New Design High School
PROJECTS 2025
A Better and More Efficient MTA System -- Bamboo Subway
finalist project
Milly Perez, Modiline Turner, Maria Arias, Mervin Landaverde, Jacob Luis Campoverde
"A Better and More Efficient MTA System" tackles extreme summer heat in NYC subway stations, where temperatures can soar to 94.5°F, risking dehydration, heatstroke, and heart attacks. The team proposes combining bamboo insulation with heat pump technology to regulate temperatures. Bamboo’s natural insulating properties reduce heat while enhancing station aesthetics. Heat pumps offer eco-friendly cooling, lowering carbon emissions. This dual solution improves commuter safety and comfort while supporting climate change mitigation efforts, aiming to create a healthier, more sustainable subway environment during intense heat conditions.
Clothing Repair Kit
Nonfinalist project
Rosabelle Wu, Melaney Perez Rodriguez, Lili Macias
The Clothing Repair Kit project addresses the environmental and social harms of fast fashion, including increased clothing consumption, poor garment quality, and unsustainable disposal. Fast fashion brands offer cheap clothes that appeal to budget-conscious consumers but often exploit workers through low wages and produce items with short lifespans that quickly end up in landfills. This project proposes a sustainable repair kit made from eco-friendly materials, designed to extend the life of garments. Importantly, the kit’s production ensures fair, livable wages for workers involved in making and selling it. The initiative promotes sustainability, ethical labor, and mindful consumption in the fashion industry.
Instructors 2025
Natan Spence
Pinck Pinckney