WashU Sam Fox School

10/05/2026

"Black Designers in Chicago: Culture and Community in the Twentieth Century,” edited by Assistant Professor Chris Dingwall along with David Hartt of the University of Pennsylvania and Daniel Schulman of the Statsinger Cohen Foundation, has been published by the University of Chicago Press.

The richly illustrated volume — building on extensive research and a 2018 exhibition of the same name — focuses on Black Designers, how they shaped the history of modern design, and how their designs in turn influenced modern Black life.

Join us for a book launch on Oct. 7, at 4:30 p.m. in Olin Library.

https://samfoxschool.washu.edu/calendar/events/2286-book-launch-chris-dingwall-s-black-designers-in-chicago

10/01/2026

How is emerging AI shaping creative work?

Sam Fox School faculty answered this question at the Faculty Research Showcase during WashU's AI Perspectives week. Associate Professor Tiffany Calvert, chair of the MFA in Visual Art program, shared her methods of blending both historical and cutting-edge techniques in her paintings. Andrew Witt, the Kavita and Krishna Bharat Professor, leads university efforts in AI and design, integrating emerging technologies into both academic and studio experiences and developing new courses and research frameworks that shape the future of design education and practice.

Photos: Sid Hastings/WashU

09/22/2026

First day of fall vibes 🍁

09/17/2026

What an impressive display of student work! The annual Undergraduate Approach Exhibition, organized by student curators, showcases architecture student work selected for the upcoming Approach publication.

09/16/2026

Alumni and former faculty Nathaniel Elberfeld, Lavender Tessmer, and Alexandra Waller — together forming the collaborative Teltta — were commissioned to design this year’s installation for the Weil Project Wall.

The work, “Neighbors to Your Right and Left,” uses textile fabrication, aggregation, and full-scale assembly to explore how soft components can produce architectural enclosure, thickness, surface, and expression. The resulting installation is a wall of stacked, CNC-knit sandbags in blue and peach yarns, with three distinct openings, or apertures.

Elberfeld, Tessmer, and Waller earned their Master of Architecture degrees from WashU’s Sam Fox School in 2011, later serving as faculty. Their shared interest and scholarship in design computation, labor optimization, material economy, and customizable production led them to formalize their collaboration as Teltta in 2020. Their work has been exhibited at galleries and museums including the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and Design Seaport in Boston.

The work is on display for the 2026-27 academic year. The designers will return for a lecture later this year.

09/14/2026

Meet Charlie White.

A widely recognized artist, director, and academic leader, Charlie has a long history of student advocacy and vision that has built nationally recognized programs at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California. In July 2026, he joined WashU as the Ralph J. Nagel Dean of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, only the second in the school's history.

09/13/2026

🚨 Calling all high school students interested in art, architecture, or design: We're hosting National Portfolio Day at the WashU Sam Fox School on Sept. 20 from 12 - 4 pm!

Meet college representatives who will review your artwork, discuss their programs, and answer questions about professional careers in art, architecture, and design.



https://samfoxschool.washu.edu/calendar/events/2124-national-portfolio-day-st-louis

08/31/2026

We are proud to share that WashU has ranked among the top colleges in the U.S. for art, architecture, and design again this year in Niche's annual rankings!

#2 Best Colleges for Design
#3 Best Colleges for Architecture
#12 Best Colleges for Film and Photography
#13 Best Colleges for Art

Congratulations to the Sam Fox School community! You make us proud.

See where Washington University in St. Louis ranks among top colleges in the U.S.

08/28/2026

🦊 Another Foxapalooza in the books! Looking forward to a great semester!