2018 Year in Review

Our world by design.

In 2018, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum launched a 3-year strategic plan.

Our vision is for everyone to discover the importance of design and its power to change the world.

Thanks to your support, we have made significant strides, impacting hundreds of thousands of people through our innovative exhibitions, programming, and initiatives.

Together, we are inspiring the change agents of today to design a better tomorrow.

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Explore our world, by design

Leading by design.

Main List

Being a platform for design.

“As designers, we use our skills to catalyze change.”

—

Corey Gutch, co-founder and principal, Civilization
2018 National Design Award winner for Communication Design

ELEVATING ISSUES ON A GLOBAL STAGE. Representing the United States for the second time at the 2018 London Design Biennale, Cooper Hewitt presented Face Values, an immersive installation exploring the pervasive but often hidden role of facial detection technology in contemporary society. Face Values won the Biennale Medal for most inspiring interpretation of the theme of emotional states.

Cooper Hewitt works closely with the Smithsonian Institution to achieve greater reach, relevance, and impact worldwide.

The long gilded surtout de table sits on a white background

Expanding and enhancing our collection. Cooper Hewitt’s invaluable collection of historic and contemporary design informs and strengthens our exhibitions, programming, and initiatives. New acquisitions and state-of-the-art conservation efforts allow us to protect and preserve the nation’s design history and broaden design’s scope and impact.

This magnificent surtout de table, which once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte’s stepson, Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, is a newly conserved masterpiece of design and is on view for the first time in 30 years thanks to support from the Smithsonian Women’s Committee.

↓See acquisition highlights

2018 Acquisition Highlights

Accessible Icon
Designed by Tim Ferguson-Sauder (American, b. 1972), Brian Glenney (American, b.1974), Sara Hendren (American, b. 1973), Accessible Icon Project
2009-11
EPS file, SVG file
File in public domain, collected by Cooper Hewitt in collaboration with the designers, 2017-72-1-a/d

Drawing, Concept Car, 1955
Designed by Pete Wozena (American, 1918-2006)
Made in Office of General Motors, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Color pencil, brush and gouache on paper
50 × 65.1 cm (19 11/16 × 25 5/8 in.)
Museum purchase through gift of Paul Herzan and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund, 2017-18-8

Chair With Holes, 1989
Designed by Gijs Bakker (Dutch, b.1942)
Manufactured by Fiction Factory (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Assembled cut and drilled unvarnished maple wood
77 × 43.6 × 44 cm (30 5/16 × 17 3/16 × 17 5/16 in.)
Gift of Melanie Courbet, courtesy of Helen Drutt, 2017-52-1

Three HLD 4 No. 4416 Hair Dryers, 1970
Designed by Dieter Rams (German, b. 1932)
Manufactured by Braun AG (Frankfurt, Germany)
Molded plastic, electronic components
Each: 5 × 13.5 × 8 cm (1 15/16 × 5 5/16 × 3 1/8 in.)
Gift of Robert M. Greenberg, 2017-51-22‍/25

Sample, Decor I Series, Curve Turquoise, 1969
Designed by Verner Panton (Danish, 1926-1998)
Manufactured by Mira-X International Furnishings, Inc. Suhr, Switzerland
Screen-printed cotton on supplementary warp pile (velvet)
119.6 × 125.1 cm (47 1/16 × 49 1/4 in.)
Museum purchase from the Members’ Acquisitions Fund of Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, 2017-9-2

Balaclava, 2016
Designed by Jörg Hartmann (German, b. 1961)
Manufactured by H. Stoll AG & Co. KG, Reutlingen, Germany
Knitted virgin wool, Lycra, polyamide, polyester reflective yarns, copper
HxW:35.6×22.9cm(14×9in.)
Gift of H. Stoll AG & Co. KG, 2017-49-1Photo courtesy of Amos Fricke © H. Stoll AG & Co. KG.

GR Wouw Wallpaper, 2009
Designed by Claudy Jongstra (Dutch, b.1963)
Made in Spannum, Friesland, Netherlands
Felted Drenth Heath and Merino wools, raw silk, raw linen, weld dye with applied paper backing
210.5 x 104.1 cm (6 ft. 10 7/8 in. x 41 in.)
Gift of Claudy Jongstra, 2018-31-1

Sidewall, All of Us, 2008
Designed by Geoff McFetridge (Canadian, b.1971)
Made in Los Angeles, California, USA
Screen-printed paper
457.2 × 76.2 cm (15 ft. × 30 in.)
Gift of Geoff McFetridge, 2017-25-7

Man speaks at the lectern at the National Design Awards cermony

Defining design leaders. Now in its 19th year, Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Awards program recognizes profound talent across 11 categories, promoting design as a vital humanistic tool for shaping the world. Five hundred guests came together for the gala benefit dinner and ceremony held on October 18, 2018 to honor the winners and celebrate the far-reaching impact of their work.

Made possible by support from Target, Design Within Reach, Facebook, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the National Design Awards honor lasting achievement in American Design.

↓Meet the 2018 winners

2018 National Design Award Winners

National Design Week

2018 education program highlights include:

DESIGN FEST
Nearly 3,000 visitors of all ages participated in gallery scavenger hunts, workshops led by National Design Award winners, design projects with Adobe, and activities with Sesame Workshop.

TEEN DESIGN FAIR
Three hundred high school students met with nearly 50 professional designers and a dozen college representatives to learn about design higher education and career paths.

EDUCATOR OPEN HOUSE
Seventy K–12 teachers, museum educators, and caregivers learned strategies for creative problem-solving through a hands-on experience with Delta Faucet Company.

WINNERS’ SALONS
More than 200 design enthusiasts attended engaging panel discussions led by National Design Award winners on salient topics such as the relationship between the built environment and the human experience.

Inclusive by design.

Main List

Reflecting the communities we serve.

“Great design is a right.”

—

Michael Murphy, founding principal and executive director, MASS Design Group
2017 National Design Award winner for Architecture Design

Exterior shot of Cooper Hewitt, with people interacting and playing in the garden

Broadening museum accessibility. In 2018, Cooper Hewitt significantly increased access to its exhibitions and programming through a broad spectrum of initiatives. Accessible features were embedded throughout exhibitions, including large-print labels, audio descriptions, and the award- winning Accessible Exhibition Guide on mobile devices. Expanded education programs include monthly verbal description tours for the blind community and Morning at the Museum, which provides early morning access to visitors with cognitive and sensory processing disabilities.

Celebrating inclusive design. Access+Ability (Dec. 2017–Sept. 2018) presented more than 70 innovative products that address different physical, cognitive, and sensory challenges, taking advantage of the latest developments in digital technologies and fabrication methods. In 2019, a special installation of the exhibition will be on view at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where inclusive design will be a key message to the gathering of global leaders.

Access+Ability, with invaluable support from AARP and the Ford Foundation, showcased innovative designs created with and by people with disabilities to advance accessibility in ways previously unimaginable.

Three young people sit together and smile, two of them draw on sheets of white paper

Extending programming nationwide. NDA CITIES connects underserved students, educators, and design enthusiasts across the country with National Design Award winners and museum resources. In 2018, we worked with communities from Boston to San Francisco to integrate design into school curricula, create exposure to design careers and thought leaders, and build a network for continued engagement with the design community.

Thanks to major support from Target and Adobe, Cooper Hewitt offers hands-on workshops, professional development opportunities, and dynamic panel discussions to underserved communities nationwide.

Funding is also provided by Design Within Reach, Facebook, Edward and Helen Hintz, and Siegel Family Endowment.

Ten people stand together and smile for the camera in a large, bright room with high ceilings

Empowering the next generation to champion inclusivity. The 2018 National High School Design Competition challenged high school students around the country to make an everyday place, process, or object accessible for all. Three teams were selected as finalists from 528 submissions. The teams participated in hands-on workshops and received mentoring from top designers to refine their final presentations.

Launched in collaboration with Target in 2016, the competition calls for students across the country to design a life-improving solution to a real-world challenge.

↓Learn more about the winning team

2018 National High School Design Competition Winners

Two young women stand with a man in front of a white wall with a target on it made up of small, colorful circles

Emily Bryson and Natasja Enriquez of Miami, FL were named the winning team for their design, Art-Share, a tactile art-making tool kit for individuals who are blind or have low vision. Pictured here: Emily and Natasja with Todd Waterbury, Cooper Hewitt trustee and chief creative officer of Target Corporation, at Target’s headquarters in Minneapolis, where they learned about the company’s contributions to accessible design.

Engaging by design.

Main List

Agile by design.

Main List

Creating new opportunities for collaboration and impact.

“Design must evolve out of the respect for the needs and aspirations of people.”

—

Moshe Safdie
Architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author
2016 National Design Award winner for Lifetime Achievement

A panel of people sit facing a large seated audience

Stimulating complex conversations. Presented in partnership with New York City’s Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the first-ever Cooper Hewitt Lab: Design Access (Feb. 2–17, 2018) was a robust series of conversations, workshops, and events focused on accessibility and inclusion. Launched in conjunction with Cooper Hewitt’s accessibility initiatives, programs included a symposium uniting policy makers, designers, educators, and the public.

Thanks to generous support from AARP and the Ford Foundation, Cooper Hewitt Lab: Design Access activated the Barbara and Morton Mandel Design Gallery as a collaborative space for learning and experimentation.

Fabric samples and color swatches lay flat on a white surface

Finding new sources of inspiration. In the eighth installment of the Design by Hand series, Dutch studio Scholten & Baijings led workshops about its experimental approach to product design, working with participants to explore color, form, and materials. Inspired by their philosophy, Cooper Hewitt organized an interactive installation for the museum’s Process Lab based on the studio’s creative process.

Launched in partnership with Van Cleef & Arpels in 2013, the Design by Hand lecture and workshop series sheds light on the importance of craftsmanship in contemporary design.

Forging unique partnerships. Drawing inspiration from The Senses and Cooper Hewitt’s Design Thinking Workshop, Delta Faucet, a major sponsor of the exhibition, developed an innovative concept faucet that elevates the sensory experience of water. The concept design was unveiled to the public on October 15, 2018, during National Design Week.

Using the design process for the concept faucet as a case study, Delta Faucet designers also led the Educator Open House during National Design Week, challenging workshop participants to design ways to move water.

A woman examines a table design which features many connected seats and surfaces. The piece is within the Tablescapes: Designs for Dining exhibit

Inspiring new collaborations. As America’s design museum, Cooper Hewitt is a hub for connecting people and great ideas. The collaboration between Mary Ping, recipient of the 2017 National Design Award for Fashion Design, and Joe Doucet, recipient of the 2017 National Design Award for Product Design, is an example of a partnership born at Cooper Hewitt. Their resulting table and serveware concept designs envision a sustainable future of dining and are presented in the exhibition Tablescapes: Designs for Dining.

A model in a striped dress holding a leather bag walks down a runway sided by hedges and trees

Supporting designers. Cooper Hewitt is a venue for celebrating great design and discovering emerging design trends. The museum hosted Tory Burch’s Spring/Summer 2019 Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week, providing a stage to showcase the designer’s latest work.

The Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden, which integrates contemporary landscape features with the garden’s historic plantings, provided a stunning backdrop for Tory Burch to unveil her Spring/Summer collection.

Photo courtesy of Dan & Corina Lecca

Strong by design.

Main List

Achieving financial strength through varied revenue streams.

“Creativity is the most uniquely human trait.
We have to prepare the next generation to be creative.”

—

Scott Belsky, president, Cooper Hewitt Board of Trustees

Ten people smile and pose for the camera at the National Design Awards

Fostering the next generation of design minds. The Young Patrons program, a dynamic group of design professionals and enthusiasts ages 21–45 with a passion for supporting Cooper Hewitt and shaping the future of design, celebrated its one-year anniversary in 2018. Young Patrons have access to a variety of museum resources and engage with top designers through exclusive studio visits, tours, and events.

Many groups of people smile and converse in the garden in front of Cooper Hewitt

Connecting design lovers. 2018 was another successful year for Cocktails at Cooper Hewitt, the museum’s summer performance series held in the Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden. Guests enjoyed cocktails, conversations, and a dynamic lineup of musicians and dancers ranging from hip-hop and electronic to classical and jazz.

The 2018 lineup included several Juilliard Nights, featuring students and alumni from Juilliard School and made possible by generous support from Enid and Lester Morse.

↓See 2018 highlights

Enjoy Cocktails at Cooper Hewitt!

Two standing people interact with a seated woman, who is working with crafting materials on the table in front of her

Sparking the next design success story. Many great ideas and collaborations begin at Cooper Hewitt. In 2018 we expanded our customizable Design Thinking Workshops for corporate members so that our partners can engage in design thinking, be equipped with the creative tools to realize their ideas, and forge deeper connections to the Cooper Hewitt community.

A detailed drawing on aged paper of a grand building with a large courtyard

Growing our endowment. In order to support our strategic goals, Cooper Hewitt is building annual and long-term financial support. Major gifts in 2018 included a $1 million gift from the Drue Heinz Trust, which is fortifying Cooper Hewitt’s financial health and providing the resources needed for the museum to fulfill its mission.

The gift from the Drue Heinz Trust will support Cooper Hewitt’s Drawings, Prints & Graphic Design department, which holds over 147,000 drawings and prints including architectural renderings, graphic design, industrial drawings, decorative sketches, and textile designs.

Drawing, Chateau de Verneuil-sur-Oise, near Senlis, 1568–75; Designed by Jacques Androuet Du Cerceau the Elder (French, ca. 1515 – after 1584); Pen and brown ink, brush and blue, gray wash on wove paper; 42.9 x 54.8 cm (16 7/8 x 21 9/16 in.); Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council; 1911-28-72

1.5 million visitors since opening. 59% millenials, 47% involved in design. 210,000 objects digitized and available for view on cooperhewitt.org. 25,000 students, educators, and adults took part in our free education programs in 2018. 30 centuries of design. 93 Cooper Hewitt staff who bring it all to life.

“Cooper Hewitt is not only a temple to intelligent and dazzling design, but also teaches the world how design can help build a more just world.”

—

Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation
2018 National Design Award winner, Director’s Award

2018 Year in Review

Our world by design.

Leading by design.

2018 Acquisition Highlights

2018 National Design Award Winners

National Design Week

Inclusive by design.

2018 National High School Design Competition Winners

Engaging by design.

Experience The Senses

Agile by design.

Strong by design.

Enjoy Cocktails at Cooper Hewitt!