January was filled with practicum workshops, one of the most visible was taught by Graphic Design MFA alum Jesse Lee Stout, currently the creative lead at the Los Angeles branch of Moment Factory. Students worked in teams to create environments around the Institute that utilized architecture, light, and technology to create immersive experiences.

The biggest transformation was the Grad Crit room. Unchanged for 20 years, the blood, sweat and tear-stained grey box (affectionately nicknamed “the Brad Pitt Room”) got a dramatic makeover to resemble a secret room from Kubrick’s 2001. Sadly, at midnight the bells chimed, and the Grad Crit Room turned back into its former sad self…