May 25, 2019

Graduate students from the Interior Architecture program presented their work on a symposium panel at the Environmental Design Research Association titled “Bright Futures, Dark Futures: Envisioning the Consequences of Climate Change.” The panel was organized by professors William Mangold and Sarah Lippmann showcasing work from their graduate studio and seminar courses which used the book Four Futures by Peter Frase to engage students in designing for a variety of future scenarios. Frase argues that climate change and increasing automation will challenge social structures and lifestyles. Drexel students took this as an opportunity to image some of the consequences of these changes and how interior environments might respond to generate new living conditions. 

EDRA’s mission is to “provide a collaborative, multidisciplinary community to connect theory, research, teaching, and practice to recognize, create and advocate for environments that are responsive to diverse human needs.” The theme of the conference was “Sustainable Urban Environments: Research, Design and Planning for the Next 50 Years” and panels explored how environments at all scales can be designed in support of a more sustainable world. Over 500 presenters from 35 countries met at New York University’s Brooklyn campus, bringing together a global perspective on environmental design research.