SFAI Design Studio

In 2014, the Santa Fe Art Institute launched several new initiatives to address its new mission: how can SFAI cultivate creative practices (from fine art to design to urban planning and beyond), engage with diverse communities, and address the most pressing social issues of our time? The summer marked its inaugural Design Studio, a four-week intensive course for youth who had previously never been exposed to the design process. Led by SNCC team members, the studio asked students to design seating and shelter for the Santo Domingo community, focusing on the Heritage Trail. Students were given cost and time parameters and asked to present their installation ideas to to community members to see which was most viable. The goal of this studio was to introduce youth to the various practical applications of design thinking.