This week a group of NewSchool students, under the guidance of instructor Tatiana Berger, is conducting research in Portugal for an upcoming project they will complete this term on designing “a new public library for the 21st Century.” One of the many high points of the visit was meeting with world-renowned Architect Alvaro Siza. Among the architect’s many awards are the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the Wolf Prize in Arts (Architecture), and the Luso-Spanish Prize for Art and Culture.

The research project is an example of how global design studies is integrated into the NewSchool experience through lectures, visiting faculty members, industry collaborations, study abroad opportunities, and projects that are inspired by addressing global issues. Here is a picture of the class with Siza that was sent by Berger, who previous collaborated with the architect to design and build a library.