A Day in the Life of Casey Daurio from Pratt

I thought it might be fun to follow around a student designer to get a better idea of what it’s like to be a design student these days (or a student in general!).

Pratt Institute Industrial Design student Casey Daurio, who graduates in 2013, gladly offered us the opportunity to peek inside his everyday world. Let’s follow him around on the exciting occasion of Pratt Institute’s 125th anniversary celebration:

I start my morning by having a cup of tea on my balcony in Willoughby Hall on Pratt’s Brooklyn campus. The view is great and it makes for a good start to the day.

Before leaving the residence hall, I grab my essentials and make note of my scheduled daily meetings. I frequently meet with Carolyn Schaeberle, assistant director, Center for Sustainable Design Studies, to stay on track with my internship.

Getting to class early is always a good idea because I beat the rush and have a few moments to prepare for the craziness that will ensue. I meet up with my friend Maria Sengle (Industrial Design 2013) outside of the Juliana Curran Terian Design Center to prepare for our design pinups. The campus is gorgeous and in the fall is a great place to decompress before, in between, and after classes.

I’m constantly on my iPhone checking email, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I’m pictured at my desk in the studio catching up on some things before class.

At around 9:30 AM I pin up for my first run through of my design midterm review. I’m currently studying under Professor Katrin Mueller-Russo in a class titled “From Technique to Product.” We are learning basic construction techniques such as knotting, weaving, wrapping and applying the strands to a surface or object. From this we are to research technological, Industrial and analog production techniques that may inspire a new product. I’m looking to create a 3D printed shoe with orthopedic support for men through these construction techniques, embedded technologies, and the application of sustainably considered design. Here I’m demonstrating the visual impact of the men’s heel of a boot and how it may be translated in my own design.

Analog models as well as computer CAD model renderings in Rhino and Solidworks supplement the course. During class we gather around student projects and discuss ideas and areas of improvement.

I frequently grab my lunch on the go at Mike’s Coffee Shop on DeKalb Avenue and Hall Street. I’m a regular there, and it’s nice to see some familiar faces.

I run into fellow classmate Stephany Sovitch (Industrial Design 2013) at the elevator while on my way back to my studio space to prepare for my next class.

In the afternoon I have “Portfolio and Professional Practice I” with Visiting Assistant Professor and Design Consultant Frank Millero. His class encourages visual thinking with an approach to the essentials of personal marketing in industrial design including portfolio, Web construction/maintenance, resume building, etc. I am pictured with Frank (left) and fellow students discussing our current work and its success in visual storytelling.

Photo by Joshua Wong Photography

Here I am pictured with Liam Dublin (Interior Design 2013) and Tonya Kennedy (Interior Design 2014) after arriving a few minutes late to the Waldorf-Astoria for Pratt’s 125th Anniversary Gala. A downpour and a jerky cab ride prevented our timely arrival! As a side note, this is a bit different from a typical Monday but is certainly not far from the realm of possibility here at Pratt.

I was thrilled to be asked to create a special award for this year’s gala, which raises money for student scholarships. It was an honor to participate, as scholarships have literally afforded me the opportunity to study at Pratt. As a transfer from Pratt’s affiliate Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, N.Y., I was awarded the Presidential scholarship in the amount of full tuition. The fact that the event raised over a million dollars that night made me humbled to have played a small part in the whole.

Photo by Patrick McMullan Company

The award is designed annually by a student from the Industrial Design department to present to honorees from the worlds of art and design. I worked to refine the design with Karen Stone, adjunct associate professor and director of design at Knoll, where I’m interning this semester. The award was inspired by the gala theme of “Celebrate. Honor. Support.” The award concepts were experiments in material applications ranging from caning to concrete. The chosen award is a bronze celebration of the Institute and its legacy. I’m pictured here holding the award with Karen Stone and Steve Diskin, chair, Industrial Design.

Photo by Patrick McMullan Company

This year’s awards were presented to the Pratt Family, who have actively supported the Institute since its founding by Charles Pratt in 1887; Maximilian Josef Riedel, CEO of Riedel Crystal of North America; Julie Taymor, director of theater, opera, and film; and Kehinde Wiley, artist and contemporary portrait painter. Julie Taymor even took a moment to react to the award during her speech saying: “This is like beautiful mad paint brushes. It’s gorgeous.” To hear such an incredibly talented and influential figure acknowledge my work was a reward in and of itself.

After the event it was back to the usual grind. I went to change and return to the studio to prepare for a week of midterm reviews and design pinups! No way to avoid the long week ahead, but happy to start it off on such a positive note.

Unless otherwise noted, photos by Pratt Master’s degree student Chris Richard (Industrial Design 2013).

Special thanks to the Casey Daurio and the Pratt team!