For people, for purpose, for production: New Paltz Design Week returns, April 1-5

SUNY New Paltz announces the fourth annual New Paltz Design Week, a five-day celebration featuring hands-on workshops, innovative exhibitions, community gatherings and lectures from skilled designers working in an array of professional fields.

“Design Week 2019 features everything from sustainable fashion, to socially-impactful information and experiences, to 3D-printed architectural innovation,” said Anne Galperin, associate professor of graphic design at SUNY New Paltz. “We hope it brings to life the three principles of design practice—for people, for purpose, for production—in an engaging and inspiring way.”

New Paltz Design Week takes place from April 1-5 at venues across the SUNY New Paltz campus. All events are free and open to the public.

[Use this link for a complete schedule of New Paltz Design Week 2019 events]

Headlining New Paltz Design Week 2019 will be three keynote speakers:

Tara St. James: “Making without Waste”
Monday, April 1, 11 a.m., Student Union Building room 100
James is the production coordinator and research fellow at Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator and founder of Study NY. Her talk will consider the evolution of sustainability through the lens of the fashion supply chain. Following this lecture, St. James will lead a Design for Sustainable Manufacturing workshop from 2 – 3:30 p.m. in the Old Library Seminar Room.

Deroy Peraza, “Rediscovering Identity through Design”
Wednesday, April 3, 11 a.m., Coykendall Science Building Auditorium
Peraza, the founding partner and creative director at Hyperakt, will share a personal narrative of how design for social impact has helped him make sense of the past, present and future.

Ronald Rael, “Crafting the Future”
Friday, April 5, 4 p.m., Coykendall Science Building Auditorium
Rael, the CEO and cofounder of Oakland, California-based Emerging Objects and professor of architecture at University of California at Berkeley, will conclude Design Week 2019 with an illuminating presentation of case studies involving his work in additive manufacturing and earthen architecture. He will discuss innovations in 3D printing using unexpected and sustainable materials, including sawdust, rubber, salt, coffee grounds and chardonnay grape skins. This event will be preceded by a pre-lecture reception at 3:30 p.m. in the CSB lobby.


Design Week 2019 will also feature workshops and other events focusing on design-related topics including letterpress printing, addressing climate change through design, hand fabrication techniques, and transforming classic literature into visual data. See the Design Week workshop page for a full schedule and to register for workshops.

Attendees will have opportunities to support work by SUNY New Paltz student designers as well. An exhibition of design work titled “Somos Cuba: SUNY New Paltz + ISDi Collaboration” will be on view at the Sojourner Truth Library throughout the week, and the student-run Design Society will host a pop-up sale in the Library lobby on April 4, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lastly, at 9:30 a.m. on April 4, the Upstate New York chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts will host a “Coffee with Creatives” networking event at the Truth Café in the Sojourner Truth Library, offering a chance for Hudson Valley community members to connect with graphic design professionals.

All Design Week 2019 events are free and open to the public. Workshop registration is required. For a full schedule of events, visit the Design Week website.To register for Design Week workshops, click the “RSVP” button for the workshop(s) of your choice on the Design Week workshop page.

Design Week is organized by the Graphic Design and Digital Design & Fabrication programs and the School of Fine & Performing Arts.