Barbie, Houseboats, Book Arts, and Beyond

It’s no secret that some of Pratt’s most exciting and surprising learning can take place out in the field, where students view world-class exhibitions, learn new skills, and get an up-close look at industries and archives of all kinds. From small businesses to major museums, from down the block to further afield, read on to explore a few recent Pratt excursions.

Letterpress Printing at Center for Book Arts

The graduate students in INFO 689 Rare Books & Special Collections ventured to the Center for Book Arts to learn about traditional letterpress techniques. The course, taught by Kyle Triplett, adjunct associate professor in the School of Information, considers the history of the book and material text, so learning the process of printing is crucial to understanding how books were made. As a class, they examine “issues related to reference, cataloging, exhibitions, acquisitions and conservation in rare books and special collections libraries.” 

Playing with Barbies at MAD

Associate Professor of History of Art and Design Anca I Lasc took her graduate students in her “Gender and Sexuality in Fashion and Interior Design” course to see the Barbie exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design.

The trip aimed to explore how gender and sexuality can be evoked and shaped by product design. Barbie, a ubiquitous and highly-marketed product, offered a chance to “study the way that fashion and interior design have historically come together not just to respond to but also to affect gender and sexuality norms in the past 65 years since the first Barbie,” explained Lasc. The trip also provided an opportunity to examine how popular culture objects can fit within traditional museum spaces. 

“Many of us grew up either playing with Barbies or seeing them everywhere, so it was fascinating to see how the museum curated a collection of objects that feel so contemporary and tied to recent cultural trends,” said Lucia Molinar, MA History of Art and Design ‘26. “As an international student, I always really appreciate opportunities like these, where I get to learn beyond the classroom and experience learning firsthand in a cultural hub like New York.”

Digging Into the Past at Interference Archive 

On a Thursday in March, Fine Arts Civic Engagement Fellow Alex Strada’s Studio in Social Practice gathered at the Interference Archive for a tour of a unique resource for artists, researchers, historians, archivists, and activists alike. The students were invited to explore the archives, brimming with images, protest posters, history books, flyers, zines, newspapers, and more, in search of inspiration for their own self-directed socially engaged art projects.

Confronting Rising Sea Levels in Key West

Visiting Associate Professor of Interior Design David Ling’s graduate studio focuses on floating habitation and coastal rehabilitation in the context of rising sea levels. In February, they traveled to Key West to do research for proposed floating habitats. Their trip included visits to marinas and other locales to learn about the local flora and fauna in this flood-prone area.

“Meeting face-to-face with our stakeholders at Habitat for Humanity, houseboat inhabitants, and our equally important stakeholders in nature: the flora and fauna of the Florida Keys, we experienced firsthand the comprehensive context of our site,” said Ling. “Learning in the field transcends our abstract and limited online research by expanding the dimensions and perceptions that our bodies and minds can only experience in in situ space and time.”

Seeing Sustainability in Action at the ANYBAG factory

Adjunct Associate Professor – CCE of Graduate Communications Design Katya Moorman took her class to the ANYBAG factory, where they met with founder Alex Dabagh and learned about the brand’s approach to upcycling plastic bags into new products.

As part of the visit, students were tasked with creating social media campaigns that shared the story of ANYBAG—its mission, process, and impact. The assignment was designed to give students hands-on experience developing content for a real-world brand, allowing them to apply their design and communication skills in a meaningful and practical context. From concepting posts to writing copy and selecting visuals, students engaged with the challenges and possibilities of translating values like sustainability and innovation into compelling digital storytelling.

“What I loved most about visiting Alex and ANYBAG was witnessing the incredible resilience that he and his family embodied,” said Lydia Allende Hernandez, BFA Communications Design (Graphic Design) ‘25. “It was truly inspiring to see how they were breaking away from conventional practices and defying industry norms in their pursuit of sustainability.”

“Making Home” at the Cooper Hewitt

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Information Pamela Pavliscak’s “Speculative Design” class visited the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum to see the exhibition Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial. The course is built on the idea that “new ways of designing for a far-off future are imperative,” teaching students speculative design research techniques and how to employ a variety of forecasting methods.

“The exhibit at Cooper Hewitt spoke to different visions of the American experience at home, both utopian inventions and pointed critiques. This inspired the class to consider how we can create tangible futures through design,” said Pavliscak. “Because the way we live at home is shaped by design, it’s a perfect way to think through how we can create meaningful visions of the future through everyday objects.”

Sketching at the Stephen Friedman Gallery

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Foundation and SCPS Lecturer Melissa Staiger took her  Visualization/Representation class to the Stephen Friedman Gallery, where they were encouraged to draw from their latest exhibition by painter Claire Woods. They also visited Ericka Beckman’s exhibition at The Drawing Center. Institutions like the Stephen Friedman Gallery and The Drawing Center welcome Pratt students to engage with and learn from their resources.

“We sketched directly from contemporary artworks, building not just drawing skills, but confidence and comfort in gallery spaces,” said Staiger. “The project became more than an exercise; it was a bridge—linking Pratt students with the vibrant world of contemporary art encouraged my students to visit The Drawing Center so they could experience firsthand what a powerful and versatile medium drawing can be. It’s a space filled with unexpected, thought-provoking, and visually striking works that go far beyond the traditional definition of drawing.”

The Drawing Center exhibit became “a jumping-off point for rich dialogue about visual language, intention, and technique,” added Staiger. “More importantly, it helped students see that these questions are not just academic—they’re deeply relevant to the decisions they’ll make in their own Capstone Projects later this semester.”

Chocolate and Architecture in Switzerland

A cohort of graduate architecture students toured shops and factories to study the cultural and architectural history of Switzerland’s chocolate industry. By visiting Zurich, Basel, and Lausanne, they were able to compare regional differences.

“There are over 500 chocolatiers across the four language areas of Switzerland,” said Jonathan Louie and Nicole McIntosh, visiting assistant professors of Graduate Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design (GA/LA/UD). “And each chocolatier is unique in of itself, with their own line of chocolates and processes that make them. Because the chocolate cultures vary in different regions it was important to take tasting tours of both small local confiseries and large international chocolatiers. The research trip focused on tasting chocolate and examining chocolate factory visitor experiences. In addition, we toured architecture projects for buildings that have been transformed over time.”

Up-Close at the Auto Show

A new course in the School of Information, Automotive Experience Design introduces students to the design principles of Automotive User Interfaces (UI). Through projects, they learn to both design and critique in-vehicle experiences, including digital, voice, haptic, and gesture commands. So when the New York Auto Show came to town, it presented the perfect opportunity for a class field trip.

“Attendance at the New York Auto Show allowed students to experience automotive interfaces firsthand and deepen their understanding of design features that promote safe and enjoyable driving,” said Irene Lopatovska, professor in the School of Information.