Dezeen School Shows: a spa that integrates natural materials including stone and mineral plaster is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at Drexel University.

Also included is an education centre for agriculture in Puerto Rico and a music venue situated by the Trinity River in Dallas, USA.

Drexel University

Institution: Drexel University
School: Department of Architecture, Design and Urbanism
Courses: BArch, BS Interior Design, MS Interior Architecture and MS Design Research
Tutors: William Mangold, Dee Nicholas, Andrew Phillips and Frances Temple-West

School statement:

“Drexel University offers the nation’s top programs for experiential learning with dedicated co-op work experiences and a mission of civic engagement.

“The Department of Architecture, Design and Urbanism includes undergraduate programs in architecture and interior design and graduate programs in interior architecture, design research and urban strategy.

“Work from our programs explores qualities of place and considers that our lives are constantly shaped by the spaces we inhabit.

“At all scales, we respond to the form, light and materials of the world around us and we actively engage our social and natural environments.

“Through research and design interventions, our work enhances our lives and promotes community.”

Architecture as Séance: A Dialogue Across Time by Lauren Tennenbaum

“Architecture embodies both history and visions of the future.

“The way we inhabit old buildings then can be a form of seance: a dialogue with the ghosts of our past to grapple with history and take agency in constructing heritage.

“Utilising Philadelphia’s landmark brutalist Roundhouse building – former home of the Philadelphia Police Department – this thesis explores how design can amplify or subvert experiences of place and history, enabling us to reimagine our relationship with the past as an active conversation, always in progress.”

Student: Lauren Tennenbaum
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: William Mangold

The Mix: Adapting to Gentrification Through Community Place-Making by Ananya Vijayendra

“This thesis project focuses on addressing socio-economic disparities in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York City through strategic design interventions.

“Unlike typical gentrification that causes physical displacement, Chelsea is experiencing ’emotional displacement’ where long-term residents feel out of place amid rapid development.

“The project creates ‘third spaces’ – community-oriented areas separate from home and work that facilitate social interaction between different socio-economic groups.”

Student: Ananya Vijayendra
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: Sarah Lippmann

Temple at Tiffany’s: Finding Meaning in Contemporary Material Culture by Nihitha Sreenath

“Temple at Tiffany’s is a set of interior interventions that explore our complicated relationship with material culture.

“The project examines our aspirations of luxury and questions widely accepted symbols of status and appearances.

“Tiffany’s is a symbol of prestige that operates through mechanisms of reification, fetishisation and phantasmagoria to construct meaning and produce objects that embody wealth and power.

“The interventions within the flagship Tiffany’s store on fifth Avenue in New York City engage with the tension inherent in these mechanisms of status – we adore these luxury objects, yet they perpetuate stark inequalities.”

Student: Nihitha Sreenath
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: William Mangold

The Connemera Greens: Kylemore Abby Hospitality Project by Jules Pipinos

“Transforming an old Irish castle into a destination hospitality venue is a vital step in cultural preservation, offering a unique blend of history and modern luxury.

“This initiative not only safeguards the architectural heritage of the castle but also breathes new life into its storied halls, making them accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences.

“By incorporating live music, several bars and lounges, the project creates a vibrant social hub that celebrates Irish culture and traditions.”

Student: Jules Pipinos
Course: BS Interior Design
Tutor: Karen Pelzer

Agricultural Education Center in Puerto Rico by Almudena Munoz Ferran

“This agriculture education centre located in Puerto Rico will house volunteers in an immersive education program who want to learn how to work and cultivate their own land.

“The program will give them the necessary tools to create their farm or garden in Puerto Rico or wherever they choose to do so.

“The building will also serve as a community space, offering neighbours a place to meet, shop for fresh produce and take an array of classes, including on topics related to home gardens.

“The project is meant to address the lack of agricultural production in Puerto Rico in a holistic and vibrant way.”

Student: Almudena Munoz Ferran
Course: BS Interior Design
Tutor: Marie Mastrobattista

Museum for History and Cultural Expression by Adelyn Winger

“This thesis explores recent controversies surrounding ethnographic museums and the decolonisation of art, with the goal of designing a space that is culturally sensitive and can pioneer a new age of museums.

“This space will combine classical elements with modern technology to create a 21st-century museum that paves the way for the future of education and curation, whilst attracting people from various cultural backgrounds to come together and learn.

“The space will function as an educational and community space for users to have a cup of coffee and write or sketch.”

Student: Adelyn Winger
Course: BS Interior Design
Tutor: Frances Temple-West

Footprints of Urban Heritage, Revitalising Kembang Jepun by Anjelica Soesanto

“Once a vibrant place where my grandparents fell in love, Kembang Jepun now suffers from a declining population, making it an unfavourable and unsafe area.

“My thesis suggests rejuvenating this historic street by honouring its urban heritage and attracting people to live, work and socialise there again.

“I propose a design inspired by vernacular Indonesian architecture for the heart of Kembang Jepun that includes mixed-use buildings and street amenities tailored to residents and visitors, creating ‘third places’ at multiple scales that serve as anchors of community life.”

Student: Anjelica Soesanto
Course: BArch
Tutor: Kelly Vresilovic

Reshaping the Trinity: The Dual Performance of Critical Infrastructure by Rachel Sasson

“The project considers the dual ability of the Trinity River to function as both essential stormwater infrastructure and a vibrant public space.

“The floodway, an expansive landscape between two levees, has historically divided Dallas communities both physically and socially.

“The proposed redesign integrates ecological strategies to manage water, with features including a dynamic stage for outdoor music, house ticketing, vending and other support programmes.”

Student: Rachel Sasson
Course: BArch
Tutor: Joanne Aitken

Beyond Birth: Crafting Supportive Postpartum Environments by Teagan Robinson

“There are three million pregnant women in the United States each year, and many feel like candy wrappers: packaging to be discarded after use.

“American apathy towards the female experience after birth is reflected in our lack of standardised postpartum care.

“This has contributed to one of the highest maternal death rates in the developed world, with more than half occurring after birth – according to the World Health Organisation, many of these deaths are preventable with proper postpartum care.

“This thesis explores the role of interior design in providing this crucial support, aiming to improve outcomes for both mothers and infants.”

Student: Teagan Robinson
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: Jihyun Song

Reflective Effect: Materiality Impact on Embodied Cognition in Experience Design by Banan Baeesa

“This thesis explores the relationship between humans and the environment by combining reflective materials and immersive design.

“Reflective surfaces can transform spaces and their symbolic and illusionary aspects blur the traditional boundaries between internal and external characteristics.

“It can bridge the gap between the occupants and the surrounding space and is a spatial phenomenon that allows people to observe themselves in their surroundings.

“Reflective materials in interior spaces create engaging and immersive user experiences by taking advantage of our embodied cognition, and these materials aid in the physical body’s complete immersion in its environment.”

Student: Banan Baeesa
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: Telsa Love

Nature Connection: Integrating Nature into Sensory Design by Chi-Ying Lin

“This thesis explores the integration of sensory and natural design elements within a spa environment to enhance mental wellbeing and create a transformative experience.

“The design utilises visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile stimuli to craft a holistic experience that is aesthetically pleasing and promotes relaxation and ease.

“The use of natural materials such as wood, stone and mineral plasters, along with strategic placement of plants and water features, aims to replicate the calming effects of the natural world.”

Student: Chi-Ying Lin
Course: MS Interior Architecture
Tutor: Lisa Patusky

Entwine – Elementary Education Interwoven with Nature by Yael Asman

“Entwine is a fun elementary school that I would have loved to send my kids to.

“When working on this project, I aimed to create a design that is a plethora of engaging experiences related to the natural environment.

“This is conceived as architecture that is dynamic and multifaceted at some locations and peaceful and harmonious at others; however, the principal idea of the design is employing the natural environment as a tool to inspire natural curiosity and motivation of independent learning.”

Student: Yael Asman
Course: BArch
Tutor: Kelly Vresilovic

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Drexel University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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