The Future of School is a research-driven design project reimagining learning environments through the lens of creativity, neuroscience, and human-centered design. I began by studying the history of American education and its current challenges, which led to conversations with a flexible school space designer, a district administrator, and an architect focused on experience design.
​School should be a place where students fall in love with learning, collaborate, and explore. I defined the core problem as a lack of space where kids can be loud, messy, and enter the immersive flow state essential for creativity, self-regulation, and connection.
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Guided by neuroarts research from, Your Brain on Art, I designed modular creative structures that can be used in homes, schools, libraries, or public parks. These units store organized supplies and equipment for all kinds of creative expression. They represent a bridge between current educational infrastructure and a future where biophilic, collaborative, art-centered environments are the norm in public spaces.
To bring the concept to life, I used Adobe Illustrator, and SketchUp with Enscape to model and render both the modular pod and a speculative exhibition in Bryant Park. This immersive visualization allowed me to explore how the design could integrate into real-world public environments and engage a broader community.
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Window Display | Our team was tasked with creating a large-scale promotional window display inspired by the waiting room scene from Beetlejuice. I contributed the initial concept sketch, focusing on iconic elements like the shrunken head and charred skeleton, and helped guide the collaborative vision through sketch review, 3D modeling, and a final rendering.
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​I led material research for scenic painting, sourcing color swatches and testing brushes to recreate the set's eerie textures. I also constructed key props, including a foam-core 1980s-style computer with lighting effects, and built the wall flats using 2x4s and canvas, carefully measuring to fit the window without disassembly.
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​Additional contributions included refining character details (like replacing unrealistic eyes on the skeleton with glass taxidermy eyes), adapting found objects into budget-conscious props, and assisting with the installation of large scale vinyl signage. When professional photography fell through, I helped coordinate a DIY photo shoot to document the final work.
​This project showcased my ability to take initiative, solve problems creatively, and balance leadership with collaboration under tight deadlines.
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Exhibition Design | The Soleutions Exhibit: 5,000 Years of Human Innovation in Footwear was a concept I researched and developed to practice all aspects of exhibition design. From defining the intended audience, to creating invitations and promotional materials, designing wayfinding, and shaping the overall guest experience. I handled spatial planning and designed display structures to showcase artifacts effectively.
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To enhance engagement, I created branding, developed an app mockup, and prototyped a window-based augmented reality experience that lets visitors virtually try on shoes, supported by a video demonstration.
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Tools used: SketchUp, Adobe Illustrator + After Effects.
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