Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will host its fourth annual National Design Week from Oct. 18 through Oct. 24. The museum will offer free museum admission, sponsored by Target, along with a series of public programs and a range of online resources for students, teachers, design professionals and the general public to celebrate the important role that design plays in all aspects of daily life.
National Design Week is held in conjunction with Cooper-Hewitt's most visible public education program, the National Design Awards. Now in its tenth year, the Awards recognize the best in American design across a range of disciplines. The winners will be honored at an Oct. 22 gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.
Free public programs include:
Teen Design Fair, 4:00–7:00 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19
New York City high school students are invited to learn about careers in design. The Teen Design Fair, hosted by Tim Gunn, brings leading designers working in the fields of fashion, industrial, multimedia, graphic design and architecture, to meet one-on-one with students. Design colleges from around the country will also be on hand to provide admissions and scholarship information. Free for high school students. Held at the New York Times Center (242 West 41st Street, between 7th and 8th Avenue, New York)
The Business of Design, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20
Business leaders discuss how design impacts their overall strategy and affects their bottom line. Moderated by Daniel Pink. FREE. Held at the New York Times Center (242 West 41st Street, between 7th and 8th Avenue, New York) Register online at http://events.cooperhewitt.org/.
Winners’ Panel, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20
National Design Award winners participate in a panel discussion about the state of contemporary design in America. FREE. Held at the New York Times Center (242 West 41st Street, between 7th and 8th Avenue, New York) Register online at http://events.cooperhewitt.org/.
"Design USA: Contemporary Innovation" exhibition
National Design Award winners will be on view in an exhibition that explores the way that design innovation has transformed our lives over the past decade. Free admission during National Design Week. Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (2 East 91st Street, New York) Learn more.
“Objectified,” film screenings at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21
Featuring many of the designers in “Design USA,” “Objectified” is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. FREE. Held at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (2 East 91st Street, New York) Register online at http://events.cooperhewitt.org/.
People’s Design Award, online voting Sept. 21–Oct. 20
Whether an everyday object, a design classic or an architectural landmark, Cooper-Hewitt invites the public to express their views on what constitutes good design as part of the 2009 National Design Awards program.
Design enthusiasts can submit nominations, participate in a discussion board and select their favorite designs by logging into www.peoplesdesignaward.org.
The winner will be announced Oct. 22 at the National Design Awards Gala in New York City, which will be streamed live on Cooper-Hewitt's Web site at 9:30 p.m. EST. Marianne Cusato, designer of the Katrina Cottage, was selected as the first People's Design Award winner in 2006; TOMS Shoes, a company that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold, won in 2007; and the Zõn Hearing Aid took home the award in 2008.
In preparation for National Design Week, Cooper-Hewitt will host an Educator Open House from 4 to 6:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25. The museum’s Education team will share information about the online Educator Resource Center, K-12 school field-trips, Design Directions programs for high school students and professional development opportunities. The online Educator Resource Center features design-focused lesson plans and discussion boards for K-12 educators interested in incorporating design in their classrooms. The site now includes more than 250 lesson plans aligned to national standards for all grade levels and helps teachers of all subjects, including mathematics, science, language arts and history, as well as art, learn ways to promote innovation, critical thinking, visual literacy and problem-solving across the curriculum.
The National Design Awards and National Design Week are made possible by the generous sponsorship of Target.
