RIT Soft Studio at NYCxDesign 2018
exposed the world to soft product design at RIT.

Student Work | Opening Night | Funding | Supporting Materials | Publications & Dissemination

Overview 

Design Week NYC is the most visible design-related event in the United States. The RIT Soft Studio exhibits at WantedDesign IC Brooklyn during NYCxDesign 2018 expertly highlighted my unique incorporation of soft goods design into RIT’s renowned Industrial Design program. The RIT Soft Studio booth at WantedDesign Brooklyn consisted of a carefully selected collection of undergraduate and graduate student work,co-curated in collaboration with Professor Josh Owen, then-Director of Industrial Design at RIT. Design Week NYC was an excellent opportunity to promote RIT Soft Studio’s overwhelming success and the resulting renaissance of activity relative to student research in my area. RIT Soft Studio’s Abracito Collection of preemie KMC wraps was also exhibited at WantedDesign Brooklyn within the RIT Hope for Honduras booth.

NYC’s Design Week draws tens of thousands of designers, educators, and design-centric industry from around the globe. Having a visible presence at the renowned Wanted Design venue during Design Week and disseminating RIT Soft Studio materials to attendees offered extensive networking and potential collaboration opportunities. Over 6,000 attendees walked the main exhibit floor throughout the week.

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Student Work 

Ten student projects were chosen to showcase the variety of Soft Studio courses I developed and taught between 2014 and 2018.

 
 

Opening Night

Opening Night festivities at WantedDesign IC Brooklyn were attended by more than 2,000 NY-based and international journalists and VIP guests.

Funding

Autodesk, San Rafael, CA USA, May 2018
Funding awarded to cover booth cost at WantedDesign Brooklyn during 2018 NYCxDesign Week.

Faculty Education and Development Grant (period: May – July 2018)
RIT College of Imaging Arts and Sciences
Title of Proposal: Soft Studio at NYC Design Week
Role: PI
Funding awarded to cover exhibit, travel, lodging, and dissemination materials costs and fees.

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Supporting Materials

Brochures were developed for dissemination and distributed throughout the week to visitors.
Layout and formatting designed by Bruce Meader and Josh Owen. Text by Melissa Dawson. Photography by Elizabeth Lamark.

Publications & Dissemination

  1. WantedDesign 2018 Wrap Up video. Wrap up video highlighting selected WantedDesign 2018 exhibits that was used for 2019 promotion. RIT Soft Studio appears at 0:53. www.wanteddesignnyc.com. https://vimeo.com/276463356

  2. Rochester Institute of Technology. (6/2018). RIT University News articles discussing & depicting Soft Studio participation in NYCxDesign 2018 were featured on main university and CIAS landing pages. www.rit.edu & cias.rit.edu (now cad.rit.edu)

  3. “Metropolis’s Top Design Moments at NYCxDesign,” Metropolis Editor, May 2018. A round up of various Metropolis editor’s favorite exhibits, including Soft Studio (with photo) and RIT Hope for Honduras booths. https://www.metropolismag.com/design/nycxdesign-2018-design-moments/

  4. “RIT at NYC Design Week 2018,” RIT University News Video, May 2018. Features WantedDesign IC 2018 booth footage as well as Melissa speaking to the foundation of good design. https://youtu.be/WkC8kbdixRk

  5. “RIT's large Design Week presence kicks off with difference-making exhibits,” RIT University News, May 2018. Features RIT Soft Studio, RIT’s Hope for Honduras, quotes, and photos. https://www.rit.edu/news/rits-large-design-week-presence-kicks-difference-making-exhibits

  6. “Design, engineering students exhibit at NYCxDESIGN,” R. Kiley for RIT University News, May 2018. Soft Studio & RIT Hope for Honduras booths at WantedDesign IC 2018 are discussed. https://www.rit.edu/news/design-engineering-students-exhibit-nycxdesign

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