Pratt Institute

Please join us in congratulating Francine Monaco, who has been named Chair of Pratt Institute’s Department of Interior Design!

A longtime member of the Pratt community, Monaco has spent the last 25 years teaching, mentoring, and helping shape the future of interior design education — all while maintaining an acclaimed professional practice as an architect and designer.

Beginning July 1, 2026, she will lead the department into its next chapter, bringing deep expertise, creativity, and a strong commitment to student success.

Read more: https://www.pratt.edu/news/award-winning-architect-designer-and-educator-francine-monaco-named-chair-of-interior-design/

Today, we celebrated what’s possible when partnership, creativity, and community come together.

Pratt Institute and The Village West officially unveiled a new public art installation transforming seven storefront windows along 14th Street into a street-level gallery featuring work by 36 Pratt students from across our six schools.

Together with The Village West, and with support from the Union Square Partnership, Meatpacking District Management Association, and neighborhood stakeholders, this project brings student creativity directly into the public realm — inviting New Yorkers and visitors to the city to experience art as a part of their day.

If you're in New York City this summer, stop by 14th Street and take a look.

📍 The Village West
525 Sixth Avenue

📷 Photos by Dahlia Dandashi

One of New York City’s busiest corridors is getting a major rethink and Pratt students are helping imagine its future.

As New York City begins a sweeping redesign of 14th Street, students across Pratt are contributing ideas through design, urban planning, research, and community engagement.

From graphic design proposals and public art to pedestrian counts and studies of climate and infrastructure, students are exploring how one of Manhattan’s busiest streets can become an even more connected, vibrant public space.

At Pratt, learning often extends beyond the classroom and into the city itself and soon, some of that work may be visible along 14th Street itself.

Keep an eye out 👀

Read more at the link: https://bit.ly/4e0woij

Pratt Institute is pleased to announce that Tori Purcell has been named Chair of the Department of Photography within Pratt’s School of Art.

A passionate educator and leader, Purcell has served as Assistant Chair of Photography at Pratt for the past 16 years, bringing extensive experience in curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and student advising. She will assume the role on July 1, 2026.

As chair, Purcell will oversee approximately 25 faculty and 140 students and will lead the launch of Being with Photography, an innovative new curriculum that reimagines the first-year photographic experience through hybrid technologies and community-oriented learning.

Congratulations to Tori on this new role and leadership of Pratt Photography’s next chapter.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4fRrLsn

What does the future of housing look like in cities facing climate change, affordability challenges, and rapid growth?

This spring, Pratt undergraduate architecture students traveled to Miami as part of a new collaboration between Pratt and the University of Miami to rethink housing in coastal communities. Through deep engagement with Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, its history, infrastructure, and lived experiences, students developed innovative ideas centered on resilience, cultural memory, and community-driven design.

From flood-resilient housing to walkable neighborhoods and creative approaches to public space, this work reflects the power of architecture to imagine more equitable futures.

Read more about the Housing Innovation Studio and this exciting new partnership: https://bit.ly/3S57TI5

Under the iconic lights of Radio City Music Hall, Pratt’s Class of 2026 marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next in a truly spirited graduation ceremony.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uXqvbb

It's official 🎉

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!