Best of Schools and Students at WantedDesign Manhattan 2023

For the second consecutive year, WantedDesign Manhattan presented the Schools Showcase at the Javits Center, a program which serves as an opportunity for international design schools to present the work of their best students. Besides getting to be part of the main design trade event during NYCxDESIGN, these emerging designers had the change to receive feedback from professionals and strengthen their network.

Participating schools 2023: CEDIM, Central Saint Martins, Cranbrook Academy of Art, École Boulle, IED, University of Iowa, Northumbria University, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, RISD, SAIC, SCAD, Tec de Monterrey, and Ibero.

The Best of Students and Schools Awards presented with media partner Design Milk and sponsored by iconic Italian houseware brand Alessi were given to Ibero (Mexico) and Northumbria University (United Kingdom) respectively.

Words from Alessi’s president, Alberto Alessi, on what design is today:

Best of Schools Award:

booth at trade show featuring two tables of designs with two men shaking hands

UK-based Northumbria University won for their Tools for Everyday Life, a project born from a brief pitched to the school’s BA(Hons) 3D Design program (including academic staff, graduates, and Designers in Residence). They were asked to design everyday products that are enjoyable to use. The ongoing project of designing tools helps designers understand the materials and processes via making the tools and using them, in hopes of empowering users to connect to the products and develop skills along the way.

angled view of Northumbria best of schools award winning booth

Rickard Whittingham, Assistant Professor, shares: “This project challenges its designers to share knowledge, skills, and experiences in the designing and making of ubiquitous objects. The aim is to celebrate the process and results of collaboration between designers at various stages of their education and careers in the creation of beautiful and useful things that meaningfully connect with people. We hope to highlight the important role design schools can have in bringing people together from diverse backgrounds to learn from each other.”

Best of Students Award:

angled view of booth at trade show with design objects on tables with people standing aroudn

Mexico-based university Ibero exhibited a selection of 13 group projects of 25 industrial design students inspired by Mexican oral traditions,

The Best of Students award gives recognition to students from design schools around the world and presents them on a global platform. It helps the universities to recruit new students while also networking with other schools for potential partnerships or exchange programs.

ZONTLE – Daniel Castillo Guzmán
PATOLLI – Ileana María Neme Villarreal, Maria Sofía Pérez and Manuel Viniegra
NIKTE – Mariana de Alba Jaime, Cassandra Alanis and Frida Juárez
CUCUR – Garé Para Mosri and Diana Laura López
HUELIA – Mariana Terán Álvarez
BAHUI – Luis Ernesto Belchez Ramos, Diego Blanco and Manuel Álvarez
AK’EN – Paola Cuevas Contreras, Erik Montañez and Andrea Reyes
MITLA – Atziri Guzmán Sánchez, Ntalya Meneses and Ximena Gamboa
IXA – Irene Dichi Mizrahi, Alejandro Hollander and Xochitl Cruz
GIZABA – Camila Mroreno Ruiz, Joaquin Barrera and Ximena Moreno
XOCO – Sofía González Zavala and Bruno Calderon
CUSACO – Andrea Sanche Rivas and Regina Cuevas
ZALLOT – Regina Zapan Mussali and Mauro Santoyo Zuñiga

Read HERE Design Milk’s feature on the winners.

Congratulations to both schools and students!

The next edition of WantedDesign Manhattan will take place from May 19-21, 2024 at the Javits Center and in conjunction with the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).