2023 Design Competition

Zoom screenshot of the 2023 National High School Design Competition Finalists and Judges from Judging Weekend on June 11, 2023.

The 2023 Design Challenge

WHAT WOULD YOU DESIGN WITH DATA FOR YOUR COMMUNITY?

Designers are creative storytellers who can share powerful information in innovative and compelling ways. They can translate complex facts and figures into beautiful imagery and captivating stories—all by visualizing data.

Data visualizations are graphic representations of information. They help people understand and retain information to support them in seeing greater trends and patterns, making informed decisions, and communicating new ideas. These visuals can come in many forms, including graphs, charts, maps, or even something more abstract. Data visualizations may tell stories about health, racial injustice, climate change, peace, gender equity, and much more. Using data as a guide, designers, data scientists, and you are crucial to designing a more equitable future.

The 2023 National High School Design Competition challenged high school students around the country to use design and data to support their community.

The Selection Process

In Stage One, participants identified an opportunity to use data and design to support their community and designed a solution. Participants created a sketch of their idea and described how the design addressed the challenge. Cooper Hewitt selected three finalists to proceed to Stage Two of the Design Competition through an anonymous judging based on the criteria of innovation, impact, relevance, and communication.

During Stage Two, the three finalists furthered their designs using the Stage Two Brief document and participated in a mentor call during April 2023 for initial feedback. Finalists then traveled to Cambridge, MA to attend Mentor Weekend at the MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism on May 6–7, 2023. They took a deeper dive into the design process, learned more about addressing challenges through design, explored the design field, and worked on their final presentations. Then the finalists participated in the virtual Judging Weekend on June 10–11, 2023 and presented to the esteemed judges.

Design Competition Resources

Interested in using the 2023 challenge in your classroom? Explore these resources:

Use these resources to learn more about data visualization:

How we can find ourselves in data: A TED talk with Giorgia Lupi.
Data Action: Using Design for Public Good: A talk and book by Design Competition lead mentor Sarah Williams.
Deconstructing Power: W. E. B. Du Bois at the 1900 World’s Fair: An exhibition at Cooper Hewitt highlighting the innovative data visualizations that Du Bois and his students created to showcase the success Black Americans had achieved despite facing racism.
Digital Pioneers and the Urban Environment: A talk with designers using data to help American cities meet the needs of their diverse populations.
Data Feminism: A book by Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein.
Big Data? Big Issue?: A project by the Center for Urban Pedagogy and high school students to help understand and communicate how the New York Police Department uses big data to police the city.

Take a look at how designers use data to tell stories about health, racial injustice, climate change, peace, gender equity, and much more:

How might design and data raise awareness?

Black Lives Matter Street Mural Census by Kim Albrecht and Stephen Larrick: This visualization shows the locations and dates of Black Lives Matter street murals. It raises awareness of the fight against racial injustice and highlights differences in regional support for the movement.
Bruises—The Data We Don’t See by Giorgia Lupi and Accurat with music composed by Kaki King: This project shows clinical data about King’s daughter’s autoimmune disorder and the emotions she felt after the diagnosis. It highlights some parts of life for those who are disabled (either visibly or non-visibly) that aren’t generally shown.
Years With a Female Head of State by Mona Chalabi: This hand-drawn bar graph illustrates how many years a woman has held a position of power in different countries around the world.
Data Vandals by Jen Ray and Jason Forrest: This project presents non-traditional data visualizations for people in New York City, including through performance.
The Game of Life by Alexandra Davis: This project shares the data behind systemic racism in the form of a game. It creates a more engaging experience for the reader/player to understand and learn about the many injustices people of color face every day.

How might design and data reveal hidden patterns and trends?

CityDigits: Local Lotto by Laurie Rubel and Sarah Williams: This visualization shows how lottery affects neighborhoods differently.
2022 Positive Peace Index by The Institute for Economics and Peace: This simple map measures the level of peacefulness in 163 countries using 25,000 datasets gathered over multiple years.
City and rural population. 1890. by W. E. B. Du Bois and students of Atlanta University: This graph shows the number of Black Americans living in small and large cities compared to rural environments.
Map, WorldMapper Project: Global Internet Use 1999 and 2007 by the Social and Spatial Inequalities Research Group: This project measures internet use around the world by changing the size and shape of countries based on data.
Climate Crisis Font by Helsingin Sanomat: This font visualizes the urgency of the climate crisis. The font weight begins to disappear based on a sliding timescale using real Arctic Sea ice data.
UCSF Health Atlas by Stamen: These interactive maps show how the environment influences health in California.

To be notified of future competitions, email us at
DesignCompetition@si.edu.

The 2023 Judges

A diverse panel of creative experts met with the finalists to review and discuss their designs, and selected the winner on June 11, 2023.

The 2023 Judges were:

Irene, Au, Design Partner, Khosla Ventures
Kristine Johnson, Co-Founder, Executive Director of Design, Cognition Studio, Inc.
Yeshimabeit Milner, Founder & Executive Director, Data for Black Lives
Maria Nicanor, Director, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Eric Rodenbeck, Founding Partner, Stamen Design

The 2023 Mentors

The finalists attended an in-person Mentor Weekend at the MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism in Cambridge, MA on May 6–7, 2023 with mentors:

Sarah Williams (Lead Mentor), Director, MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism; Director, Civic Data Design Lab
Helen Kongsgaard, External Relations Manager, MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism
Alberto Meouchi, Research Associate, MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism

Special Guests

Tova Kleiner, 2017 National High School Design Competition Winner; Student, MIT
Carlos Sandoval Olascoaga, Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer, MIT
Elizabeth Yarina, Doctoral Student, MIT

The 2023 Competition Winner

Photo portrait of a young woman smiling, standing in front of the Cooper Hewitt National High School Design Competition sign, with light pink long hair wearing a blue long-sleeved dress with flowers. Congratulations to Eleanor Lewis for being named the winner of the 2023 National High School Design Competition! Eleanor is a graduating senior from Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami, FL.

Her project, Plant Resilient Miami, is a web-based tool that provides information on hyper-localized environmental conditions like heat and saltwater intrusion risk, and how they are projected to shift in coming decades. It uses this information to suggest native plant species that will be resilient to climate change, creating a greener Miami. Watch the presentations and explore the projects of all the finalists and honorable mention recipients.

The 2023 Finalists

Congratulations to the finalists, who were announced online on April 6, 2023:

Yoona (Sarah) Lee, grade 11, St. Paul’s School, Concord, NH, and
Yoojung (Claris) Shin, grade 10, Phillips Academy Andover, Andover, MA
Eleanor Lewis, grade 12
Design and Architecture Senior High, Miami, FL, Teacher: Eric Hankin
Rori Stanford, grade 12
Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Teacher: Scott Lang

Museum exhibition that uses data visualization to show the work of Black women artists. — Eleanor Lewis Final Image

Airplane safety card and box of cards showing the emotional journey map of a paralyzed Veteran. — Sarah (Yoona) Lee and Claris (Yoojung) Shin Final Image

The 2023 Honorable Mentions

Cooper Hewitt announced 12 Honorable Mentions on April 6, 2023. Congratulations!

My design brings awareness to the loneliness and isolation epidemic that seniors face. It highlights a story that represents millions of seniors who lack friendship and companionship. The 4D rendering is comprised of two data sets. Data 1 shows the amount of time one spends with others throughout a lifetime from Our World in Data. Data 2 is a music visualization from a spectrogram extracted from the song “Married Life” by Michael Giacchino. I used color, amplitude, and time to connect Data 2 to Data 1 in my design. The color spectrum correlates to emotions of loneliness throughout one’s lifetime. The blues and purples represent feelings of loneliness and isolation in seniors. My design brings seniors together, providing them with the comfort that they are not alone in these feelings. It also inspires compassion and empathy in younger generations. This will raise awareness and motivate young people to connect with seniors.

Gun violence is becoming more common. Anyone could fall victim to having their lives cut short by these tragic incidents. My design is an app called “Arm Us With Awareness” that addresses gun violence in the United States. It highlights important statistics, such as shooter intent and demographics of victims. I researched gun violence statistics in the United States through the Gun Violence Archive. I also used data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. My app displays different data visualizations of gun violence. I utilized a cohesive color palette and simple design. I used common symbols (gun pictograph, different people, identifying icons) to show the impact of gun violence on communities. Users can download the app to get updates and interactive graphics on gun violence. The statistics and interactive elements raise awareness on gun violence among communities.

My design shows which states have mandated free menstrual products in schools. A study found that 80% of menstruating teens said they have missed class time because they did not have access to period products. One’s education should not be interrupted because there is no access to necessary health products. I found the data I used from the Alliance for Period Supplies. Data can also be gathered from each state’s legislation. I created a design that was visually striking to catch the attention of viewers. I did this by recreating a shocking material in my work: blood. An important part of my design is that the blood looks realistic and striking, while still normalizing period blood. Period poverty is a global issue that everyone, regardless of whether they menstruate, should care about. Non-menstruators do not face issues like these every day, so it is my goal to bring this issue to everyone. To do this I will display my piece in communal places.

I am presenting data on the lack of condom usage and other birth control by students. I want to show students why birth control is so important by discussing the impacts of not using condoms, regardless of sexual orientation. This will help teenagers who lack proper sexual education. I found my data from news articles discussing how teenage birth control usage has dropped in recent years. I also looked at official government websites, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, that explain the importance of birth control. My design will include a pie chart on the packaging of condoms to show the consequences when they are not always used. This will entice students to scan the QR on the other side. It will share data and raise awareness that lack of condom usage can lead to an increase in STDs and pregnancy. A map will show locations offering birth control and testing. These condoms would be distributed to local high schools. The map can be expanded to other counties and states.

In 2020, 11,654 Americans died in alcohol-related driving accidents, which makes up 30% of all driving fatalities. Despite this problematic statistic, 53.5% of people believe that they are capable of driving after drinking. To decrease alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, people must understand the true horrors of drunk driving. The data I am visualizing is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics of motor vehicle crashes in 2020. The dataset includes an analysis of how behavioral factors, such as alcohol-impaired driving, affect fatality trends. Additionally, I used the American Addiction Centers’ website to learn about the attitudes and habits of drunk drivers. “1/11654” is a colorful public art installation that brings awareness to the risks of alcohol-impaired driving. This eye-catching design depicts each alcohol-impaired driving fatality as a 1/64 scale car, modified to reflect a post-collision car. The sculpture is accompanied by a plaque that says, “Don’t be 1/11654. Drive sober.” Through awareness, my design will help decrease the amount of people killed by alcohol-impaired driving. As the sculpture can be set in most public areas, it could make a worldwide difference.

My data visualization shows the amount of CO2 emissions, glacier mass loss, and sea level changes over the past ten years. This shows the severity of climate change which affects so many forms of wildlife and our human population. My visualization can help raise urgency in reversing our collective mistakes. I researched various data sets from sources tracking CO2 emissions, glacier mass loss, and sea level changes from resources provided by NASA. My design consists of three parts: CO2 emissions, melted ice, and sea level. CO2 levels are measured in gigatons, ice mass in tons, and sea level changes in millimeters. All graphs are split into the years symbolizing the planetary scale changes over time. This design will be displayed on parking kiosks in busy cities where air pollution is severe. The visualization will make people more aware of the global impact of our choices and inspire them to find alternative energy sources and solutions.

Climpact is an interactive mapping system that allows users to view locations and determine the impact of damage from past major weather-related disasters. I used data from open building footprints datasets in the UnitedStates. I looked at FEMA for data on natural disasters from 1953 to today. FEMA also shows information on support provided and scale of damage for natural disasters. In Climpact, you can select a location to update the map and display sites in the area and a related disaster list. Picking an incident refreshes the map to reflect the level and type of damage with color coding and icons. For example, choosing Hurricane Ida shows Central Grocery in red with the relevant icons. Users worldwide can make better decisions on where to live, study, work, and visit. Businesses and governments can determine where to invest and promote growth. They can also help deter people from moving to a specific area. Climpact increases climate change awareness by allowing users to interact easily with geospatial and weather event data.

AiR presents data on vehicle emissions and their impact on the environment and climate change. My design calls attention to the harmful particles that enter our air. It aims to educate people on the negative effects common vehicles have on our planet. This is a problem that affects all life on earth. My design uses data on the greenhouse gas emissions of an average car from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The data on the air pollution of Central Jersey is from New Jersey’s Division of Air Quality. AiR is a website that uses augmented reality to scan different vehicles and display an animation of air pollution. This shows users the normalized and invisible, yet damaging particles from cars or aircrafts that contribute to our atmosphere. For visually impaired users, the phone will emit rapid vibrations alongside the animation. This website will be free and accessible to anyone with a mobile device with a camera around the world. It will raise awareness of an important topic. My design will encourage people to consider other means of transportation, like carpooling or riding a bike.

My data shows the percentage of households with low food security in the United States. This can help us understand the needs of others and provide a way to donate through a trackable food truck. I want to impact donors and recipients by providing awareness and methods to help. My main data is from a USDA Economic Research Service report on household food security. I also researched cities with the highest need to highlight the most critical areas in our country. My main graph shows the percentage of households with low and very low food security in the past 10 years. The figures representing the points on the chart are shown as orange and red empty human symbols indicating their critical condition. My design is displayed as LED screens on a traveling donation truck. The screens also show how many meals are delivered through my campaign called #MealsonUS. Users can track this information and the location of the truck through social media updates. This will encourage involvement in donating across the country.

We visualized the large wealth gap in the United States. We compared low- and high-income populations’ food budgets, graduation rates, and homeownership. These elements of daily life are often taken for granted. We gathered our data from the National Center for Education Statistics, College Board, U.S. Census Bureau, USDA Economic Research Service, and Statista. The center triangle in our design shows the unequal national wealth distribution using icons of people and money. Three tabs show inequalities in food spending, homeownership, and graduation rates. Our design is a call to action. We want to highlight the huge effects of the national wealth gap. Visualizing our data in a digital, easily accessible model helps users better understand this information. Users will be inspired to learn more and advocate for policies that address the wealth gap and work toward an equitable society.

I am presenting data on the amount of water that teenagers in my community drink daily, from one to eight cups. The majority (66.6%) of survey responders drank less than eight cups daily. Maintaining your physical and mental health is important, especially during adolescence. Drinking enough water can help achieve this. I collected the data myself through a Google Form. Since I wanted to observe the water intake of teenagers, I sent the form to peers in my grade as well as a few who were not in my grade. My design is a water bottle label, with the background being my visualization of the collected data. Each wave is a certain percentage of responders, from one cup to eight cups. This gamified experience of drinking water with goals and rewards empowers people to get in the habit of drinking the daily recommended amount of water. The design is accessible to everyone and can be reusable. It can impact anyone who may need to drink more water.

Aviya Afra, grade 11
Grauer School, Encinitas, CA
Sarah Basil, grade 12
Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ
Teacher: Scott Lang
Vera Giraudo, grade 10
Avenues The World School, New York, NY
Teacher: Gretel Schwartzott
Grace Guo, grade 11, and Jane Martens, grade 11
Carmel High School, Carmel, IN
Amelia Kiefer, grade 12
Design and Architecture Senior High, Miami, FL
Teacher: Eric Hankin
Tiffany Kurniawan, grade 9
Granada Hills Charter High School, Granada Hills, CA
Teacher: Jackie Ying
Jaime Lai, grade 11
Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ
Miller Roberts, grade 10
Westlake High School, Austin, TX
Eiliyah Sarowar, grade 11
Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ
Robin Suh, grade 9
Tenafly High School, Tenafly, NJ
Emma Wong, grade 10, and Alice Zhou, grade 10
Miramonte High School, Orinda, CA
Katie Yang, grade 12
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, KY

2023 Special Thanks

The National High School Design Competition is made possible with generous support from Adobe, eBay Inc., Yaroslav Faybishenko and Jennie Rubinshteyn, and Cooper Hewitt’s Board of Trustees.