You are viewing a past event.

In celebration of NYCxDesign, join Little Wing Lee to hear about her work and the multifaceted relationship between interior designers and architects.

Over five years ago, 2025 National Design Award winner in Interior Design Little Wing Lee began work on the design for the interiors of Ray Harlem, a new building designed by architect Frida Escobedo in partnership with Handel Architects in Harlem, New York. The residential portion of the building will open its doors in Spring 2025. The building will also house the National Black Theater, due to open in two years.

Join Lee and Juanita Wichienkuer, one of Lee’s frequent collaborators, who will share insight into Lee’s design approach on projects including Ray Harlem as well as museums, hotels, and products revealing how interior designers and architects think on micro and macro scales together with various collaborators through a long-term design process.

SPEAKERS

Little Wing Lee is an interior designer known for her sharp eye for color, texture, and materiality, along with her thoughtful and narrative-driven approach to design. In 2019, she started Studio & Projects, whose work spans cultural institutions, commercial environments, public and private hospitality spaces, intimate residences, and products. Driven by human experience, compelling narratives, and the profound power of beauty, Studio & Projects explores design as a holistic exercise by drawing upon the expertise of a diverse range of collaborators. Lee also founded Black Folks in Design, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to bring awareness to and promote the cultural contributions, excellence, and importance of Black designers.

Juanita Wichienkuer is an award-winning design leader with deep expertise in museum and hospitality environments. With a career spanning leading firms such as Ralph Appelbaum Associates—where she was the lead exhibit designer for the History Galleries at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture—and Atelier Ace / Ace Hotel, where she served as Director of Architecture & Interiors, Juanita brings a multidisciplinary approach to storytelling through space. Most recently, she led exhibit design at Smithsonian Exhibits and now serves as Associate Creative Director at G&A. Her work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, MoMA, and the Center for Architecture in New York, and featured in publications including The New York Times, 60 Minutes (CBS News), and Architectural Record. She also serves as a judge for the Smithsonian Excellence in Exhibits Awards.

AccessibiliTy & What to Expect

Format: The program will begin with a brief welcome, then the speakers will engage in a moderated conversation. It will end with an optional Q&A with the audience. 
About the space: This program will take place in Cooper Hewitt’s Lecture Room on the ground floor of the museum. It is fully wheelchair accessible. Theater-style seating is available. There is an accessible restroom on the same floor. Read more about  accessibility at Cooper Hewitt.
Accommodations: The program will have live CART captioning. If we can provide additional services to support your participation, email us at CHEducation@si.edu or let us know when you register. Please make your request as far in advance as possible—preferably at least ten days before the program date.
Recording: The program will be recorded and posted on Cooper Hewitt’s YouTube channel within two weeks.

Support

The National Design Awards are made possible by:
Design Partners
Shelby & Frederick Gans
Jon Iwata
Lisa Roberts & David Seltzer

Design Sponsors
Apple Inc.
Chris & Irma Fralic
Alexandra & Paul Herzan
Helen and Edward Hintz
IBM Corporation

Design Friends
ANT/DOTE
Irene Au & Bradley Horowitz
Jake Barton
Amita & Purnendu Chatterjee
Cristina Grajales Gallery
Al Eiber
The Garden Conservancy
Agnes Gund
Jessica Healy, Seven Willow Collaborative
Randy & Taylor Hunt
Lemberg Foundation
Michael Maltzan & Amy Murphy
Henry R. Muñoz III & Kyle Ferari-Muñoz
Pentagram
Theo Richardson, RBW.com
Virginia San Fratello
Savannah College of Art and Design
Kimberly Schuessler
Lauren Seikaly & Michael Huber
Enid Sherman in honor of Jules Sherman
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Margaret Gould Stewart