In 2026, after nearly 90 years, the Institute of Design was folded into Illinois Tech's School of Design & Society.
This website is an archive of the impactful and inspirational work produced by the ID community before that transition.

László Moholy-Nagy opened the New Bauhaus in Chicago in 1937, treating design as a discipline that was teachable, testable, and consequential. Nine decades on, its scope had widened from the things people use to the systems they depend on: hospitals, government agencies, classrooms, supply chains, digital platforms. Along the way, ID community members developed the published research, methods, and frameworks that designers rely on every day.

Chief among them is human-centered design: close attention to how people actually live, and advocacy for what that research reveals. It shaped designers who are comfortable with complexity and ambiguity: curious, rigorous, inclusive, and stubbornly optimistic about design's ability to change the systems that shape our lives.

To every one of them, who taught, studied, built, critiqued, and stayed late in the studio: thank you, and keep designing.

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Verve

By Shraddha Jain | Pitchaya Thaveesakvilai

May 10, 2024

End the "I have nothing to wear" dilemma

Verve makes getting ready in the morning fun. This project tackles the issue of emotionally driven purchases and how clothes are often worn only once or twice. Designed to help users creatively utilize their existing wardrobe, this project encourages shopping more mindfully while staying on trend by using an AI-based algorithm. Through evidence-based research and usability testing, the outcome showcases the first prototype of the app. Designed to push the boundaries of technology, Verve offers transformative solutions that enhance daily living and sustainability.