February 22, 2017

ICFF, North America’s largest series of design events for interiors, now in its 29^th year, announced its list of 15 schools participating in the 2017 ICFF Schools program, an annual program that recognizes design talent emerging from leading universities worldwide. Each selected school is given an exhibit space at ICFF NYC 2017, taking place May 21-24.

The ICFF 2017 Schools program are comprised of the following universities:

• Rhode Island School of Design, presenting Patters of Making
• University of Iowa, presenting University of Iowa 3D Design Program
• University of Oregon, presenting Compact Living: Rethinking Dormitory Life
• University of Cincinnati, presenting Midwest Modern
• Kean University, presenting Grow It Yourself Lifestyle Objects – Collaboration with Evocative Design
• Pratt Institute, presenting Design for the Mind
• Rochester Institute of Technology, presenting Metaproject 07:RIT + Umbra
• Eastern Michigan University
• Drexel University, presenting In-Play
• ECMH+UDB, presenting Design for Mobility
• Art Center College of Design
• Fashion Institute of Technology, presenting Future Nostalgia
• University of Illinois at Chicago, presenting Materials Driven Design – Letting the Material Define the Product
• San Diego State University
• Virginia Tech

“Thank you to each school who submitted a project for our 2017 ICFF Schools program,” said Kevin O’Keefe, ICFF event director. “The caliber of projects and schools involved in this year’s show is incredible. We look forward to seeing each school’s finished product on the show floor at ICFF NYC in May.”

Each participating school submitted a student design project with the goal of creating a new and unique piece or collection to achieve a specific goal; some schools set out to challenge the current status quo of design, while others looked to demonstrate the ability of design to increase wellbeing.

One school will be selected by the ICFF Editors’ Awards team as Best Design School, a recognition garnering the attention of the trade press and the more than 35,000 industry professionals anticipated to attend ICFF NYC 2017. The Best Design School award will be presented during the 2017 Editors’ Awards ceremony on the ICFF Talks stage, Sunday May 21 at 5 p.m.

Pictured design: Justin Bailey, University of Iowa