High School Design Challenge Cohort Announcement

Congratulations to the High School Design Challenge Students!

CoDesign Collaborative is proud to announce our cohort of high school student participants for our Inclusive Design Challenge. This was a competitive application process that offered six paid educational opportunities for local high school students interested in Inclusive Design from all backgrounds. The objective of the design challenge was to encourage future designers to think creatively about how to design and problem-solve through an inclusive lens. Led by design educators, Daniel Noh and Rosa Weinberg, this program encouraged students to create prototypes using an inclusive design process.

Meet the 2024 Student Cohort:

Elisha is a senior at Kipp Academy Lynn Collegiate. Her favorite subjects are AP Calculus & AP Studio Art and she hopes to use her creativity in the future by utilizing her design skills in computer science for scientific illustrations.

Luke is a senior at Lynn English High. His favorite subject is history and he is an artist and activist working to make people happy through art.

Musie is a sophomore at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School and his favorite class is Algebra. His hobbies include video games, reading, and making things out of origami paper. His dream is to get into a good college, make his parents proud, and live a comfortable life.

Mellanie is a junior at the Commonwealth School and her favorite subjects are art and physics. In the future, she hopes to become a mechanical engineer and open up a makerspace in her neighborhood that is affordable or free for all people.

Sarah is a senior at Brookline High School and her favorite subjects are ceramics and engineering innovative design. She aspires to become an architect working at the intersection of environmental psychology.

Giselle is a Junior at Margarita Muniz Academy and her favorite classes are math and music technology. She is inspired to use art as a tool for equity and inclusivity to make our world a better place.

Join us for the Final Presentation!

CoDesign Collaborative invites you to join us in commemorating our cohort of students for the High School Inclusive Design Challenge on Wednesday, May 1, 6-8 pm ET at The Foundry in Cambridge, MA. This final presentation will showcase the process and prototypes created by the students. Celebrate inclusive design and see CoDesign Collaborative’s youth programs in action.

Location: The Foundry
101 Rogers St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Cambridge Youth Mixer + Interactive Art Exhibition

Join us for an immersive, fun experience that encourages young people to celebrate themselves and others living authentically.

Join CoDesign Collaborative and Nuvu Innovation School on Friday, October 27, 4:00 – 6:00 pm in Cambridge for a social mixer and interactive art exhibit that aims to create an immersive, fun experience that encourages young people to celebrate themselves and others living authentically. Designed by NuVu students for their peers, this event is intended primarily for young people ages 13-18 with their families.

This program concludes a month-long exploration with CoDesign Collaborative and NuVu that brought together Boston-based artists, curators, educators, and students in conversation about designing and activating public spaces that celebrate LGBTQ+ identities.

Attendance is free; registration is encouraged.

We Design

People. Practice. Progress.

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” Marian Wright Edelman

We Design: People. Practice. Progress. brings together creatives from different backgrounds to examine and celebrate the range of career paths, applications, and impact in design. The exhibition features career stories showcasing how people have forged their unique paths into different creative professions; from graffiti artists and architects to civic designers and research scientists, We Design emphasizes the need for more diversity in the design and innovation fields, and highlights the importance of equity and inclusion in terms of generating ideas.

• Free & Open to the Public
• Boston City Hall
• 1 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA
• Hours: 9am – 5pm
• Enter main entrance from Plaza, go through security, and the exhibition is at the top of the main stairway.
• If entering from Congress St.: go through security, take elevator to 3rd floor, and then up the main stairway.

We Design

People. Practice. Progress.

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” Marian Wright Edelman

We Design: People. Practice. Progress. brings together creatives from different backgrounds to examine and celebrate the range of career paths, applications, and impact in design. The exhibition features career stories showcasing how people have forged their unique paths into different creative professions; from graffiti artists and architects to civic designers and research scientists, We Design emphasizes the need for more diversity in the design and innovation fields, and highlights the importance of equity and inclusion in terms of generating ideas.

• Free & Open to the Public
• Bow Market
• Hours: Open 24/7
• 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville MA

Family Workshop: Cozy Quilts
hosted by Minni & CoDesign Collaborative

Join us for design-learning workshops supported by the City of Boston!

Join Minni and CoDesign Collaborative in making a cozy quilt! Families will be guided through the making of colorful patterns with soft felt shapes, fabric glue and simple stitching techniques to make cozy quilts, perfect for snuggling up with a favorite stuffy and a cup of hot cocoa! This is a FREE event funded by the City of Boston Nightlife Economy Department’s grant program.

We will also be hosting a donation drive at the workshop! Please consider bringing a warm clothing item or blanket to donate to St. Francis House, the largest day shelter in Massachusetts supporting people experiencing homelessness and poverty. 

About Minni × CoDesign Collaborative

CoDesign Collaborative is thrilled to partner with Minni to expand access for Boston families to hands-on, design-learning workshops through the city’s Wake Up the Night initiative!

Minni’s South End space will open to families for FREE evening workshops on select dates this fall. Each workshop will focus on codesign—design that centers community and collaboration. Families will enjoy creative play and messy materials while being introduced to deeper themes of design impact.

We encourage participants to take artwork home with them when they leave their activities, unless artwork needs to dry and cannot be transported. All artwork not picked up within two weeks of after the activity will be recycled.

Registration is free and encouraged.

High School Design Challenge: Inclusive Design

$350 Award Opportunity for Boston Area High School Students Interested in Design & Inclusivity

CoDesign Collaborative is seeking six motivated high school juniors and seniors in the Greater Boston area to participate in an Inclusive Design Challenge. The objective of this Design Challenge is to encourage future designers to think creatively about how to design and problem-solve inclusively. How can we design a better world for everyone, everywhere? This challenge will lead students through an exercise to learn to design with specific communities of interest using principles of inclusive design.

The goals of this challenge are to:

1. Inspire students to rethink and transform the world around them through developing design skills and introducing design as a career path.

2. Learn inclusive design skills: participatory design, asset-centric design, empathy, authentic awareness.

3. Learn design skills: brainstorming, sketching, ideation, low and high-fidelity hand prototyping, testing, iteration, presenting, taking, and giving feedback.

4. Equip students with the language to address accessibility and enable them to address and advocate for inclusivity in their daily lives.

5. Generate a final, hand-fabricated, prototype, a presentation, and create a portfolio page!

The Inclusive Design Challenge will be led by two design educators with architecture backgrounds.

The Inclusive Design Challenge will include two Saturday workshops in April and a final presentation for participants, parents, and their community to see the final prototypes. This program will take students through a full design process and teach them applicable skills in design, creative thinking, problem-solving, communication, and a presentation that they can apply to their schooling and future careers.

Award: The program will accept six students who will be awarded $350 each at the end of the challenge.

Location: Boston, Massachusetts (Location is walking distance from the T)

Eligibility:

High school juniors and seniors in the Greater Boston Area. Applicants must show an interest in design/creativity but do not need a background in design. Creative skills are encouraged and/or interdisciplinary skills in STEAM. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. We especially encourage women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities to apply.

Selection criteria:

We are seeking motivated, self-directed, and passionate applicants who are driven to better their communities.

Family Workshop:Thanksgiving Tablescapes
hosted by Minni & CoDesign Collaborative

Join us for design-learning workshops supported by the City of Boston!

Join Minni and CoDesign Collaborative to design and create your very own table decor in time to celebrate Thanksgiving! Little artist(s) will get into the Thanksgiving spirit with table placemat creations, and warm hued lanterns using recycled materials! This is a FREE event funded by the City of Boston Nightlife Economy Department’s grant program.

Minni’s South End space will open to families for FREE evening workshops on select dates this fall. Each workshop will focus on codesign—design that centers community and collaboration. Families will enjoy creative play and messy materials while being introduced to deeper themes of design impact.

We encourage participants to take artwork home with them when they leave their activities, unless artwork needs to dry and cannot be transported. All artwork not picked up within two weeks of after the activity will be recycled. 

Registration is free and encouraged.

Field Trip: MIT Museum (BOS)

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community for an exhibition tour of AI: Mind the Gap at the MIT Museum.

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community on Friday, August 9, from 11am–12pm ET for a guided tour of the MIT Museum’s AI: Mind the Gap exhibition from 11–11:30 am, with time to explore the galleries independently afterwards.

AI: Mind the Gap explores the profound impact of artificial intelligence on our daily lives. From smart homes to automated workplaces, AI challenges us to rethink its potential and navigate its risks. This interactive exhibition delves into the promises, pitfalls, and common misconceptions surrounding AI, offering a deep dive into its implications.

This Field Trip is inspired by the forthcoming edition of the Magazine, The EmTech Issue, highlighting leaders in emerging technologies and exploring the ways designers are integrating, reimagining, and repurposing EmTech to ensure equitable advancements in AI, product design, robotics, and beyond.

Field Trips are a benefit of membership in the Design Impact Society and Organizational Partnership. General Members (Individual+) are welcome to reserve tickets for $10/person and not-yet-Members can reserve tickets for $15/person.

Field Trip: Autodesk Technology Center (BOS)

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community for a visit to the Autodesk Technology Center in Boston.

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community on Wednesday, July 24, from 12–1 pm ET for a Field Trip to the Autodesk Technology Center.

The Technology Centers provide a tangible platform that connects the digital to the physical for Autodesk Research, external teams and industry. Autodesk de-risks the future through digital design & simulation, fabrication, validation and education. The organizations and teams who engage with Autodesk’s facilities conduct speculative and industry-applied work to positively impact the future of design and make.

Located in Boston’s Seaport Innovation District, the Autodesk Technology Center in Boston provides access to large-format fabrication equipment, a wide range of robotics, a composites lab, polymer and metal additive workshops, and project space to accommodate building scale construction projects.

This Field Trip is inspired by the forthcoming edition of the Magazine, The EmTech Issue, highlighting leaders in emerging technologies and exploring the ways designers are integrating, reimagining, and repurposing EmTech to ensure equitable advancements in AI, product design, robotics, and beyond.

Field Trips are a benefit of membership in the Design Impact Society and Organizational Partnership. General Members (Individual+) are welcome to reserve complimentary tickets for this specific Field trip and not-yet-Members can reserve tickets for $15/person. Please email membership@codesigncollaborative.org if you need help accessing the promotional code for free registration..

Closed-toed shoes and protective eye-gear are required for the tour. The visit will include the ascent and descent of at least one set of stairs.