2017 Role Models Contest Gallery

This past semester, Healthy Materials Lab partnered with the Making Center at Parsons to sponsor the Role Models Contest, an opportunity for New School students to take a closer look at the materials that make their projects and challenge themselves to design with health in mind. Participants were asked to propose and use healthier model-making materials in their Spring 2017 projects. Out of many great submissions, we awarded 5 prizes of $1000.

Take a closer look at the winning projects in our gallery below!

Jacob Olmedo, who exhibited true environmental activism in his project on growable clothes. Not only did Jacob show great experimentation, but he also demonstrated the necessity and feasibility of fundamental change in the design world.

Sara Burns, who re-imagined affordable housing in her scaled model of a NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) apartment. Her project re-thought how a family might use their space using healthier materials and make it their own, turning it into a real home. The model itself was constructed of healthier building materials.

Isabella Caterina, who created garments for those suffering from Parkinson’s. The project showed a deep level of empathy and a great depth of research, addressing both physical and mental health.

Lifan Deng, who created Agar Agar vases in which the vase and its flowers would decay at the same rate. This project on biodegradability and zero-waste truly showcased innovation and an acute awareness of environmental health.

And a team of designers, Gwyneth Ong, Irene Lu, Terrence Zhou, Chloe Edwards’ project focuses on hospital gowns. They researched the challenges with current gowns, explored a variety of textiles in its proposed alternate, and met usability with aesthetics, providing immediate impact.

Finally, the runner-up of the Role Models Contest is Samantha Bennett, whose Mycelium stool project considered aesthetics in a novel way when it comes to ecovative innovation. She coated it in mineral paint, combining two healthier products. She presented her project off the drawing board, providing a real stool for the jury to examine.

Across the board, students demonstrated a clear understanding that designs are never made in a vacuum—that they in fact have extensive and inescapable impacts. We are proud to know that these students are the future of design, and we’re excited to see how their ideas and practices evolve.