Moore College of Art & Design was founded in 1848 by Sarah Worthington Peter as the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, and was renamed the Moore College of Art & Design in 1989. Throughout the long and storied existence of this school, it has produced a host of notable designers, artists, and others who’ve used their experiences and education at Moore to shape our environments. A few years back, I was tipped off by a colleague in the arts community about an opportunity to teach Interior Design and Architecture in Moore’s youth programs, and subsequently their adult Interior Design certificate program.
As a Philadelphia born-and-raised architect and artist, working with this little gem of an institution has developed into a calling of sorts. Each year, I teach middle and high school-aged artists about the design profession, and work with them to realize their visions in a series of weekend workshops (YAW, the Young Artist Workshops) as well as Moore’s residential summer program (SADI, the Summer Art & Design Institute), where attendees gain college credit to Moore College’s degrees of study. To date, I have gone through this process with dozens of young people interested in architecture and interior design, exploring ways these practices can inform and enrich their own creative endeavors, whether centered on architecture or not.
The instruction is based on consideration of all aspects that would impact each of their designs, whether it is movement through a space, structure, accessibility, detailing, fixture design, and sustainability just to name a few. One student discovered a love for wood craft and mill-working, researching and incorporating historic methods of joinery into their design. Others want to direct the psychological impact of color and texture in a space, or plan and design the next library of the future. In all cases, I never cease to be amazed at the curiosity, innate wisdom, sensitivity, and creativity the students exhibit in their work and the way they approach design challenges. I’ll always consider it an honor and duty to facilitate this path for the next generation of designers and artists.
Floor Plan & Elevation Sketches
Color Renderings
Model Building
Written by Cory Neale
