Teaching pandemic-resiliency through design at Brooklyn STEAM Center

The Brooklyn STEAM Center is a technical high school located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard that focuses on design, construction, and technology, as well as media and hospitality. As neighbors, and in response to COVID-19, we are taking part in their summer programming to lead a 2-week project on design and pandemic-resiliency.

Through remote sessions, we’re presenting spatial strategies developed through our work with local hospitals and city agencies. The group of 60 design-engineering students are developing their own solutions to address COVID-19, and we’re providing feedback to help shape their work. We see this as an opportunity to engage future designers and bolster their education by providing design challenges that directly relate to current events that architects and designers continue to grapple with.