The White Schoolhouse, The White Schoolhouse

Name: Dina M. Posner

Class: Design Studies 322, Interior Design II, Lesley Sager
Major: Interior Design

This piece is connected to deign because it challenged me to design a space that is accessible according to the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act, while also coming up with a design that is creative, innovative, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing. First, we needed to think about how design relates to those with disabilities. This meant coming up with design that facilitates easy use and access around the space. This included making sure that there was a sixty inch turn around in critical spaces to allow for wheelchairs, and making sure all doors, corridors, and surfaces were safe and accessible for everyone. This project was a study in universal design and challenged us as students to consider multiple types of people and scenarios.


*Recipient of the Best in Interior Design Award

Property of the Viewer

Name: Sadie Laing
Class: DS 228, Structural Enrichment 1
Major: Apparel Design

The design of this cowl scarf serves the purpose of furthering the piece's political message. The intent of this piece is to satirize and challenge the global perception of women as objects. The wearer, by covering the majority of their face with the phrase "PROPERTY OF THE VIEWER", forces any viewer to acknowledge their own judgement of women's appearances. This piece was created to combat the alarmingly common phenomenon of women being told by strangers to smile. The cowl's stark design references warning labels and the aesthetics of punk rock. These design decisions help to solidify the piece's overall message, which is that giving others control over one's appearance creates a dangerous imbalance of power between the viewers and the viewed.

*Recipient of the Ruth Davis Design Gallery Choice Award

Reclaimed Travel Bag

Name: Emma Wimberley
Class: DS215 Patternmaking for 3D Forms
Major: Textile Design

Bag made out of an old futon cover and discarded upholstery samples. Side snaps allow it to collapse in at the sides to minimize or maximize space.

Composition Piece, Final Project

Name: Abigail Schaefer
Class: Design Studies 120, Fundamentals 1, Jung-hye Shin
Major: Interior Design

This project took the acoustic aspects of a song and turned them into a visual composition. This specific piece was showing the visual details from the indie music genre.

Transform, "You're In My Veins"

Name: Emily Osterbauer
Class: DS 228, Textile Design:Structural I, Amy Keefer
Major: Apparel Design

"You're In My Veins,” is a hand embroidered extension of the circulatory system made with bullion and feather stitches. It is a representation of both the biological nature of the body as well as the feeling of love – that being in both a delicate and beautiful sense as well as an opening to another making one’s self vulnerable.   

European Interiors Screen Print, "Damask"

Name: Emily Osterbauer
Class: DS 227, Textile Design: Print & Dye I, Jennifer Angus
Major: Apparel Design

“Damask,” is an acid dyed fabric with a screen printed damask motif. The damask motif is modernized but yet traditional. The link between the two shows the ways in which certain aspects of design are used over and over but meant to be new though ultimately the same.  

Three Yards, "Flowering Fall"

Name: Emily Osterbauer
Class: DS 227, Textile Design: Print & Dye I, Jennifer Angus
Major: Apparel Design

“Flowering Fall,” is a natural dyed, potato dextrin, and hand painted textile. The scattered densities of the stenciled flowers move the eye back and forth across the yardage to produce a never ending flow. The vertical lines may read as trees, rivers, roads, or animal skins -reminding us that nature is a design in itself and can be looked at and interpreted in a multitude of ways.

Architecture Project, Convergence

Name: Erin Aubrey
Class: DS 225, Apparel 1
Major: Apparel Design

For this dress, I was inspired by the architect Zaha Hadid. I loved her use of overlaying, cage-like elements in her design. Hadid also often used repetitive, cascading elements that I found visually fascinating. I interpreted Hadid's trademark elements and translated them into my garment. I wanted to create something with organic movement while keeping the sexy sophistication that inspired me in Hadid's design.

Disaster Relief Shelter: The Joplin Recovery Shelter

Name: Nicholas Gutowski

Class: DS 220, Design Fundamentals II

Major: Interior Design

The Joplin Recovery Shelter concept directly responds to protection needs that arose in the coming days after the 2011 tornado outbreak in and near Joplin, Missouri. The form of the rigid shelter is meant to provide a versatile water and wind-proof safe cover for the victims of tornado damage. The shelter folds for easy storage and quick deployment, and is intended for use in the first few days following a natural disaster such as the Joplin tornadoes. Both ends of the structure move into a variety of arrangements for various uses, with the fully unclosed position intended to withstand storms following the initial disaster.  Not only is the form of the shelter aesthetically beautiful, it directly solves the design needs of natural disaster victims.

Sue's Chair

Name: Hannah Goettsch, Allie Dineen, Gayoen You
Class: DS220, Design Fundamentals II
Major: Interior Design

We used ergonomics and anthropometrics to create a life-size cardboard chair that is able to hold the weight of an adult.

"The Walker House Remodel" / "Walker Family Remodel"

Name: Kimberlin Schrader
Class: DS 322, Interior Design II
Major: Interior Design

The Walker family needed a design solution for the lack of flow from space to space, interrupted sight lines, and outdated aesthetics in their Craftsman style home. The solution was to remove the large built-in cabinets, expand the kitchen and dining space, replace the relocated laundry with a mudroom, and create a more open floor plan. The design brings together geometric shapes with natural colors and textures. These elements combined create an atmosphere that is calm and balanced, as well as equally feminine and masculine.

White School House Remodel

Name:  Kate Pedriani
Class: DS320, Interior Design II, Lesley Sager
Major: Interior Design

The White School House remodel shows how design can be used in restorative remodels of older buildings. In this example, an old school house in Spring Green WI was entirely remodeled into a condominium for a specific client. The concept of aging gracefully, and aging in place was used throughout the design in order to create a functional space for this client to live happy and comfortably with her spouse as they grow old together.

Gallery Project: Shifting Perspectives

Name: Heba Saeed
Class: DS 220, Design Fundamentals II
Major: Interior Design

There are many ways to view the world around you; through your own eyes, through understanding of differences within and among worlds, and through shifting designs in art. Our gallery takes you on a journey exploring these shifting perspectives, from an abstract artistic experience all the way to an introspective investigation of self. The artistic minds of designers Sarah Treutel, Becca Hobbs, and Heba Saeed, come together in this unique exhibit to create a thought-provoking and aesthetically dynamic display exploring perspective.

Collection Presentation, "Confection"

Name: Katy Rosenthal
Class: DS 501, Collection Development
Major: Apparel Design

An appealing presentation of your designs is necessary to convince others that your concept is worthy of coming to fruition. A main part of this presentation are illustrations that will both communicate your ideas effectively and generate excitement about them.

Final project

Name: Jeeyoung Wang
Class: DS153 and 501
Major: Apparel Design

Works from DS153

Subversive Domesticity

Name: Sage Conrad
Class: DS 228, Textile Design: Structural 1
Major: Textile Design

The assignment was to take a preexisting garment that possessed some significance and transform its story. This apron is a symbol of tranquil domestic life, veiling all things unseemly and unspoken. Using embroidery, the apron was converted to a window into implicit sexuality.

Convertible Bag

Name: Rachel Bordeleau
Class: DS 215 Patternmaking for Accessories
Major: Textile Design

This bag was designed to have multiple functions and be the ultimate practical bag for a Design Studies student. With studio classes, there can be any number of materials needed to be transported to class each day. I wanted to create a bag large enough to carry any project and its supplies that could still be transported even after the project has been turned in. When unused, the bag rolls up and is able to be carried on the shoulder like a yoga mat. When full or partially full the bag can function as a large tote. Finally, when the bag is completely full the straps can be adjusted to function as a backpack.

Space and Mass Structures, Space and Mass Dynamics

Names: Hannah Goettsch and Erin Green 

Class: DS 220, Design Fundamentals II

Major: Interior Design

We interpreted the concepts of mass and space to create a cohesive two part design. The mass dominant piece carries a weight unlike the airiness of the space dominant piece. This project allowed us to play with the ideas of weight in design.

Series Project, Civil War Soilders

Name: Megan Kaiser
Class: ART112, Drawing I
Major: Apparel Design


Using human animals is a concept I find very fun and a nice contrast from art that is taken very seriously. It has become a reoccurring theme in my work and something I really enjoy doing.

White Schoolhouse Remodel

Name: Victoria Burton
Class: Interior Design III
Major: Interior Design

For this schoolhouse remodel, I was inspired by books for the color palette.  All of the walls were painted a "right white" and the original windows and trimwork were painted black, representing the white pages and black, printed text.  Every room featured bold colors and vintage pieces that were directly linked to colors used on book covers that I found. This piece connects two different forms of design - graphic and interior design - to create a cohesive, vibrant and unique living space.