Cities

National Design Awards Cities

As part of the museum’s National Design Awards, Cooper Hewitt travels to several cities each year, connecting NDA winners, past and present, to local communities. Programs for students, educators, and design enthusiasts include hands-on workshops, professional development opportunities, and dynamic panel discussions.

In celebration of the 2021 National Design Awards, NDA Cities took place virtually in Detroit as an official part of the Detroit Month of Design. Programmed by Design Core, Detroit Month of Design is a citywide celebration of creativity that gathers designers and the greater community to celebrate Detroit’s role as a UNESCO City of Design.

2021 Special Thanks

NDA Cities is made possible with generous support from The Hirsch Family Foundation.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

2021 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN detroit

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the National Design Awards virtually in Detroit in September 2021 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design.

Virtual programs included a panel discussion with 2021 National Design Award winners, an educator workshop featuring designers from Shinola, and hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 students at the Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus Boys & Girls Club and the Lloyd H. Diehl Boys & Girls Club.

Watch the National Design Awards in Detroit panel discussion, moderated by 2021 National Design Award Juror Kofi Boone (Professor, NC State University), below.

2020 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN detroit

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the National Design Awards virtually in Detroit in September 2020 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design. Featured winners were Jeffrey Mansfield, Design Director, MASS Design Group (2017 Architecture Design Award), Monica Ponce de Leon, Dean of the Princeton University School of Architecture (2007 Architecture Design Award), and Craig Wilkins, architect, academic, and author (2017 Design Mind Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 students at Holden at Trix Academy Boys & Girls Club, and Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus Boys & Girls Club, and the Lloyd H. Diehl Boys & Girls Club.

Watch the full National Design Awards in Detroit panel discussion below.

2019 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN Los Angeles and san francisco

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the National Design Awards in Los Angeles and San Francisco in February 2020 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design. Featured winners were Susan Kare (2019 Achievement Award), Ivan Poupyrev (2019 Interaction Design Award), and Lisa Iwamoto of IwamotoScott Architecture (2019 Interior Design Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, professional development for K–12 educators, DISEÑO
workshops with Verda Alexander (Studio O+A) and Christina De Leon and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools including Washington Middle School, Lindbergh Middle School, Hudson K-8, Walnut High School, PLACE @ Prescott Elementary School, Mission Clubhouse Boys & Girls Club, and Don Fisher Clubhouse Boys & Girls Club.

Cooper Hewitt in The Classroom at Place@Prescott

2019 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN DETROIT

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the National Design Awards in Detroit in November 2019 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design. Featured winners were Pinar Guvenc of Open Style Lab (2019 Emerging Designer Award), Derek Lam (2019 Fashion Design Award), and Patricia Moore (2019 Design Mind Award).

Programs included a panel discussion in collaboration with Include, a biennial international conference that focuses on issues central to inclusive and people-centered design, professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools including Charles H. Wright Academy of Arts and Science, Ludington Magnet Middle/Honors School, Steven T. Mason Academy, Holden at Trix Academy Boys & Girls Club, and Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus NFL/Yet Boys & Girls Club.

Watch the full National Design Awards in Detroit panel discussion below.

2018 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN DETROIT

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the National Design Awards in Detroit in April 2019 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design. Featured winners were Craig Wilkins (2017 Design Mind Award), Chris Reed, Founder and Director, Stoss Landscape Urbanism (2012 Landscape Architecture Award), David Malda, Principal, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (2011 Landscape Architecture Award) and Richard Roark, Partner, Olin (2008 Landscape Architecture Award).

Programs included a panel discussion in collaboration with Design Core Detroit’s Drinks x Design, a professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools including Charles H. Wright Academy of Arts and Science, Ludington Magnet Middle/Honors School, and Steven T. Mason Academy.

Watch the full National Design Awards in Detroit panel discussion below.

2018 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN SAN FRANCISCO

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the 2018 National Design Awards in San Francisco with a panel and reception on February 7, 2019 and through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design with winners including Gail Anderson, graphic designer, author, and educator (2018 Lifetime Achievement Award), Liz Gerber, faculty founder, Design for America (2018 Corporate and Institutional Achievement), and Michael Ellsworth, co-founder and principal of Civilization (2018 Communication Design).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, a professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools.

Watch the full National Design Awards in San Francisco panel discussion below.

2018 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN BOSTON

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the 2018 National Design Awards in Boston with a panel and reception on November 15, 2018 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design with winners including Mikyoung Kim, Founding Principal, Mikyoung Kim Design (2018 Landscape Architecture Award), Sunanda Sharma, researcher, The Mediated Matter Group (2018 Interaction Design Award) and Anne Whiston Spirn, landscape architect, professor, and author (2018 Design Mind Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, a professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools.

Watch the full National Design Awards in Boston panel discussion below.

2017 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN BOSTON

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the 2017 National Design Awards in Boston with a panel and reception on March 1, 2018 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design with winners including Craig L. Wilkins, architect, academic, and author (Design Mind Award); Alan Ricks, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, MASS Design Group (Architecture Design Award), and Deborah Berke, Partner, Deborah Berke Partners (Interior Design Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, a professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools, including Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School, and TechBoston Academy.

Watch the full National Design Awards in Boston panel discussion below.

2017 National Design Awards in San Francisco

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the 2017 National Design Awards in San Francisco on January 24, 2018 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design with winners including Hartmut Esslinger, designer, founder of frog design (Lifetime Achievement Award); James Lord, founding principal of Surfacedesign (Landscape Architecture Award); Jennifer Morla, president and creative director of Morla Design (Communication Design Award); and Eric Rodenbeck, CEO and creative director of Stamen Design (Interaction Design Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion, a professional development for K–12 educators, and design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools, including Abraham Lincoln High School, Bayside STEAM Academy, Gateway Middle School, June Jordan School for Equity, and PLACE @ Prescott Elementary School.

Watch the full National Design Awards in San Francisco panel discussion below.

2017 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS IN WASHINGTON, DC

Cooper Hewitt celebrated the 2017 National Design Awards in Washington, DC on November 9, 2017 through a series of education programs that engaged with the public and students on the power of design with winners including Susan Chin, executive director of Design Trust for Public Space (Corporate & Institutional Achievement Award); Mary Ping, founder of Slow and Steady Wins the Race (Fashion Design Award); and Susan S. Szenasy, director of design innovation of Metropolis (Director’s Award).

Programs included a special reception and panel discussion as well as design-based, hands-on learning experiences for local K–12 schools, including DC Bilingual Public Charter School, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Phelps ACE Senior High School, and School Without Walls.

2016 National Design Awards in San Francisco

View photos below of the inaugural celebration of the west coast winners of the National Design Awards at DWR San Francisco on January 24, 2017. Hundreds of guests enjoyed an evening of drinks and conversation, followed by a lively discussion with 2016 National Design Award winners: Verda Alexander, founder and principal, Studio O+A (Interior Design); Robert Brunner, founder and partner of Ammunition (Product Design); Geoff McFetridge (Communication Design); Gavin McMillan, principal of Hargreaves Associates (Landscape Architecture); and Nick Scappaticci, founder and partner of Tellart (Interaction Design).