Josh Owen Headshot

Josh Owen

Vignelli Center Director

School of Design
College of Art and Design
Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design

585-475-2658
Office Location

Josh Owen

Vignelli Center Director

School of Design
College of Art and Design
Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design

Education

BA, BFA, Cornell University; MFA, Rhode Island School of Design

Bio

Josh Owen is the Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design and the Director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies at RIT. Prior to his current role, Owen was Director of the Industrial Design Department in which he continues to teach his popular course known as the Metaproject. Owen is also the president of his eponymous design studio, Josh Owen LLC. His professional projects are produced by major manufacturers and have won many awards. Owen's work is included in the permanent design collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou (FR), the Chicago Athenaeum (USA), the Corning Museum of Glass (USA), the Denver Art Museum (USA), the Design Museum Brussels (BE), the Museum of American Jewish History (USA), the Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal (CA), the Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA) the Red Dot Design Museum (DE) and the Taiwan Design Museum (TP). His students' works have won awards, been exhibited and featured in international publications and critical venues and have been put into mass production prior to graduation. Owen's professional work has been featured in major exhibitions, numerous books on design and is regularly included in critical design discourse. He is the author of the book, Lenses for Design and the forthcoming book, Design for Study. 

585-475-2658

Personal Links
Areas of Expertise

Currently Teaching

IDDE-501
3 Credits
This course will explore the application of design methods and skills to projects addressing large-community and global problems requiring team-based, trans-disciplinary collaborations.
IDDE-599
1 - 6 Credits
Industrial Design Independent Study provides students the means to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. With the assistance of their faculty advisers, students will propose a course of study. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. A 3.0 or higher GPA required.
IDDE-711
3 Credits
This course focuses on developing research skills in the field of design. Emphasis is placed on an exposure to a wide range of methods, research sources, data collection, and evaluation. Students will select and plan a design research topic, conduct a search for background material, construct a proposal, and defend their research topic.
IDDE-799
1 - 6 Credits
Industrial Design Independent Study provides students the means to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. With the assistance of their faculty advisers, students will propose a course of study. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. **NOTE: Student must have a minimum 3.0 GPA **
MGMT-799
3 Credits
The student will work independently under the supervision of a faculty adviser. *Note: Instructor approval

In the News

  • May 11, 2023

    Josh Owen, Melissa Dawson and Clare Maxwell pose in front of Vignelli fabric, while a second photo of regalia using Vignelli fabric sits below.

    Vignelli-inspired regalia to debut at commencement

    Associate professor Melissa Dawson and Clare Maxwell '23 (industrial design) designed a cap and gown using fabric from the Vignelli archives for Josh Owen, director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, to wear at commencement.

  • January 24, 2023

    artist standing in a collaboration space.

    RIT appoints inaugural Vignelli Center Designer in Residence

    The Vignelli Center for Design Studies has appointed RZLBD (Reza Aliabadi) as the inaugural Vignelli Center Designer in Residence. This position was created to assist with an upcoming campus project to design and build a series of outdoor interactive exhibits tentatively titled the RIT Museumscape.

Featured Work