Students Named to Metropolis Magazine’s Future100

Pictured: Aleksandra Zatorska’s design of an aquatic center.

Three undergraduates and one graduate student from NYIT School of Architecture and Design were named to Metropolis magazine’s Future100 list.

The list recognizes the top 50 interior design and 50 architecture students graduating in North America. Nominated by university faculty and mentors, winners hail from some of the most prestigious architecture and interior design schools in the United States and Canada.

In Fall 2020, the magazine called for the next generation of architects and designers to re-envision public spaces, share breakthrough concepts in sustainability and wellness, and tackle the challenges of tomorrow. The competition was touted as “a unique program to spot the next generation of talent who will provide more equal representation for the work being generated across the country and around the world.” To encourage more representation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) professionals throughout the architecture and design industry, Metropolis actively encouraged the inclusion of students from underrepresented groups.

The magazine vetted nominees based on creativity, rigor, skill, and professionalism. The final list includes 100 architecture and interior design talents who have worked on workplace, hospitality, healthcare, retail, residential, and outdoor projects or completed research projects in sustainability, inclusivity, and technology. As a result, the Future100 is a diverse group that represents the industry of tomorrow, with 75 of the list’s nominees identifying as female, one in 3 BIPOC, and 20 percent identifying as LGBTQ+.

New York Tech students recognized include:

• Ariel Lorenzi, an undergraduate student in the Architecture, B. Arch program, proposed the outdoor structure “Crochet Wood.” Lorenzi was nominated by Giovanni Santamaria, Ph.D., associate professor and department chair of architecture. Metropolis writes, “Crochet wood demonstrates Lorenzi’s passion for creating community through the built environment, as the structure offers refuge and activities for both terrestrial and aquatic species.”

• Jacqueline Pileggi, an undergraduate student in the Architecture, B. Arch program, was nominated by Manuel Garza, B. Arch., adjunct instructor and Principal of Et Al. Collaborative. Pileggi’s project, “A Bridge is Brewing,” was also featured by Metropolis in its follow-up story, “Future100: Design Students Rethink the Commons.” As noted in the article, the proposal links two sides of Westchester Creek in the Bronx, N.Y., and suggests space for leisure, exhibitions, urban agriculture, and a brewery. Pileggi also designed the proposal to account for different modes and speeds of transportation.

• Nicole Wolert, an undergraduate interior design student, was recognized for her furniture design, including her project “The Orchid Collection,” which draws inspiration from the natural environment. Wolert was nominated by Gertrudis Brens, M. Arch., interim director of the Interior Design program. Metropolis writes, “Inspired by the natural world, Wolert incorporates organic forms in works such as The Orchid Collection, which includes a lamp, settee, stool, chair, and table. Her proposal for a three-story headquarters for Teavana is an abstracted section of an old-growth tree from root to crown.”

• Aleksandra Zatorksa, Architecture, M. Arch. student, was nominated by David Diamond, M. Arch., professor and director of the Master of Architecture graduate program. Metropolis writes, “Whether it’s an aquatic center or a mountain cabin, Zatorska displays a curious, creative mind. From hand-drawn studies to sophisticated virtual reality projects, numerous building designs display striking patterns through structure.”

Metropolis is a monthly magazine about architecture and design, with a focus on sustainability. It is based in New York and has been published since 1981.

Jacqueline Pileggi’s project proposal, “A Bridge is Brewing,” links two sides of Westchester Creek in the Bronx, N.Y., and suggests space for leisure, exhibitions, urban agriculture, and a brewery.

Nicole Wolert’s project “The Orchid Collection” draws inspiration from the natural environment.

Ariel Lorenzi proposed the outdoor structure “Crochet Wood.” As noted by Metropolis, the structure offers refuge and activities for both terrestrial and aquatic species.