32 design students from ArtCenter College of Design (USA), CENTRO (Mexico), École Boulle (France), École Camondo (France), Escuela de Comunicación Mónica Herrera (El Salvador), Pratt Institute (USA), and Tec Monterrey (Mexico) gathered at Camp David, Industry City, Brooklyn from May 16-19, 2023 for an intense 4-day challenge.

Six teams work to solve WantedDesign challenge.

Led by École Boulle professors, Antoine Fermey and Alexandre Poisson, students were asked to reflect on the value of water in the public spaces of New York City. The six teams included a mix of emerging designers with diverse backgrounds and, therefore, a unique perception of this precious resource.

"The theme of water as a public good fostered a rich and varied cultural interaction among the students." agreed both Antoine Fermey and Alexandre Poisson.

Among the guest speakers, which helped guide the students toward their final design proposal, were Jean-Jacques L´hénaff, leader of LIXIL Americas, and Shino Tanikawa, Executive Director of NYC's Soil & Water Conservation District.

"The level of collaboration within each team and the resulting work was inspiring and impressive. The participants brought pertinent questions and creative solutions to the topic "Water Matter(s) in NYC," and it was truly wonderful for LIXIL to be part of such an amazing event!" commented Jean-Jacques who was also part of the workshop's jury led by Allan Chochinov, Founding Chair of MFA Products of Design graduate program at SVA and Partner, Editor-at-Large of this website.

Joined by Stephan Ritzer, Director and Senior Associate, Rockwell Group; Anishka Clarke, Interior Design Director, Ishka Designs Inc; Carol Baijings, Formerly of Scholten & Baijingse Baijings; Ángel Ramos Mombiedro, Designer; and Gala Espel, Designer, the jury met with the students at Camp David on May 19th for a final live presentation.

"It always amazes me how a disparate group of student designers from different corners of the globe can come together to create inspired and thought-provoking work in just 4 days. I'm excited for the next generation of designers." Anishka Clarke

After a thoughtful discussion in which the jury was unable to pick a single winner, Team 1: Urban Flow and Team 5: Bloom NYC were awarded "Best of Workshop for 2023".

We recently sat down with the designers inTeams 1: Urban Flow and Team 5: Bloom NYC to learn more about them, the work they focus on, and their future design dreams.

TEAM ONE: Urban Flow

TEAM ONE: Urban Flow

Alicia Berouard

Work of Alice Berouard.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of?
AB: Bonjour, dobry´ den, hello! I was born in Lyon, and raised in Prague and Paris. Educated in English, American, and French schools, I am a multicultural cultural student, entering my final year of the Master's Program in Interior Architecture and Design at l'Ecole Camondo in Paris.

What was the best part and outcome of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop?
AB: The best part was truly the opportunity to connect with interior design students from all around the world and see how each one of us has a distinct relationship with water influenced by our cultural and educational backgrounds. The achieved outcome, winning "the best of workshop 2023 + relevance", came most probably from the richness of everyone's insight and relationship to water.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career?
AB: I aim to create beautiful and inspiring interiors and open spaces that make people feel good, welcomed, and connected to others and their environment. My dream career would be to design spaces and objects that tell positive stories, inspire meaningful connections, and get recognized for their sensibility and innovation.

Instagram: @alicia_berouard

Alice Wang

Work of Alice Wang.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? AW: I was born in Beijing, China, and moved to Orange County, California, when I was 15. I'm a product designer, currently studying at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.

How much was the theme inspiring and relevant for you? AW: Growing up in California, a region grappling with pressing water conservation issues, the theme struck a chord with me. It underscored the paradoxical relationship we often have with water – understanding its scarcity yet often acting wastefully. The theme truly inspired me to utilize the power of design to bridge this gap, finding solutions that honor our need for water while promoting its careful use.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? AW: As a designer, my goal is to bring emotional connection and purposeful excitement to every product I create. I aim to transform ideas into sleek, functional designs that positively impact people's lives. My ultimate career aspiration is to become an entrepreneur who designs elegant, joy-inspiring products that sprinkle a little extra happiness into people's everyday lives.

Website: www.aliciacreate.com Instagram: @_aliciacreate_ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/aliciacreate

Maseo Velasquez

Work of Maseo Velasquez.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? MV: I'm originally from Colorado, USA. Now I'm a senior studying industrial design at the Pratt Institute.

What was the best part and outcome of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop? MV: The best part of the workshop was how much Antoine, Alexander, and Vincent encouraged the project to be a creative exploration. Since we only had four days to work, they encouraged us to keep the outcome open-ended rather than pursue a particular object or subject. I think this allowed us to produce a design that spoke to both industrial, interior, and communication design.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? MV: I love making concepts that are needed; addressing socially relevant issues while balancing viability, usability, and aesthetics - then presenting them to others clearly. My dream career is an in-house design role; either UX or industrial design, where I can help make sure that products are making a difference.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maseovelasquez/

Mayté Ayala Vázquez

Work of Mayté Ayala Vázquez.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? MAV: I'm from Monterrey, Nuevo Léon, México and I study at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

What was the best part and outcome of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop? MAV: It was an enriching experience where I learned a wide range of skills, from communication and networking to effective teamwork. One of the most exciting parts was the challenge of completing an entire design project in just four days, presenting it to a jury, and receiving feedback. I am extremely proud of our teamwork, which resulted in us being one of the winners.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? MAV: As an aspiring interior designer, I envision myself playing a role in assisting individuals in discovering their genuine aesthetic preferences while concurrently embracing an approach that integrates more with the natural world. Moreover, I aspire to facilitate a deeper connection between people and nature through my designs.

Behance: https://www.behance.net/mayteayala

TEAM FIVE: Bloom NYC

TEAM FIVE: Bloom NYC.

Ana Cristina Campos Medina

Work of Anna Cristina Campos Medina.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? ACCM: My name is Cristina Campos. I am originally from a town called San Luis Potosí in Mexico, and I am studying at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

How much was the theme inspiring and relevant for you? ACCM: When I first read the brief, I was skeptical about the theme. However, as I began the pre-work, I truly understood why water is one of the most important issues to address through design. It is a vital source that connects us all. Unfortunately, we are currently facing a water crisis that has environmental, social, and political implications.

I live in a city where water is becoming a luxury resource, where only the most fortunate can have access to it on a daily basis. Monterrey, despite being home to companies that consume the most water in the entire country, has experienced significant droughts in recent years.

As designers, we need to understand these contexts to create solutions that may not solve the entire problem but can help us develop a better relationship with water.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? ACCM: I am deeply fascinated by the potential of product design as a catalyst for collective reflection, particularly through the lens of critical design. Personally, I enjoy conducting research and conceptualizing, which are the steps that come before actually designing. My biggest inspiration comes from radical designers and the way they aimed to inspire conversations to transform society. In today's design world, this approach is often translated into futures design. I believe that design has such power - of understanding and creating - from the digital and the intangible to the physical and practical.

Portfolio: https://bit.ly/craamps-portfolio Website: www.craamps.com

Daniella Arévalo Chavarría

Work of Daniella Arévalo Chavarría.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? DAC: I am from El Salvador and part of Escuela de Comunicación Mónica Herrera.

How much was the theme inspiring and relevant for you? DAC: Working alongside individuals from France, Mexico, and New York, we discovered diverse experiences with water. Engaging in conversations about topics like the inability to drink tap water in El Salvador, enriched our understanding, context, and overall meaning of the subject. This collaborative exploration created a cohesive and profound exploration of water's multifaceted nature, eventually becoming the inspiration for our project "Bloom NYC".

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? DAC: With my love for design-thinking, I envision myself as a strategic problem-solver within a prominent organization that strives to make a lasting impact on its users. As a design strategist, I would leverage my skills and expertise to drive innovation and shape meaningful experiences.

My dream career would revolve around Leading User-Centric Initiatives, Driving Design-Driven Decision Making, and Continuous learning and growth.

Overall, my dream career as a design strategist is to combine my passion for problem-solving with design-thinking methodologies, ultimately having a profound impact on the organization, its users, and myself.

Instagram: @daniella_arevalo Behance: https://www.behance.net/danyarevalo?isa0=1#

Garance Boucher

Work of Garance Boucher.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? GB: Hi, my name is Garance Boucher and I'm from Paris, I study at Camondo and for one year I'm studying on the campus in the South of France in Toulon on the French Riviera.

What was the best part and outcome of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop? GB: For me, I think the best part was to meet everybody and have the chance to discuss with them about their country, their behavior, rituals and see the differences. Work with a group of 5 in this short period of time was a challenge and everyone was able to bring their sensitivity by doing a very rich project.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career ? GB: I see myself working with local resources and people. I want to create a colorful and joyful design to bring happiness. I like to play with colors and frames, inspired by territories and their characteristics. Design must be simple and atemporal.

Instagram: @garance_boucher

Lèna Valleran

Work of Lèna Valleran.

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? LV: I am Léna Valleran and I am from Paris, I am currently a first-year student of DSAA Product Design at the École Boulle, after having obtained my degree in fashion, luxury, savoir-faire, and innovation at the École Duperré Paris.

What was the best part and outcome of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop? LV: The best part of the WantedDesign Schools Workshop was the first meeting when everybody was able to introduce themselves, that was the moment that we were all able to interact. The atmosphere was already so good from the very beginning that it gave us the desire to make great projects together during the workshop. I also really appreciated that we had a clear idea of the project we wanted to tackle and we started drawing and doing research right away.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? LV: I wish I could work in fashion design after my studies, more specifically in the accessories sector. I would say that my dream career would be to work as an independent textile designer and to develop one of my projects that would be close to my heart.

Illustrations: @grascieux_ Textile and design work: @lena_valleran

Paul Lassage

Where are you originally from and which school are you part of? PL: I'm originally from Boston, Massachusetts, and I'm studying Interior Design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

How much was the theme inspiring and relevant for you? PL: Access to clean water and water scarcity are two of the most pressing issues facing our global community today (and one that is, in spite of its importance, spoken about very little). While working towards an Environmental Studies degree at Middlebury, I was largely focused on the psychology and design of environmentalism and means of quantifying environmental degradation and externalities as a way to protect both our world and its inhabitants. Just before the WantedDesign workshop began, I completed a semester-long project at Pratt focused on repurposing existing vessels (in this case a train) to build a floating residence that was self-sustaining. The goal was to look at ways of reducing the cost and environmental impact of a residence while responding to the reality of sea level rise.

Despite having lived in New York for a couple of years, I was amazed at how little I knew about our urban water infrastructure and some of the challenges of managing and delivering water in the city. Through this workshop, I developed a much greater appreciation of water as a vital resource for our city and engaged deeply with some of the limitations of our current water management system. The fact that we were able to meet with multiple experts on New York's water system and designers who are focused on water conservation was very beneficial. Moving forward, I hope to use this as a driving factor in my interior design practice - using specific materiality, spatial organization, products, and construction methods to protect this life-giving resource.

Where do you see yourself in the world of design and what will be your dream career? PL: After working in high-end residential construction for a number of years, I chose to pursue an MFA in Interior Design with the intent of combining the environmental studies expertise I gained through my undergraduate degree with my experience in the construction world. In time, I'd like to start my own design firm focusing on shaping our residential behavior in a manner that is reflective of the efforts we must make to combat climate change. First and foremost though, I'd like to continue to discover ways we can implement various forms of design to raise environmental awareness.

Portfolio: https://portfolio.adobe.com/missing

Learn more about the WantedDesign Schools Workshop and discover all projects here. Presented with the support of Core77, Camp David, and Industry City. This event was sponsored by LIXIL Americas.