What we do
Parsons develops and manages collaborative student projects with corporations and
non-profit organizations. The projects provide students with concentrated “real-world”
experiences while delivering solutions for sponsors’ design and business challenges.
Projects
Top juniors and seniors from Parsons’
dozen-plus design disciplines participate in the projects.
Most projects feature two or more design disciplines working in tandem,
replicating the work environment the students will experience later.
Project managers and faculty members, who are usually influential working
designers themselves, supervise the work.
Projects typically include one or more of the following areas:
• Product research and design
• Game design, motion design and animation
• User experience design
• Fashion
• Architecture and Interior design
• Technology and applications development
• Marketing and business strategy
• Sustainable design
Recent work
In the last three years, Parsons has collaborated on more than three dozen projects with corporate and non-profit sponsors, including these recent examples:
Fossil: Teams competed to design a fashion watch and its “tin”, or packaging.
70's Watch designed by: Hao-Chou Hwang, Rainer Jurgens, Gabriel Lora, Laura Schalchli, Grace Song
Luxury Education Foundation: In the eleventh year of our collaboration with Columbia Business School, we delivered luxury product and service concepts for Chanel, Christian Dior, Hermes, Lalique, Graff, Bernardaud and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Vespa: Three Parsons departments created a Vespa fashion line and several “lifestyle” accessories.
Vespet, pet carrier designed by: Dave Hamilton, Hao-Chou Hwang, Soner Onen, Thomas Scholz, Patti Tower
Siemens Corporate Research: Students developed two game interface projects for industrial applications: warehouse management and subway management.
Samsung: A team of recent Parsons graduates designed the “Welcome Experience” for Samsung’s leading-edge New York branding space.
Sierra Club: Students created concepts for new lines of Sierra Club dinnerware and glassware.
Family Nesting Glasses designed by: Racha Bahsoun and Kimberly Price; Photo credit: Bryan Warakomski
Project models
We work with our sponsors to determine the best model for a proposed project,
whether it be a one- or two-semester class, a four-week competition or an
intensive, three-day design session. All models are funded by sponsor grants.
Project value
Projects deliver tangible value to our sponsors.
• These collaborations combine sponsor resources with Parsons’ skills, flexibility, new ideas and energy.
• Participating students fall into the ideal demographic for many organizations: 20- to 25-year-old early adopters from all over the world, living in the middle of New York City.
• Collaboration offer sponsors a prestigious participation and contribution opportunity.
• Projects assure sponsors’ involvement in education relevant to their industries, with opportunities to join classes and influence curriculum.
• Projects attract potential interns and future employees.
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