We are thrilled to be visiting Colombia this week with a team of 7 students and 2 faculty. We received funding from Parsons‘ School of Design Strategies to conduct a feasibility study to figure out if we should expand our DEED efforts to Bogotá and the surrounding area and in collaboration with the Universidad de los Andes‘ Department of Design. The questions we are here to answer include
- What could be our role within the projects that Los Andes has already initiated?
- What potential partnerships could evolve from this trip?
- What opportunities within Colombia can we identify which are unique and could be potential projects?
We have a packed schedule this week, including full days at the university, meeting design students and faculty; a trip to Cucunubá to meet a community of wool weavers; and a debriefing and brainstorming at the end of the week to address the above questions. The week is flying by but there’s much to share so stay tuned!
Of course, we’re trying to squeeze in some time to visit the beautiful sites around the city, such as Monserrate, where this photo of our team was taken.
From left to right, Mary Handsaker (Parsons, Integrated Design), Jessica Celano (Parsons, Integrated Design), Jenny Groza (Milano, Urban Policy Analysis and Management), Cynthia Lawson (Faculty, Parsons), Katharina Glaser (The New School, International Affairs), Amy Kiska (Parsons, Design and Management), Irina Saakyan (The New School, International Affairs), Melissa Holmes (Milano, Urban Policy Analysis and Management), and Fabiola Berdiel (Director, International Field Program, The New School).
