In June 2021, WantedDesign hosted their annual Design Schools Workshop, this year exploring the theme of "Neo-Nature," led by Art Center College of Design faculty members Dan Gottlieb and Michael Neumayr. The goal of the workshop was to create sustainable design solutions providing areas of natural respite within busy urban landscapes. For one week, six teams consisting of students across the globe worked on briefs for projects that would revitalize urban landscapes within New York City including the Gowanus Canal and East River Park, with the hopes of being deemed the 2021 Design Schools Workshop Winner.

Teams consisted of students from Art Center College of Design, CENTRO Mexico, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and School of Visual Arts (SVA). The projects were judged by a team of design leaders including Allan Chochinov (Editor-at-Large of Core77 and Founding Chair of SVA NYC MFA Products of Design), Anishka Clarke (Principal of Ishka Designs), John Edelman (Executive Chairman of Crypton Fabrics and Co-Founder, Fourth & Pride Vodka), Angie Lee (Partner, Design Director of Interiors of FXCollaborative Architects LLP and President-Elect of IIDA, AIA IIDA New York Chapter), Jean-Jacques L'henaff (Leader at Lixil Global Design, Americas), and Roxane Spears (Vice President of Sustainability North America for Tarkett)

In the end, the project "Rooted Under the K" was awarded as the Workshop Winner, designed by Grace Elwood (RISD), Adelaida Cortés (CENTRO), Ana-Paola Laveaga (ArtCenter), and Katy Yuelapwan (SVA).

The "Rooted Under the K" concept was a proposal to transform another New York location, the Under the K Bridge Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, into a "respite that celebrates immersion in nature and community," as the team noted in their final presentation. Natural vegetation would climb the underside of the bridge to create a fully encapsulating natural experience while acting as a way to insulate noise coming from traffic on the bridge above., Hanging furniture made from 100% natural materials would also invite visitors in to sit and enjoy the peaceful landscape.

Judges of the 2021 WantedDesign Schools Workshop were particularly impressed by the fully immersive nature of the project. "From the specification of using indigenous plants, to the clever use of the vertical lights—'the stalactites and stalagmites'—to complement the horizontal elements in the plan, each of the ingredients had great spatial and strategic purpose," offers jury captain Allan Chochinov. "All of the jury members responded strongly to the density displayed in the renderings, and we talked about the great delight people would likely have 'stumbling upon' the installation when passing by on foot. The team made it easy to envision occupying the space, and even looking at the renderings, somehow, gave us a feeling of respite. Quite remarkable and transportive."

We recently sat down with the designers behind the winning project to learn more about them, the work they focus on, and their future design dreams:

Meet the Designers

Grace Elwood

Where are you originally from, which school are you part of, and where were you based at the time of the workshop?

I am from the north shore of Massachusetts, and am currently a student in the Furniture Design Department at RISD—I was based in Providence, Rhode Island at the time of the workshop.

What did it mean to be part of the WantedDesign Schools Online Workshop and how much was the theme inspiring for you ?

I feel so grateful to have been given the opportunity to explore this year's theme with so many talented and enthusiastic designers. The workshop expanded my design experience past furniture design and I enjoyed diving deep into the concept of neo-nature, as I am interested in sustainability and constantly inspired by nature. I never could have imagined how this workshop would continue to inspire me beyond our week together—I will definitely think back to the energy and imagination we collectively created during our week together throughout my design journey.

What is for you the best outcome of the workshop experience?

This experience revitalized and expanded my passion for sustainability and gave me hope for the future of design. It is easy to fall into patterns of hopelessness when thinking about making more things in the age of the climate crisis, and prior to this workshop I was experiencing moments of doubt within myself. However, after an intense week of immersive designing with my amazing team as well as witnessing the other teams' progress, I came out ready to continue researching, exploring, and imagining a more environmental world of design. I plan to bring this excitement into my senior year degree project at RISD and begin moving towards a more sustainable and nature-focused design practice. I also gained some amazing friends through our work together and I can't wait to meet them in person someday!

What was the most difficult part for you during this past year with the pandemic situation and how being creative may have helped you?

The most difficult part for me was working through handling the mental weight of everything I was seeing on the news and social media; often it can be difficult to design creatively when the world feels so negative. I was very lucky to resume in-person studio classes at RISD during this past fall and spring, and although things looked different in our shops, I found that putting all of myself into my work helped me regain a sense of purpose and control. This year taught me about the true value of making and creativity and I think it will push me to never take my creative opportunities for granted.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career?

I currently have a strong interest in sustainable material design and exploration, and my goal for the future is to discover specific waste streams that can be recycled into my own unique furniture. I dream of finding a satisfying and circular design practice through making and exploring by hand, resulting in functional pieces that are beautiful and encourage the user to think about waste.

Where can we learn more about your work?

I share my furniture, process, and other life fragments on Instagram @grace.elwood and finished portfolio pieces here.

Adelaida Cortés

Where are you originally from, which school are you part of, and where were you based at the time of the workshop?

I was born and raised in Hidalgo, a state located in the center of Mexico, and currently live in Mexico City where I moved to start my degree in Industrial Design at CENTRO.

What did it mean to be part of the WantedDesign Schools Online Workshop and how much was the theme inspiring for you ?

WantedDesign's workshop was definitely an amazing opportunity I didn't expect. The Neo-Nature theme was particularly interesting to me because of the changes I experienced moving from a small city to a large one. When I think of the final project my team members and I came up with (Under the K), I wonder how it relates to what I would've liked to have found in the big city, especially spaces where I could create a special connection without looking for it.

What is for you the best outcome of the workshop experience?

Besides the incredible people I met and worked with, I would say that the best outcome of the workshop was presenting a solution to a current problem that could actually be implemented, especially considering the intensity and duration of this workshop.

What was the most difficult part for you during this past year with the pandemic situation and how being creative may have helped you?

The hardest part of the past year was staying active, motivated, and creative. I believe designers are meant to help solve all kinds of problems. It would've been nice to feel that I somehow contributed to society during this worldwide pandemic.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career?

I believe that design is evolving. I see myself living as many experiences as possible in order to help spread the message of design being a helpful and relevant tool for everyone.

Where can we learn more about your work?

You can learn more about my work through my Instagram account: @adelaidacortesb

Ana-Paola Laveaga

Where are you originally from, which school are you part of, and where were you based at the time of the workshop?

I am originally from Irvine, California and currently attend ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA. At the time of the workshop I was based in Pasadena.

What did it mean to be part of the WantedDesign Schools Online Workshop and how much was the theme inspiring for you ?

It meant a great deal to be part of the WantedDesign Schools Online Workshop for a number of reasons. The two instructors leading the workshop were former teachers of mine whose guidance in the design world have taught me a lot about what it means to create meaningful spaces and experiences, and who have helped shape my own design voice and process. The design challenge presented was also something that aligned with the kinds of themes and issues I hope to tackle in my professional future as a spatial designer, so it was inspiring to meet so many students like myself who care for the environment and have a passion for nurturing nature. Additionally, I was able to work with and meet students from Mexico, which was especially rewarding for me given my background and heritage. My uncle, who currently lives and designs in Mexico City, was a huge part of my decision to pursue design and attend ArtCenter. Mexico City is a metropolitan area that has so much to offer the world, so it was inspiring to see the students of the workshop becoming more exposed to the culture, artistry, and environmental innovations.

What is for you the best outcome of the workshop experience?

The best outcome of the workshop experience was creating lasting friendships with two of my teammates who taught me a lot about empowering your peers to create impactful stories and designs. Grace is a furniture design student in Rhode Island, and Adelaida is an industrial design student in Mexico City. I never would have met these two talented women were it not for this experience.

What was the most difficult part for you during this past year with the pandemic situation and how being creative may have helped you?

During this past year with the pandemic, the most challenging part for me was losing a sense of social interaction and community. I went from walking the hallways of my campus and meeting new friends and inspirations, to spending all day in a very small studio apartment anxious for a return to normalcy. However, from the challenge rose a call to action in my studio classes where a lot of our projects began to center around more real world problems. I had more time to reflect, become re-inspired, and re-focused on the kind of change I wanted to be a part of. Being creative was my life-line, and I have never felt more fearless creatively than I do now.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career?

In the world of design, I see myself surrounded by passionate social innovators and people who lead with empathy. My dream career would be to creative positive change within the education system by way of re-imagining and re-designing academic spaces and environments; whether those are grade schools, community resource centers, universities, research facilities, or libraries, etc.

Where can we learn more about your work?

You can learn more about my work through my instagram account dedicated to environmental design: @apl.design. Additionally, I have a link to my process book and portfolio available upon request.

Katy Yuelapwan

Where are you originally from, which school are you part of, and where were you based at the time of the workshop?

I am originally from California and participated on behalf of the School of Visual Arts. During the time of the workshop, I was based in Brooklyn, NY.

What did it mean to be part of the WantedDesign Schools Online Workshop and how much was the theme inspiring for you ?

WantedDesign has a great reputation within the design community in New York so it seemed like a great opportunity to participate. The theme was especially inspiring for me since I have a background in Architecture and worked on integrating nature into the urban context through my undergrad thesis.

What is for you the best outcome of the workshop experience?

The best outcome of the workshop experience is seeing the other teams' work and the amount of thoughtfulness put into approaching the workshop theme.

What was the most difficult part for you during this past year with the pandemic situation and how being creative may have helped you?

The most difficult part of the pandemic was not being able to fully collaborate with the other students in my grad program to the fullest extent and the isolation of a virtual program. Being creative served as an outlet so that I could use my energy and time towards cultivating projects rather than focus on anxiety associated with living through a pandemic.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career?

I see myself as someone within the design community who is willing to shed light on issues that involve the exploitation of marginalized communities. My ideal career is to be a curator that uplifts the work of young, BIPOC designers.

Where can we learn more about your work?

You can find my current work on my website here.

The 2021 WantedDesign Schools Workshop is presented with the support of Tarkett, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), NYCxDESIGN and media partner Core77.