Industrial Design students from The Ohio State University recently took part in the prestigious WANTED Design Schools Workshop, held during this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City. Representing Ohio State were students Sophia Foster, Paul Goss, Aliina Lange, and Emily Straughn, with generous support from Distinguished Alumna Renee Hytry Derrington.

The annual workshop gathered more than 30 students from leading international design schools for a collaborative design challenge. The 2025 theme, “Eating in NYC: Reconnecting and Redesigning Food Systems,” invited participants to reimagine how food systems operate in a major urban setting. Over an intensive four-day period, students formed interdisciplinary teams and worked on-site at ICFF, the heart of New York Design Week. The experience also included site visits to key food-related locations, such as the Union Square Greenmarket.

In collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and with support from Haworth, Core77, and Molo, the workshop offered students a fast-paced, cross-cultural design experience, guided by guest mentors and industry professionals. Associate Professor Amanda Huynh contributed her expertise on food accessibility through a featured guest lecture during the event.

Ohio State joined a notable group of participating institutions, including the California College of the Arts (CCA), Centro de Diseño y Comunicación (Mexico), Escuela Mónica Herrera (El Salvador), RISD, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

The workshop offered a unique opportunity for Ohio State students to engage in international collaboration, exchange ideas, and explore innovative solutions for a more sustainable urban future. Final projects were presented on Tuesday, May 20, on the ICFF main stage before a panel of esteemed jurors.