JSA/MIXdesign Summer 2025 Newsletter

August 7, 2025

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Joel Sanders Awarded Honorary Doctorate by Aalto University

On Friday, June 13, JSA/MIXdesign Principal Joel Sanders was awarded an honorary doctorate by Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland. This distinguished award recognizes Joel’s impact on the field of inclusive design and acknowledges his past involvement with Aalto University, consisting of collaborative design studios centered on the spatial implications of social justice. As part of the program, Sanders participated in a panel where he and the other honorary doctors held a discussion addressing the theme of this year’s event, “Species.” To learn more about the event, click HERE, and to view a recording of the panel discussion, click HERE.

Joel Sanders Delivers Keynote at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museum™ Symposium

On Thursday, March 6, Joel Sanders delivered the keynote address at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museums™ conference. His presentation discussed MIXmuseum, MIXdesign’s design/research initiative dedicated to making art museums better meet the needs of their diverse visitors. As part of the conference’s first-ever joint keynote, Joel shared the stage with Sarah Sutton, co-founder and CEO of Environment & Culture Partners, who discussed the importance of integrating sustainability into museum design. For more information on the conference proceedings, click HERE.

New Project: SoCal Club Health Clinic

JSA/MIXdesign is excited to share that documentation of our recently completed project for the Men’s Health Foundation in South-Central Los Angeles is now live on our website. This adaptive reuse project transforms two derelict structures at the intersection of S. Broadway and Manchester Avenue into a combined medical clinic and community hub for LGBTQ+ youth of color. Conceived to counteract stigma associated with seeking medical care, the design embeds clinical spaces within a vibrant, welcoming environment anchored by a café/lounge, vocational spaces, and wellness amenities. Click HERE to visit our website and learn more about this project.

Lectures + Events

Upcoming

  • Seb Choe, JSA/MIXdesign Associate Director, and Amanda Truemper, Senior Project Manager at Trivers Associates, at the Society for College and University Planning’s 2025 Annual Conference, Bridging Diverse Needs Through Inclusive Restroom Design, July 14, 2025. Click HERE for more information and to register for the conference.

Recent

Teaching

  • In Fall 2024, JSA/MIXdesign partner Magda Mostafa was a Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design co-teaching with Professor Sarah Rottenberg as part of the Inclusive Design Studio in the IPD (integrated product design) program titled “Designing for the Sensory Landscape: Between Prospect and Refuge” exploring campus design through the autistic and neurodivergent lens.

Selected Press + Publications