The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development unveiled 62 new fine arts studios for NYU seniors in NYU’s Third Avenue North residence hall on Sept. 1. The facility currently includes four spaces for critiques, a screening room, a computer lab with printers, a lounge and a small kitchen. 

Major renovations to the space began at the end of the spring semester and were mainly completed over the summer. The new facility, previously located on the first floor of 20 Cooper Square, is now on level C2 of Third North, which also houses a dining hall and student residences. Shadi Harouni, the director of undergraduate studies in studio art, said that feedback from students, faculty and staff in the studio art department was important in designing the space.

“We wanted to use this as an opportunity to think about the needs of our students and the program, and design and build a space that provides our senior [BFA] students with individual studios to work in, but also really focus more on the communal spaces that bring the students together that allow for conversations, collaboration and rest time,” Harouni said.

Harouni also said that she enjoyed seeing students gather with professors and faculty in the studios on the first day of class. Although some construction workers were still working on the space, Harouni said that they seemed happy to see the students move their belongings into the new facility.

Students were entered into a lottery that determined their place in line to select a studio. Each individual workspace includes lamps, a stool and a tabletop. Steinhardt senior Elsa Stern said that moving her belongings into the new studio was hectic, but that the space was a refreshing change of scenery.

“Stepping into this space is so much better,” Stern said. “Somehow it’s brighter, even though it’s in the basement. We have more light, we have more space. We were sad to see Cooper go, but we were still really excited.” 

Priyanka Dasgupta, the program’s senior studios coordinator, said that she is looking forward to seeing how studio art seniors — who will work on their thesis exhibitions during the spring 2023 semester — use the collaborative spaces within the new facility.

“My goal is that our seniors have an enriching, collaborative, inspiring and safe senior year experience,” Dasgupta said. “It is exciting that the space is specifically designed with the needs of our program and students in mind, and I look forward to seeing our current [BFA] seniors settle into their studios and make the space their own.”

The new space is also available to juniors who apply for workspaces, depending on availability. The NYU community is also invited for events, including Open Studios, in which studio arts students are able to share their portfolios and latest work. The department has not yet announced when or if Open Studios will take place this year.

Contact Yuna Baek at [email protected].