Our office is partnering with the Baltimore Design School for Designer for a Day. This is a program that will give students the opportunity to visit our office and see how their work in school relates to the profession. The Baltimore Design School is a public city school that has a focus on architecture, graphic design and fashion design. As a public school, BDS follows the state curriculum but strives to integrate design thinking into every aspect of education. I had the opportunity to tour the school yesterday and learn about how it has evolved since opening its doors seven years ago.
It was an insightful experience for multiple reasons:
- I was able to meet professionals from other design professions and active volunteers in the Baltimore community, all with the same goal to help these aspiring designers pursue their interest.
- The school building is interesting, as it was an abandoned men’s retail warehouse for years and transformed into the space it is today, which is not your typical middle school/high school.
- Most importantly, I learned from the school’s Communications Director that only 30% of their first graduating class went to college for design. She explained that many families don’t support these programs as a career. This stuck with me and reiterated that Designer for a Day can really impact a student and allow them to see firsthand how their passions can translate into a substantial career in the future.
The photos below show views of the space, student work, and some of the studio spaces (classrooms).
