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Welcome to the Department of Design

Design Programs

Virginia

The National Design Awards

Professor San Fratello is the recipient of the 2025 National Design Award for Digital Design. The National Design Awards is a Cooper Hewitt initiative launched in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council. The awards and its associated public programs seek to increase national awareness of the impact of design in our everyday life.

The book cover for Technocreep and the Politics of Things Not Seen features a dark, atmospheric scene with cylindrical white surfaces arranged in a staggered formation. Each surface is illuminated by projections of black abstract, symmetrical patterns resembling inkblot tests. The book's title, "Technocreep," is displayed in bold, pink and white letters at the top, with the subtitle "and the Politics of Things Not Seen" in smaller white text beneath it. The editors' names, Neda Atanososki and Nassim Parvin, are listed at the bottom in white capital letters. The cover design evokes a sense of mystery, technology, and surveillance.

Virtual Empathy: Transforming Design and Social Change through VR

Professor Marjan Khatibi will present "Virtual Empathy: Transforming Design and Social Change through VR," at the College Art Association (CAA) 113th Annual Conference in February 2025 in New York and her artwork is being published in the upcoming book "Technocreep and the Politics of Things Not Seen," published by Duke University Press.

 A futuristic architectural space with a large, curved LED ceiling displaying vibrant, abstract visuals in red, purple, and blue hues. The darkened interior has a few people walking, and a large screen on the wall shows a black-and-white image of Earth's surface. Below, a second image shows a cityscape at dusk with a modern, spaceship-like building illuminated in soft blue light, surrounded by high-rise buildings and streetlights. The urban environment is lively, with cars and people visible in the streets.

"Plastic Landscape - The Reversible World"

Graphic Design Professor Yoon Chung Han exhibited her work "Plastic Landscape - The Reversible World" as part of the cultural event for the UN Plastic Treaty Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC-5), which was held at the Busan Cinema Center from November 22, 2024 to December 3, 2024. The multi-channel video installation was screened across various locations at the Busan Cinema Center, including the Big Roof, Small Roof, Media Facade, and Outdoor Theater.

 A diverse group of women, along with a few instructors, pose for a group photo in a classroom setting. Some are seated at desks with notebooks, bags, and water bottles, while others stand behind them, smiling at the camera. The room has white walls, black curtains, and a banner in the background indicating an academic or workshop setting. The participants are dressed in a mix of traditional and modern clothing, reflecting a vibrant and engaged learning environment.

Lecturer Leslie Caroll Roberts traveled with the US State Department under the University of Iowa International Writing Program to three cities in India -- Mumbai, Pune, Goa, where she appeared at literary festivals, gave interviews to the media, readings, and lectured at several local universities.

A person in a white, textured outfit and hat walks in front of a green hedge, captured in three sequential frames.

Haworth 5V Fashion Show

SJSU Interior Design students will be participating in a runway show at Haworth this spring as part of the 5V fashion show. Students fabricated wearables based on iconic buildings.