Alex Stewart, who completed his Master of Architecture degree at Parsons鈥 School of Constructed Environments (SCE) in 2015, has worked for some of New York City鈥檚 most innovative architecture and design firms, including LEVENBETTS, Bernheimer Architecture,
Young Projects, and Sn酶hetta, where today he is a project designer.
Many of these professional opportunities came to him directly through
Parsons. Stewart says that when he was searching for a graduate program, he
was especially drawn to SCE because of its distinguished faculty. 鈥淚
remember researching the architecture practices of the faculty and being
impressed with their work,鈥 he explains. David Leven, Andrew Bernheimer,
and Bryan Young taught Stewart during his time at Parsons and later invited
him to join their firms .These experiences served as the foundation that
prepared Stewart for his current position at Sn酶hetta, the celebrated
transdisciplinary design practice he had set his sights on working for
years before.
Exploring woodworking and sculpture as an undergraduate, Stewart was
inspired to create 鈥渟paces that people move through,鈥 which led him to
the field of architecture. But even after completing a bachelor鈥檚
degree in architectural studies and gaining five years鈥 experience at a
San Francisco architecture firm, Stewart found he had not yet come
across a course of study and design approach that reflected what
interested him most about his chosen field. Then he found Parsons.
Drawn to the MArch program鈥檚 combination of hypothetical ideation and
traditional education in architecture, Stewart enrolled and began
working toward his master鈥檚 degree. 鈥淚 think Parsons is really unique
because it straddles the line between practicality and conceptual
design,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t has a nice balance because you鈥檙e in New York and
can focus on real-world issues 鈥 like overpopulation, infrastructure,
environmental issues, density 鈥 while also being critical and more
thoughtful about the design process.鈥
Because the curriculum blends practical courses and hands-on workshops
with conceptual studios, Stewart was encouraged to be expressive and
think in new and unconventional ways in his coursework. This exercise
in pushing boundaries and developing a holistic approach to design and
architecture has influenced his work as a project lead and designer to
this day.
Stewart sees a critical need, in New York City and around the world,
for well-considered design that engages with a variety of factors,
including aesthetics, urbanization, the environment, and human
experience. 鈥淚 enjoy projects that deeply consider the inhabitant鈥檚
experience. When you prioritize that goal, it鈥檚 less about dollars and
cents than about creating architecture that truly resonates.鈥