New York Tech Launches Exhibit at Italian Embassy
July 6, 2022
Pictured: Director of Digital Technologies Dustin White designed the archipelago-shaped installation, which included a 3-D WASP printer. Photo credit: The Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C.
On June 2, 2022, advanced digital fabrication and sustainable design by New York Tech faculty were on display during Italian Republic Day celebrations at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Guests from Italian and American institutions were present as Ambassador Mariangela Zappia and School of Architecture and Design Dean Maria Perbellini unveiled the Creative Italy exhibition, entitled “Creativity as a Strategy to Promote Universal Values.” Perbellini and New York Tech IDC Foundation Endowed Chair Professor Alessandro Melis, Ph.D., co-curated the exhibition.
The centerpiece of the 12-day event was “Createch,” an installation designed by Dustin White, director of digital technologies and fabrication at New York Tech. The white archipelago-shaped installation with plywood backbone was constructed with a CNC machine, which utilized recycled plastic to create 3-D-printed symbionts used in the polymorphic configuration.
School of Architecture and Design Dean Maria Perbellini (center), IDC Foundation Endowed Chair, Professor Alessandro Melis (left), and White (right) at the exhibition.
One of New York Tech’s 3-D WASP printers was integrated into the installation, printing artifacts to demonstrate the potential and versatility of the equipment in the university’s Fabrication Labs. Some of Melis’ other work was on display as well.
In addition to being a work of art, Melis says that “Createch” exemplifies the educational and innovative design approaches experienced by New York Tech students. “Exposed daily to the innovation technologies of our labs, students feel the responsibility of the changes and act as effective researchers,” he notes. “Our aim is to build even more radical student-led research units.”
Creative Italy follows the success of the Upcycling exhibition in March 2022 at the Italian Institute of Culture in New York City that also included student-led research on 3-D-printed clay ecocities developed as part of the Master of Science in Architecture, Health and Design program directed by Professor Christian Pongratz.
The opening of “Creative Italy” included guests from the United States and Italy at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: The Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C.
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