decoration of Houses,” in the Gilded Age? was written in 1897 by Edith Wharton (the novelist and the Sure! Our course starts in the late 19th century, with the rapid first female Pulitzer Prize-winner for fiction). She enlisted transformation of American society and industrialization. It her architect, Ogden Codman Jr., who worked on her Newport was a time marked by the stratification of American society, and New York houses, to be her coauthor, and it was an and by the emergence of the robber baron class. For context, unexpected hit. This book probably inspires Elsie de Wolfe, we look at the public commissions of civic institutions the generally considered the first professional interior decorator; new industrialists are funding: train stations, museums, Elsie de Wolfe’s early works are heavily influenced by Wharton. libraries in the Beaux-Arts style. We also look at the domestic De Wolfe forges her own career, uses her own house as a commissions that this generation’s “super-rich” are requesting, calling card for commissions, invites people over, calls The such as the Vanderbilt family city houses and country estates. New York Times, and sends the paper before and after photos Then we ask the question: who is putting these together? of her renovations. She invents and codifies the profession as Sometimes it’s an architect, a craftsman, or an antiques dealer, something other than architecture; a job for someone whose but you don’t really have anyone whose sole, dedicated job it is sole function is to coordinate interiors. to orchestrate all the aspects of these commissions. There’s no Behind the veneer of the society pages, this is a profession one to put it all together. There was a void, and it was mostly born of a woman’s need to make a living. Elsie de Wolfe’s women who rose to fill it. father died when she was only 18 and she had to find a way to support herself. She became an actress, and she began a romantic relationship with a woman, the theatrical agent Elisabeth Marbury, who becomes her partner. As the 1890s OPPOSITE PAGE: DOROTHY DRAPER ON A JOB SITE. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOROTHY DRAPER & COMPANY INC. unfold, she moved from acting into becoming an interior ABOVE: ALEXIS BARR decorator, banking on her own charisma and good taste ▸ 18 | ATELIER MAGAZINE FEATURES

rather than any formal training. This characterizes the first How does interior design change after World War II? generation of decorators, who were often women putting The war and its immediate aftermath transformed American themselves out there professionally on the idea that they had life, and this is reflected in interior design. People come “good taste.” The gender norms of the time dictated that women from other disciplines and enter the world of interior design, had a better understanding of domestic spaces and how to notably the industrial designers. The term “decorator” is used create a comfortable and beautiful home. As the profession less. In the 1950s, we see the term “interior designer” getting a became more established, de Wolfe moved into commercial foothold in the culture. interiors when the architect Stanford White recommended her In the same way as industrial designers enter, you also have to do the interior of the Colony Club. There was much chatter the major architecture firms decide to get into the business in the industry about whether a woman could handle such a of interior design. For example, you have Gordon Bunshaft big job, but Stanford White pushed for her, and of course, the head up an interior design department at Skidmore, Owings design was a triumph. This solidified the notion that women & Merrill. You have interior design becoming a department are better suited to interiors, a stereotype that has been both a within large architecture firms. The interiors begin to be gift and a curse to women in design and architecture. treated in a holistic way as part of the commission rather than an afterthought. It’s worth saying that these design firms become places receptive to female architects. Women are placed into the interior design department because of the Knowing the history notion that women are born decorators. helps you understand Do you have a favorite figure from design history? In the post-World War II period, one of my all-time favorite what it means to be designers comes to the forefront: Florence Knoll of Knoll Furniture. She has inspired me tremendously with her a licensed interior designs, her life story, and her accomplishments. She was orphaned as a child, and then widowed young and designer now and how unexpectedly. These things that might have stopped someone else pushed her forward. She said, “I needed a that is different from the piece of furniture. It was not there. So I designed it.” This is just the best of the American spirit. experience of the people As I teach, I am learning from my subjects from a professional and personal standpoint and so are my students. who came before you. There’s a pattern of interior designers operating within the system and outside of it, simultaneously and skillfully. It’s wonderful, through the lens of history, to see them triumph What I love about the pre-World War II period in design and carve out a public role for themselves. history is that a lot of the women designers seem to be part of the establishment, but they aren’t really. They are upper What role did educational institutions play in the class by birth or marriage, but most of them are operating professionalization of interior design? outside social norms in some way, and all of them need an Early in the 20th century, we see the rise of the first income. The great Dorothy Draper gets divorced, something professional education programs. Frank Alvah Parsons that was not done. She becomes a decorator out of necessity founded the first program in 1906. Ten years later, architect and finds her calling, graduating from domestic to major Sherrill Whiton founds NYSID as the New York School commercial commissions. She designs the Coty Beauty Salon of Interior Decoration. This program is operating for and corporate headquarters, melding the women’s sphere and enthusiasts, but also providing professional training via mail the world of big business, capitalizing on the idea that some correspondence. It’s wonderful historical circularity that projects need a “feminine touch.” NYSID began as a mail correspondence course, because that’s There’s Sister Parish, who grew up ultra-privileged and an amazing precursor to online education. Both give people begins her design career when her husband loses their living at a distance the opportunity to learn a trade. You can livelihood and she needs to support the children. After her see some of the same structure of what we teach today in husband recovers financially, she doesn’t have any hesitation course documents from 100 years ago. about maintaining her business. She becomes a force with an enormous firm. It’s power she never anticipated, but it’s power nonetheless. NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 19

What kinds of materials do you use to teach in this class? How do you like teaching online? We use podcasts, videos, and primary sources. One of When I started teaching NYSID’s Historical Styles class the great things about teaching online is having all this online, I was skeptical. But then I fell in love with the online technology at your fingertips. The materials are so much fun. educational process because it works incredibly well for many There are primary sources you’ll see in this class that you students. Online discussion formats can create an amazing won’t find anywhere else because NYSID’s library staff helped sense of community and allow students to participate more me dig into the school archives and bring little-known primary fully than they would in person. Some people feel braver sources into the course. expressing themselves online. Each week students watch a lecture from me and do the How are norms around gender, sexuality, class, and race readings assigned, listen to a podcast, or watch a video. changing in interior design? They are required to post to an online discussion. This is From the beginning we have Elsie de Wolfe, who is a Victorian not a live discussion; there is a nine-day window in which lesbian living openly with a woman at the dawn of the 20th to comment and post. The discussion is threaded so people century! We have women and men who are outside the social can react to responses. It feels like a conversation laid out on norms: single, childless, gay. Many of the men from that the screen. Right now there is a raging debate about Sister early 20th century were gay, including major figures like Billy Parish’s privilege and whether that should affect how we see Baldwin and William Haines. Haines had been a successful her interiors. The students research and go indepth with their film actor, a leading man in the 1920s, until he was forced out answers. This isn’t Instagram or Snapchat. Students have the of the Hollywood studio system because he refused to hide his time to be thoughtful in their discourse. sexuality. He went into decorating and was a huge success in this sphere, living on his own terms as a gay man in the 1930s Why should aspiring and practicing interior designers and beyond! It’s always been a relatively open and progressive learn the history of their profession? field in that regard, a welcoming space. A knowledge of design history gives you so much more to At the same time, interior design has been seen as an upper- draw from in your own work because you can see how the class, white, and Waspy field. It has taken a long time for the best designers of the past have solved similar problems in field to shake off the association of decorating as a hobby for their designs and the business strategies they employed. This upper-class women. There are many more men in interior is still a very young field, and there are certain issues that design in recent years. The field has a ways to go in terms of haven’t been worked out yet regarding the interplay between diversity, especially racially and economically, but that is architecture and interior design, decorating and interior changing rapidly. Design history is happening right now with design, and modernism and historicism. Knowing the history the emergence of groups like the Black Artists + Designers helps you understand what it means to be a licensed interior Guild and the Black Interior Designers Network. I have seen, in designer now and how that is different from the experience teaching at NYSID, how inspired students are by the growing of the people who came before you. It helps you answer the diversity of the field today. Students today see more people biggest question: What do we need to go forward? n who look like them in interior design, from industry leaders like Sheila Bridges and Darryl Carter to emerging young designers like Young Huh and Alberto Villalobos. There is still a lot of progress to be made in this area, but the industry is moving toward greater inclusion and diversity, and that is really exciting to see.

This is still a very young field, and there are certain issues that haven’t been worked out yet regarding the interplay between architecture and interior design, decorating and interior design, and modernism and historicism. CELEBRATIONS / Parties, Openings, Launches

NYSID’s parties teach, inspire, and connect designers.

TEXTILES HISTORY UP CLOSE AT THE KRAVET ARCHIVE EXHIBITION OPENING

On September 5, alumni, students, and trustees came to the opening of Pattern and Process, Selections from the Kravet Archive in the NYSID gallery at 70th Street. The exhibit, open through November 27, was curated by Darling Green and designed to resemble the Kravet Archives in Bethpage, NY, complete with flat file drawers that hold selections of important textiles, objects, and documents and visitors can pull out to study. Said Darling Green’s Jeremy Johnston, one of the curators of the exhibit, “Working with the Kravet family, we understood that they don’t intend the archive to be a museum, where samples are locked away, never to be touched. This is a living archive, intended to be a tool that designers interact with and take inspiration from.” Johnston estimates that they pulled a fraction— much less than 1 percent—of the archives for the show, as the Kravet Archive is a vast repository of textile design history. The oldest object in the show was an Egyptian textile fragment from 500 BCE, but the show also included many contemporary textiles, selected because they educate about a design process, motif, or production method. Among the breathtaking pieces in the exhibit were a contemporary “tree of life” block print, made the traditional way in Thailand using 365 blocks for a single repeat, and Japanese katagami stencils (1850-1912) made from thinly pressed mulberry, a glue made of persimmons, and threads of silk or human hair. “One of our goals with this exhibition was to share our collection with anyone currently studying design or textiles from a historical perspective,” said Ellen Kravet, chairman of the board of the New York School of Interior Design and executive vice president of Kravet Inc. “We hoped to provide perspective on how designs from the past can readily be interpreted and produced for the future of design.” NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 21

THE EDUCATED EYE LUNCHEON

On September 23, NYSID trustees, alumni, and supporters came out to kick off this year’s Dialogues on Design series at The Educated Eye Luncheon in the lovely interior of a private club in New York City. An exploration of the interplay between fashion and interior design, this year’s event featured fashion illustrator, designer, and artist Cathy Graham, author of “Second Bloom: Cathy Graham’s Art of the Table,” and Billy Norwich, former Vogue editor and New York Post society columnist. The event was moderated by Dennis Scully, host of the Business of Home podcast.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: CLUB DINING ROOM, CATHY GRAHAM AND BILLY NORWICH, DENNIS SCULLY AND NANCY SCULLY, ELLEN KRAVET GREETING GUESTS. 22 | ATELIER MAGAZINE DEPARTMENT

“There is no essential difference between the artist and the artisan.” THE BAUHAUS MANIFESTO

CRAFTSMANSHIP & CREATIVITY ABOUND AT THE BAUHAUS BALL

On October 23, the New York School of Interior Design hosted a costume ball that engaged the entire community in a fun, immersive lesson in the principles of the Bauhaus movement. At a faculty meeting months before, instructors Stefanie Werner and Francisco De Leon raised the idea of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus with a party in the tradition of the movement’s famous costume balls. Barbara Weinreich, director of undergraduate SHANE CURNUTT programs, took the helm of the project, envisioning a collaborative effort between faculty, students, and staff. Says Weinreich, “We challenged participants to make a wearable creation of repurposed materials that expressed Bauhaus design principles. Francisco had the idea that students could also redesign the NYSID logo in the Bauhaus style, so we planned to award prizes for best costume and best logo to students.” The faculty created a course in Canvas, the College’s web-based learning management program, where students could find images and inspiration guides for the costumes and the logo design. A team of faculty and staff that included MPS in Interior FREYA VAN SAUN & MEG DONABEDIAN Lighting Design director Shaun Fillion, archivist and librarian Julie Sandy, MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments director David Bergman, and instructor Brian Lee met weekly to plan and create the lighting, banners, installations, and projections that would utterly transform the auditorium. Craig Young ’19 (MPS-L) provided a lighting installation of silhouettes. Students Shane Curnutt and Julissa Altmonte decorated the tables, making them look like Bauhaus paintings and Albers textiles. Ultimately, the students’ costumes stole the show. Says Weinreich, “When the parade of costumes began, we were blown away by the creativity!” BFA student Shane Curnutt won the costume contest and MFA-1 student Praveena Aleti won the logo design contest. Says Weinreich, “Most of all, I loved the collegial collaboration between people of different ages and BARBARA LOWENTHAL & disciplines that resulted in a memorable design event.” JULIE SANDY TERRY KLEINBERG NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 23

FRANCISCO DE LEON & STEFANIE WERNER

BRIAN LEE

DAVID BURDETT

ANN BARTON JULISSA ALMONTE 24 | ATELIER MAGAZINE DEPARTMENTLAYOUT Designing Independence

NYSID Honorary Doctorate Recipient Nate Berkus Launches “My Home in Sight” for People with Declining Vision

A free kit Nate Berkus collaborated on with Novartis uses interior design to help people with macular degeneration to stay in their homes.

The New York School of Interior Design awarded Nate Berkus to maintain safety and independence. AMD is the leading an honorary doctorate at last Spring’s Commencement because cause of blindness in the world and is a progressive disease. he has expanded the public’s notion of what interior design Its most severe form, wet AMD, effects 1.5 to 1.75 million can be. Says Berkus, “Designers have a social, moral, and Americans over the age of 65. Berkus’ motivations for working professional responsibility to help people live better. It’s not on My Home in Sight are personal. He recalls, “I remember always about designing beautiful spaces for wealthy people. being in high school and watching my grandmother’s vision Throughout my 25-year career—doing segments for Oprah as get worse, as well as her fears about being able to remain well as my own shows—I’ve spent time on homeless shelters independent. I remember her saying, ‘What can I do to make for youth, charities, makeovers for people who might not this easier? I can’t ever find my bag; I’m late to doctors’ have had the opportunity to experience interior design. Our appointments; I’m constantly misplacing things, and I think profession opens the door for people to live more beautifully.” things have been stolen when they haven’t.’ My family didn’t Whether it’s a project for his eponymous firm or an episode have a kit to help her, which is what Novartis has created, and I of “Nate & Jeremiah by Design,” everything Berkus touches is have been very involved in.” Berkus and Novartis collaborated infused with his sense of design’s purpose. with six leading patient advocacy groups, including the That’s one reason Berkus teamed up with Novartis for the Macular Degeneration Association, to base their design advice My Home in Sight campaign, a program created to empower on research. Berkus’ role in the project was, “to show that you those living with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet can apply these tips without sacrificing style.” AMD) to make simple, functional changes to their living spaces NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 25

Here are Nate’s five key principles for adapting a home to suit As the Baby-boomers age, it’s becoming increasingly those living with declining vision. important for residential designers to be educated about issues of aging-in-place. Berkus says, “AMD is incredibly 01 | Color and Contrast Pattern is not helpful to those common, and so the kit that’s available is not just for people with vision loss, but color and contrast are. For example, with declining vision, it’s also for people who know or love having two colors in high contrast and using, for instance, bold someone with declining vision.” Whether you’re interested colored contrast pillows on a sofa, helps someone with low in helping a family member, a friend, or a client apply these vision understand where a piece of furniture begins and ends. tips throughout the home, you can sign up for the kit at A contrast throw allows someone to see from a distance where MyHomeInsightKit.com. n a corner is. The same principle applies to adding decorative tape to the top and bottom of a lampshade. Bold colored tape can help guide someone’s hand to that place where the button “Move through the world as is to turn on the lamp. a designer with your eyes 02 | Organization I’m a triple Virgo. The idea of a messy and ears open and take junk drawer or linen closet is unacceptable to me, but for a person with declining vision, it’s particularly important to whatever opportunities keep everything in the home organized. You need to keep like come your way to use your items with like; you need to organize the interior of drawers. In a linen closet, things need to be in baskets or pulled together creativity to do good.” and tied with a ribbon. The whole point is to be able to pull out that basket or bundle and take it to a kitchen island, where perhaps there is more light, and look inside and find what you need. If you open up a drawer and it’s a big jumble of stuff, something that could be a five-minute endeavor becomes a New Scholarship Honors five-hour ordeal. It’s really important for family and caregivers Nate Berkus & Rewards to help people with declining vision keep their homes really Socially Conscious Design organized. This is the time for a huge edit. NYSID announced a new scholarship 03 | Lighting One of the old design principles, back in the that was established in honor of Nate day, was that every seat in a room should have its own source Berkus and created to celebrate Berkus’ of lighting, whether it be a small floor lamp, a table lamp, commitment to socially conscious design or a desk lamp on a side table. This idea is really important and charitable work. “Berkus Scholars” for someone with declining vision, for whom lighting is will be deserving NYSID students who paramount so that they can see better for the tasks they are are studying interior design with a seeking to accomplish. For example, instead of one lamp demonstrated emphasis on improving beside a sofa, we’re suggesting that someone flank the sofa the human condition. NYSID Trustee with a pair of floor lamps. Instead of just having decorative Kelly M. Williams endowed the scholarship accessories on a side table, a task lamp is something that through The Williams Legacy Foundation. people should add. She commented, “The Williams Legacy Foundation is committed to supporting 04 | Low Vision Tools These are simply tools that help programs that foster fellowship and we people see better. A magnifying glass left at a strategic place believe that the type of inspired design on a coffee table can be a great help. Colored tape is too, and evidenced in the work of Nate Berkus you can use it to edge the border of a rug or a stair for safety. demonstrates the impact that design can Even ordinary, bright sticky notes can be used. These are all have in providing comfort and solace to little tools we suggest that people with declining vision have those who dwell within. Just think of the at hand. design of a soup kitchen or a healthcare facility: Good design has the ability to 05 | Safety One thing that resonates with me about safety is change the experience of those who come having stable, solid furniture. You don’t want a vintage rickety to these spaces in a state of crisis.” table that can be easily knocked over, or things that are top- heavy in the space. 26 | ATELIER MAGAZINE

YSID students are landing life- Nchanging internships at prestigious firms. This is particularly true of second-year MFA-1 students, who have mature portfolios to present during the interview process. Five MFA-1 students talk about what they learned during their summers at work, how they got their internships, and NYSID’s support of learning through experience.

NYSID’s MFA-1 program used to go straight through the summer. It was an intense, immersive program, and the leaders of the College soon figured out that students needed a change of scenery in the summer and some time to experience design out in the world. Ellen Fisher, vice president for academic affairs and dean, and Barbara Lowenthal, associate dean, decided to create a dedicated space for real-world experience in the MFA-1 curriculum. So the concept of the “experiential summer” was born. MFA-1 students get to design their own summer learning experience, which can be independent study, a deep dive into graphic communications, service learning TRANSFORMATIVE (see more about this on page 6), or an internship. Says Barbara Lowenthal, “Students are especially interested 5 in internships where there are lessons about design Internships parameters, client relations, collaboration, and more —things that students can only learn from real work experience. But it’s not enough to just have the experience, we also expect the students to reflect on it.” For this reason, Fisher and Lowenthal developed an online course to support these summer experiences. MFA-1 students in their first summer share their experiences online with their classmates, describing what’s involved in an internship or other learning experience. In their second summer, students in Experiential Learning II get a head start researching their final capstone project and are encouraged to integrate their summer experiences into Summers of their research. The students profiled on these pages are making their Experience Teach own luck, mining the resources the College has to offer to find opportunities. NYSID’s alumni often have a role in Students helping our students get a foot in the door as interns. It will come as no surprise that personal connections are the key About the Field & to getting these outstanding internships. Themselves NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 27

When René Johnsen sat down with Nansi Barrie, NYSID’s career services and internship coordinator, to figure out what she wanted in an internship during her final experiential summer with NYSID, she decided she wanted exposure to both residential design and commercial design, and, more specifically, a firm with an extreme focus on the craft and detail of how things are made. She had done her first summer internship at a residential firm, Jan Showers in Texas. Barrie suggested Deborah Berke Partners, and Johnsen realized she already had two friends who interned at the firm, MFA-1 students Jonathan Ting and Sarah Stevens. Her classmates connected her to individuals within the firm. She interviewed and got the summer internship. Among the qualities she loves about the firm are its identifiable aesthetic—what she calls “modernism that incorporates history”—and the emphasis it places on working with master artisans. She also has tremendous respect for Deborah Berke, the principal of the firm, who is the first woman to lead the Yale School of Architecture. The firm is small enough that Johnsen interacted with Berke. She says, “She forged a new standard for the female voice in the industry, yet she’s so humble. We have ‘Bar Cart Fridays,’ and one Friday she actually served the staff and interns a drink. That tells you something about the firm.” For the first half of her internship, she worked in the institutional department of the firm, on projects for Ivy League schools. She worked on installation drawings and on budgets 1 for these institutions. Johnsen says, “It’s a good experience to have to modify sourcing based on the budget.” René Johnsen ’20 Later in the internship, she worked in the residential design department, and one of the many designers she worked for was alumna Kiki Dennis ’01 (AAS), a partner at the firm. In INTERNSHIP this department, Johnsen became the self-described “jack of all trades,” jumping into help on CAD work, InDesign Deborah Berke Partners presentations, Revit installation drawings, Photoshop presentations, and more. She says, “It’s awesome that we are learning Revit at NYSID. I knew as much Revit as some of the professionals and could actually share some helpful tricks of the trade. I felt prepared and useful.” “Having experiences Johnsen has always been interested in residential design, and she thinks the most important thing you can take out in commercial and of an internship is a virtual Rolodex of sources. She says, “Product sourcing and vendor connections are what help you residential design succeed, beyond talent and technology.” She’s applying much showed me there is much of what she learned about sources to her thesis now, as she feels a clear vision of the vendors you will use influences overlap between the two. the overarching concept. She says, “Having experiences in I want to create spaces commercial and residential design showed me there is much overlap between the two. I want to create spaces that feel that feel warm and warm and personal. This internship opened my eyes up to all personal. This internship of the possibilities.” ▸ opened my eyes up to all of the possibilities.” 28 | ATELIER MAGAZINE FEATURES

Sometimes in life, you don’t get exactly what you want, and that can be good for you. At least that’s Michelle Simms’ philosophy. Going into her second experiential learning summer at NYSID, Michelle Simms was focused on securing an internship with a health care studio at a large firm. She consulted with Nansi Barrie, NYSID’s career services and internship coordinator, and Barrie put her in touch with Christina Peters ’08 (BFA), an alumna who is a senior associate on the Senior Living Team at Perkins Eastman. Simms interviewed for the job in the health care studio with Peters, the principal of senior living and the principal of health care, and didn’t get it, but she left a strong impression. “I think she could tell I was hungry,” says Simms. Peters reached out to Simms and offered to informally mentor her. She gave Simms tips on her portfolio. A month later, a paid internship opened up in the workplace studio at Perkins Eastman, and Peters told Simms about it. Simms got the job! It was not exactly what she had envisioned for herself, but she liked the diversity of experience the firm had to offer, and she jumped on it. She says, “I thought of that saying, ‘Man plans, God laughs.’” The internship in the workplace studio at Perkins Eastman turned out to be an incredible learning experience. Says Simms, “The workplace team is fastpaced: projects are turned around in a year to two years, so you get to see a project from schematic design to contract administration. I got to jump into many stages of the design process. The jobs take you along 2 with them.” She worked on schematic design development, specifically rendering in Revit, for the New York offices of a Michelle Simms ’20 major bank, as well as a chain of private schools in China. One of the most challenging things she worked on was furniture scheduling. She actually tackled this task with the guidance of INTERNSHIP Amy Everard, a senior associate at the firm who, coincidentally, has just joined the NYSID faculty this year as a Contract II Perkins Eastman professor. Simms says. “The labeling for a whole building was difficult. It took a few iterations to get it right. The whole point is learning how to do things on a scale I’ve never done before.” Simms’ tenacity served her well: the firm invited her to keep working for them after the summer. “The workplace team Simms feels the biggest lesson of her internship is collaboration. “I gained better organizational skills for project is fastpaced: projects collaboration,” she says. “We don’t use shared Revit files at school, so I had to learn the proper etiquette for doing that are turned around in from the team. It was great to produce designs based on a year to two years, established design concepts. We had deadlines we had to meet in order to be able to communicate our progress to the client. so you get to see a Sharing this responsibility with a group was an invaluable project from schematic experience. I gained more confidence as a designer.” design to contract administration. I got to jump into many stages of the design process.” NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 29

Early last spring, a friend who worked at Gensler invited Ryan Pearsall to a photo shoot of the Campari headquarters she had worked on. Realizing he’d be able to see a one-of-a- kind workspace, Pearsall jumped at the opportunity. At this event, Pearsall met design directors and design leads, as well as some other people in Work 9 group, a studio at Gensler that specializes in designing and building workplaces for fast-growth tech companies. As he was introduced around and spoke about his experience in the industry, the designers from Work 9 encouraged him to apply for an internship. Pearsall says, “Gensler got something like 700 applicants for summer internships with only room for 40 interns, so you have a better chance of making it to the interview round if there is a personal recommendation from someone inside the firm.” Pearsall had the portfolio and interview skills to shine through the interview process, and he was hired for the paid internship. As to why he selected Gensler, Pearsall says, “Big firms like Gensler expect a lot from you, but the real-life experience and on-site opportunities you’re given are unlike anything a different firm would offer, and these helped to drive my career forward like no other internship could.” Spending most of his time on two projects, Pearsall was able to become fully immersed in the day-to-day of these two sites. His work required a variety of skills, including construction administration: providing shop drawings, updates to floor and furniture plans, managing RFIs for custom millwork, and 3 communicating with various vendors on a daily basis. The variety of work was great for growing his understanding of Ryan Pearsall ’20 every stage in a project, Pearsall reports. His work for the design development stage included sending floor plans, finishes, and other drawings out to bid to contractors. “One INTERNSHIP thing that I really got exposure to was collaboration,” says Pearsall. “You end up learning a lot about communicating Gensler technical and architectural detail within a team. Your designs need to be clear and your callouts need to be concise.” On top of the daily project work, the summer interns were given a special project in which teams of six were tasked with reimagining the headquarters of 826 Park Slope. The “Big firms like Gensler interns were given a real-life scenario to practice the various skills learned throughout the summer. Pearsall and his team expect a lot from you, but presented their concept at both the midpoint of the internship and for a final concept design presentation (to which the client the real-life experience and the entire Gensler office were invited). and on-site opportunities Perhaps the most salient thing Pearsall took from his most recent internship is direction. “The resources that you’re given are unlike are available at Gensler are unparalleled,” he says. “The anything a different firm materials library is vast. There are learning opportunities between different disciplines and vendor offerings that can would offer, and these really help you develop professionally.” ▸ helped to drive my career forward like no other internship could.” 30 | ATELIER MAGAZINE FEATURES

Last year, when his MFA-1 classmate Mona Nahm mentioned that her husband had worked at Kengo Kuma in Tokyo and had connections there, Jonathan Ting grew excited, because he’s a huge fan of Japanese design and, more specifically, the respect for nature inherent in legendary architect Kengo Kuma’s buildings and interiors. Nahm put him in touch with the human resources department at Kengo Kuma, and he eventually landed an internship. Says Ting, “There is this real culture of helping each other with school and career in NYSID’s MFA-1 program.” More than 20 percent of NYSID students are international students, so the summers of experience give them a chance to go home to see their families as well as make career connections in their home countries. Jonathan Ting is an American of Taiwanese descent, but family was one reason he wound up in Japan last summer. His grandmother had moved to Japan, and he valued the rare opportunity to spend time with her. The firm had hired an interior designer eight months earlier, and Ting was hired to work with her. He and his colleague were two interior designers working in a studio primarily made up of architects. He was the only interior design intern, and perhaps the first at the company. He says, “It was interesting to see how the architects respected the interior designer. She consulted with the interior architects. Architects think differently, and her perspective was valued and different. Interior designers perhaps focus more on livability.” 4 He helped with the interior design of a hotel project, assisting in the design document phase, doing sections for Jonathan Ting ’20 hotel rooms, dimensions for presentations, the architecture of interiors, banquet seating, and more. For a large hospitality project that will be built in Saudi Arabia, he did conceptual INTERNSHIP spatial planning, concept boards, floor plans, and 3D modeling, and the selection of furniture and materials. Kengo Kuma & Associates Ting says, “The importance of nature to the firm helped me see how elements of nature can be incorporated into design. It’s an aesthetic influence. It’s not always the logical part of your brain that takes in information.” He did case studies in Japan for Experiential Learning, and they have influenced the “The importance of direction of his thesis. He explains that the specific parameters from the client nature to the firm really helped him develop as a designer. “It was similar to what we are doing at school, but it’s more specific,” Ting says. helped me see how “You have to have an exact number of seats in a room. The elements of nature can restrictions helped me grow.” be incorporated into design. It’s an aesthetic influence. It’s not always the logical part of your brain that takes in information.” NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 31

Mona Nahm heard about the Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) summer internship from Nansi Barrie, and decided she really wanted it. The internship is coveted because it’s a robust 10-week program that emphasizes the education of interns. Barrie alerted Nahm as soon as RAMSA posted its summer internship opportunity, and Nahm applied that same day. Then for weeks, there was no word. Nahm began to worry. She reached out to Barrie, who sent an email to Lawrence Chabra ’09 (BFA), a NYSID alumnus who is a studio director at RAMSA. Nahm got a call from human resources at RAMSA a few days later. Nahm went in to interview, and her interviewer was Chabra. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that Chabra was going in to critique student work at Willam Engel’s NYSID class that very evening, right after Nahm’s interview. She says, “I don’t know if it was my portfolio or the fact that my teacher Bill Engel put in a good word for me, but I got the job. It wasn’t planned, but it all came together.” Nahm landed in the Interiors Studio at RAMSA. She was one of only two interior design interns in the whole company, which employs around 280 people. The other interior design intern, Miloni Dinani ’20 (MFA-2), was also a NYSID student. According to Nahm, at RAMSA, the Interiors Studio deals very much “in materiality” and collaborates with different kinds of architecture studios. She worked mostly on residential projects, especially on FF&Es (furniture, fixtures, and equipment). Nahm says the RAMSA internship is extraordinary because “they have such a commitment to education. They know you 5 might leave, but it’s their investment back into the educational system behind design and architecture.” For her twice-a-week Mona Nahm ’20 lunch-and-learns, studio heads came in to present to the interns on a particular area of expertise. There is a landscape architecture studio at RAMSA, and Nahm was struck by a INTERNSHIPS presentation by this group, which examined a case in which they took nine years to execute a design in order to protect Robert A.M. Stern Architects the habitat of an endangered species. There is also a travel AvroKO scholarship for employees, and as a result one of the partners gave a presentation on the Scottish designer and architect Robert Adam, which blew Nahm away. Nahm could not have loved this RAMSA internship more, but when she got a formal offer to stay on throughout the year, she turned it down. She says, “As a student, you should try hard to expose yourself to different kinds of design internships over the course of your time at NYSID.” She felt that she had a hole in her professional exposure when it came to hospitality design, so when she got an opportunity to do a fall internship at the cutting-edge hospitality firm AvroKO, she took it. She says, “I asked myself: What do I have no experience in? “Internships are the Internships are the one time in our work lives when we get to experiment and discover what brings us joy.” n one time in our work lives when we get to experiment and discover what brings us joy.”

SENIOR STORY / Countdown to Graduation

Bailey McGrath ’20 and Victoria Bartholomew ’20

When Victoria Bartholomew and Bailey McGrath met as assigned roommates for NYSID’s Summer Precollege program (nysid.edu/precollege), they had no idea that five years later, they’d share an apartment and be just months away NYSID IN 3 WORDS from earning their NYSID BFAs in Interior Design. What they did know was that their passion for interior design went deeper than a casual interest. According to Victoria, “Bailey and I were probably the only two rising high school seniors attending the program who knew without a doubt that we were going to pursue a BFA in Interior Design, it was just a question of where.”

Making the NYSID choice For Victoria (Instagram: @Vic.Bartholomew), choosing NYSID meant answering the question of whether a smaller, focused BAILEY VICTORIA college was the right place for her. Upon completion of the Informed Passion precollege program, she knew NYSID was the place, and the Professional Friendly two things she questioned early on have turned into her two Community Creative favorite things about the school. “I love that the school is focused with faculty that are actively working in the interior design industry, and yet accessible. There’s no “professor hierarchy” here where you can’t talk to the main professor. “Faculty” and “strength of curriculum” are also The difference of NYSID’s faculty approach also became what Bailey points to as key differentiators of the NYSID apparent to Victoria when sharing her portfolio with a group experience. “Right from the start, you appreciate that the of fellow interns from other design schools. “When two faculty are real people with incredible experience who speak students from the same school showed me their portfolios, to you like colleagues. They care about the students and all the projects looked somewhat similar, so I asked if it had their interests. The curriculum is designed to really balance been an ongoing group project. I was genuinely surprised interior design and architectural knowledge including things when they said “No.” The professor must have directed so like codes, billing and, CAD, in a way that exposes you to key much in terms of what they wanted to see that the students things you’ll need to be a successful designer.” simply executed on that, without much self-expression encouraged. That doesn’t happen at NYSID. The faculty truly New Year, New Decisions know the students and they push us to tap into our instincts, Now embarking on their senior year, the talk is about deciding backgrounds and preferences for our design work. Their aim on a senior thesis topic, and excitement about life after NYSID. is for our work to be near professional level. As a result, our Victoria came to NYSID with a focus on residential design, portfolios are distinct and have tremendous life to them.” but her first internship at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill For Bailey (Instagram: @BaileyMcGrath317), pursuing her in commercial design radically shifted that focus. “The interior design dreams at NYSID was understanding that it’s need for a simple, straightforward approach to take on the not the typical undergraduate experience many high school complexities of hospitality (hotels and restaurants) design students seek. “The campus is New York City and my classes is exiting and highly appealing to me.” Her five-year goal? are a mix of recent grads as well as students with a range of To be invited back to speak at NYSID. “I have loved all the career experiences. But I go visit my high school friends at speakers I listened to as a student and it would be rewarding other schools, have a good time and then can’t wait to get to give back to the school. I know I’ve got the education and back to New York City and my classes. I’m exactly where I experience to do something amazing after graduation!” want to be, doing exactly what I want to be doing.” Bailey starts her senior year with extreme confidence gathered from her summer internship with Daniel Romualdez as well as having had her design selected and installed at the Do you know a high school student prestigious Nantucket by Design. “My first installation was an interested in interior design? Tell them incredible moment in my life. I’ll never forget the first time I about NYSID’s precollege summer program! saw all that conceptualizing, planning, and reworking of my NYSID.EDU/PRECOLLEGE designs finally realized in a tangible way within a space. I’m very grateful for the honor and experience.” PORTFOLIO / MPS Student Projects

Iliana Filotheidi Project: Dormitory

Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design Instructor: Melanie Taylor

When Iliana Filotheidi set out to design the lighting for a dormitory located in Washington state, she looked to a real building and the natural surroundings of that structure for inspiration. Filotheidi, the Chairman’s Award winner for NYSID’s MPS-L this year, says, “The concept is based on the western hemlock tree that thrives where the dormitory is located. I was inspired by the geometry of the leaves (linear, flat, unequal- in-length needles) and the patterns they develop, forming an umbrella shape to capture as much light as possible even at the lower parts of the tree.” She was also inspired by a hill near the dormitory that had different paths—a dirt path, a bike trail, etc. In her designs, she created different paths to the building the students could take based on their mood or need. This included a meditative path, with wooden structures that integrate blue LED tape, and plants for tranquility and relaxation, as well as a paved path with a cafe area and a plaza for a more active approach to the building. Lower ambient light levels were provided at the meditative path, while higher light levels were provided at the pavement and bicycle path. Her layout, starting from the interior and the linear corridor and expanding to the façade and exterior, was inspired by the patterns and geometry of leaves. She intended the lighting to change form and shape based on the use of the space. Thus, in the public areas the light is dominant and spaces are bright to enhance interaction between students. As a person moves to the dorm rooms, the spaces get darker, with blue lights for a smooth transition to rest. The façade of each building is treated differently to hint at the purpose of the interior. Of her thesis instructor, Melanie Taylor, Filotheidi says, “She helped me with details, such as the mounting of LED tape around the perimeter of a green area. However, the most important thing Melanie did is that she let me think out of the box. She trusted my ‘crazy’ ideas.” NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 35

About the MPS in Lighting Design

NYSID’s Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design is known in the industry for producing versatile lighting designers who have deep knowledge of the way lighting can contribute to sustainability and well- being and a mastery of the tools and technologies necessary to execute their vision. Shaun Fillion, LC Educator IALD, an award-winning lighting designer and director of NYSID’s MPS-L, says, “One hundred percent of my graduates find employment at lighting design firms or in the lighting design industry.” Graduates from NYSID’s MPS-L program are working at some of the top lighting design firms in the U.S., including L’Observatoire International, Cooley Monato Studio, One Lux Studio, Office of Visual Interaction, and ICRAVE. Fillion shares his thoughts about the program.

What makes the MPS-L extraordinary? What do you love about your program? The MPS-L program is incredibly diverse. The students share a passion for lighting but bring their experience in interior design, architecture, engineering, and theatrical lighting. The diversity is also cultural, with many countries and cultures represented. Similarly, we’ve recruited working professionals to the faculty who share their differing points of view on lighting as a medium. I love that each year, a new class of students shares its perspectives and the class develops a universal vocabulary to critique and celebrate architectural lighting.

What’s the advantage of going back to school to specialize in “The field of lighting design? architectural lighting The field of architectural lighting is growing rapidly. The growth is driven by worldwide efforts toward creating sustainable spaces, combined with is growing rapidly. the advancement of LED technology and advanced controls. Students in the MPS-L develop skills to render and study the impact of lighting The growth is driven on physical spaces with full-scale mockups and photometric simulation by worldwide efforts software like AGi32. They present to both faculty and guest judges, many of whom are principals of their firms. Our students learn the fundamental toward creating physics of light. A graduate from the MPS-L program will enter the sustainable spaces, field prepared with knowledge of current lighting methods, hands-on experience, and an impressive portfolio. combined with the advancement of LED technology and advanced controls.”

SHAUN FILLION DIRECTOR, MPS IN LIGHTING DESIGN 36 | ATELIER MAGAZINE PORTFOLIO

Deeksha Banerjee, Charmaine Mendoza, Miao Xia Project: Office Headquarters

Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments Instructor: Luca Baraldo & Bethany Borel

Deeksha Banerjee, Charmaine Mendoza, and Miao Xia worked as a team to develop a sustainable interior design for the headquarters of Mio Culture, a theoretical project for a real business. Mio Culture produces stylish, sustainably sourced products made of recycled and/or biodegradable materials—including Microperf acoustic wall tiles, room dividers, modular furniture, and even a Mohawk Lichen carpet—and is also a consultancy that provides sustainable product branding solutions for companies such as Target, FedEx, and Neiman Marcus. Says Mendoza, one of the designers on the team and the winner of this year’s Chairman’s Award for academic excellence in NYSID’s MPS-S, “We chose to translate the meaning of their company name, ‘Mio,’ which translates to ‘My Own’ in English, by utilizing the company’s products in their own office and also highlighting their Culture Lab (consultancy) concept by creating a fun take on elements found in a laboratory such as the test tube- inspired display in the gallery and custom lighting fixtures in the furniture showroom.” Of their instructors, Luca Baraldo and Bethany Borel, Mendoza says, “Their fresh and current knowledge of the industry, and their practical advice on actual problems such as ceiling height limitations versus mechanical layout, and LEED and WELL requirements versus aesthetics, trained us to plan according to actual industry standards.” The team produced an effective LEED- and WELL Gold- certified project through careful analysis of the room and furniture orientations in relation to the sun’s position and biophilia features, as well as a healthy workplace designed with nontoxic materials. NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 37

About the MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments

Sustainability is no longer an afterthought in the industry; it’s an integral aspect of design that clients seek when they hire interior designers. This is why interior design and architecture firms are now hiring sustainability specialists. NYSID’s MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments (MPS-S) is a post-professional program structured to prepare design professionals to assume leadership roles in developing sustainable interior spaces. The two guiding principles of the program are designing resilience to climate change disruption and designing well-being—that is, creating spaces that help people fare better in terms of health and happiness. Director David Bergman, founder of the architecture firm DavidBergmanEco, and author of “Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide,” shares his view on the program.

What sets NYSID’s program apart and what do you love about directing the program? NYSID started this program a decade ago, before sustainability was mainstream, so it’s a unique and developed program—perhaps the only one of its kind. The fact that the students come here specifically to study sustainable interior design means they already know the significance of this growing field and want the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of it in order to apply it in their work post-graduation. Many are also working toward their LEED or WELL accreditation, and the program helps them prepare for the exams. Another aspect that makes the program successful is its relatively small enrollment. This allows the students to “It’s an exciting time have close working relationships with our faculty, all of whom are leaders for this field and in sustainable design. One of the (many!) things I enjoy as the program director is getting to select and work with this incredible faculty. Along having this program with that is the opportunity to tune the program to the evolving needs at NYSID means we of sustainable interior design and the firms that are looking to hire our graduates. It’s an exciting time for this field and having this program get to participate at NYSID means we get to participate in—and sometimes lead—the evolution of sustainable design. in, and sometimes lead, the evolution of Will you comment on how this program is working online? This year, we have an almost equal number of on-campus and distance- sustainable design.” learning students. Though the program has always had students come here from all over the world, now it’s easier for students who cannot DAVID BERGMAN physically be here to enroll, and that has further increased both the DIRECTOR, diversity of the students and the variety of interests they bring. The MPS IN SUSTAINABLE challenge is in making distance learners feel as integral to the program INTERIOR as the local students. Web conferencing software has been an essential ENVIRONMENTS part of that, allowing the students to fully participate in classes in real time—synchronous learning as opposed to asynchronous. We recently procured some new video conferencing equipment that better allows distance students to see and hear everyone in the classroom. The equipment is able to detect who is speaking, even if it is several people at the same time, so the camera can simultaneously show those people rather than just a view of the classroom or the instructor. Another way we’re integrating distance students with the local students is by pairing them up so that team projects include both online and in-person partners. This has the added benefit of preparing students for situations they might encounter in the expanding world of the virtual office. GIVING / Supporting Our Community

Why I Give: Jose Veliz of Benjamin Moore Inc.

“The interior design community is a large part of our business, and education is crucial to the continued advancement of interior design.”

Jose Veliz is senior manager of the Architect and Designer Segment at Benjamin Moore Inc. He’s responsible for leading the company’s architectural and design team; overseeing programs specific to the design and architect professional; and providing implementation strategies, guidance, direction, and expertise to Benjamin Moore’s architectural and design representatives. He loves his job. He says, “I truly enjoy working with the A&D community and experiencing the incredible transformation of spaces by some of the most talented professionals in the industry as they work diligently to improve their customer’s lives.” Veliz, who was behind the decision to fund the Dialogues on Design series this year, talks about his work and why Benjamin Moore Inc. supports public education and the New York School of Interior Design.

What do you want interior designers to know about how Why have you decided to sponsor the 2019 Dialogues Benjamin Moore Inc. is innovating? on Design series? The interior design community is a large part of our business, The world and the demand changes day to day for designers and education is crucial to the continued advancement of and their clients. Companies and manufacturers like interior design. Supporting NYSID’s program allows us to Benjamin Moore are embracing socially responsible design interact with established interior designers and future interior and construction and the development of sustainable designers, who are really the people who will be driving products. This is an integral part of listening, learning, innovations in the industry. It is designers who determine and adjusting to our designer and industry professional what materials become stylish, what technologies become customer needs. Sponsoring Dialogues on Design allows us standard, and we need to stay connected to a diverse and the opportunity to have exciting discussions that expand and eclectic talent pool in order to adapt as the industry evolves. cover industry demands, especially environmental changes and trends that are helping to inspire professionals. Why has Benjamin Moore Inc. become a corporate sponsor of the New York School of Interior Design? What have you learned from interior designers? NYSID offers a variety of design avenues and prepares Listening and adapting to our customers’ needs is our students for professional success. Our involvement and number one priority. We are constantly learning from interior sponsorship allows the young professional to understand and designers and other industry professionals as they provide learn to trust Benjamin Moore’s products, service, and the us with valuable insights on how we can better adjust our long-lasting beauty that comes with every project. business to meet their everyday needs.

It’s Never Too Early to Plan What You’re Wearing to the Gala

The 2020 gala will be held on March 3. We will honor Brian McCarthy with the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award, Gale and Andy Singer with the Larry Kravet Design Industry Innovation Award, and Elizabeth Lawrence with the Rising Star Award, a prize made possible by the generous support of The Shade Store. Last year’s gala was the most successful in NYSID’s history, and this year we aim to raise even more money for the NYSID scholarship fund.

VISIT NYSID.EDU/ANNUAL-GALA-2020. LEADERSHIP / Moving the College Forward

Board of Trustees Advisory Board Alumni Council Ellen Kravet, Chairman Stanley Abercrombie *Marie Aiello ’04 (AAS) David Sprouls, NYSID President Christian P. Árkay-Leliever Ruth Burt ’88 (AAS) Amory Armstrong Lawrence Chabra ’09 (BFA) Jill H. Dienst Robin Klehr Avia Allison Davis ’05 (BFA) James P. Druckman Geoffrey Bradfield *Krista Gurevich ’16 (MFA-1) Cheryl S. Durst Michael Bruno *Michael Harold ’10 (BFA) Susan Zises Green Clodagh Faith Hoops ’18 (BFA) Alexa Hampton Birch Coffey Don Kossar ’95 (BFA) David Kleinberg Kathleen M. Doyle Maisie Lee ’00 (BFA) Anne Korman David Anthony Easton *Lawrence Levy ’05 (BFA), President Dennis Miller Anne Eisenhower *Drew McGukin ’10 (AAS) Susan B. Nagle Mica Ertegun Valerie Mead ’00 (BFA) Betsey Ruprecht Ross J. Francis Charles Pavarini ’81 (BFA) Brad Schneller Mariette Himes Gomez George Peters ’08 (BFA) David Scott Gerald A. Holbrook Ethel Rompilla ’84 (BFA) Maria Spears Thomas Jayne *Linda Sclafani ’90 (BFA) Newell Turner Wolfram Koeppe Susan Thorn ’96 (AAS) Kelly M. Williams Jack Lenor Larsen *Erin Wells ’04 (BFA) Eric Gering, Faculty Trustee Michael Manes *Court Whisman ’05 (AAS) Joanna L. Silver, Esq., Charlotte Moss General Counsel *Member of Alumni Council Michele Oka Doner Working Group Elaine Wingate Conway, Barbara Ostrom Trustee Emerita Sylvia Owen Alexander C. Cortesi, Charles Pavarini, III Trustee Emeritus Robyn Pocker Inge Heckel, Trustee Emerita James Stewart Polshek Patricia M. Sovern, Chairman Emeritus Ann Pyne John Saladino Peter Sallick Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill Alexandra Stoddard Calvin Tsao Bunny Williams Vicente Wolf

The 1916 Society

NYSID alumni, faculty members, and friends find planned giving a fulfilling way to be part of the future of the College. Bequests allow for the creation of scholarships and awards that will help students for generations to come, or to recognize NYSID instructors. Others are inspired to provide resources for study in the library or studio, or for study abroad. Legacy donors like this make up the 1916 Society, named for the year NYSID was founded.

CONTACT JOY COOPER, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, AT 212-452-4197 OR [email protected]. NEXT AT NYSID / Mark Your Calendars

JANUARY 21 FEBRUARY 6 MARCH 3 SPRING SEMESTER BEGINS DIALOGUES ON DESIGN 2020 GALA Students return to the studios Dennis Scully chats with Our annual gala is a chance to ready to work hard and learn Juan Montoya, principal of Juan mingle with some of interior what it takes to become the best Montoya Design. Get an insider’s design’s luminaries, while interior designers in the industry. view of the design industry supporting the scholarship fund at the first Dialogue of the that makes design education new year. possible for so many talented students.

APRIL 24 MAY 18 & 19 MAY 21 DIALOGUES ON DESIGN STUDENT EXHIBITIONS COMMENCEMENT For the third converstation In the run-up to Commencement, This is THE event of the of the series, Michelle these exhibitions are an year! Our entire community Nussbaumer, principal opportunity to scope out the will come together to of Michelle Nussbaumer work of talented emerging celebrate the achievements Design, discusses the art of designers entering the of the Class of 2020. interiors with Dennis Scully. workforce.

SPRING SESSION STARTS JAN 21

NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN nysid.edu/icps INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

re-skill up-skill new skill NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN WINTER/SPRING 2020 | 41

CHALLENGING. CREATIVE. PIONEERING.

“NYSID in Three Words” According to Klayre Angela M. Tan ’20 (MPS-S)

Licensed interior designer Klayre Tan’s desire to be a responsible designer led her from the Philippines to NYSID’s pioneering Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments program.

NYSID’s “Give Green for Green” MPS-S scholarship appeal recognizes the importance of sustainability and the School’s opportunity to lead in the education of sustainable interior experts. Thanks to the generosity of a NYSID supporter, every dollar donated will be matched, up to $5,000. Help NYSID graduates design the future by making your gift today. nysid.edu/make-a-gift 42 | ATELIER MAGAZINE DEPARTMENT

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REVELERS AT THE BAUHAUS BALL.