Prof. Dan Villella has been teaching in the Precollege program since 2015. He is an alumni of the BFA Interior Design program at FIT, and a Vice-President of the International Interior Design Association.

Teaching Philosophy: I tell my students to be themselves, and encourage them to explore that as designers. What makes interior design so great is variety, and your unique perspective is something no one else can replicate. While we learn and refine new technical skills, we build up the student’s design sensibilities. I try to bring a creative element to even to technical lessons so they can make it their own.

On Precollege Programs: Many students come to us with no design background at all, and I guide them to be in touch with their creative skills. Helping them find their own process and teaching them how to apply that in new situations can be a challenge, but is the most rewarding thing I do. Creating a flexible designer is the key to their success.

Industry Experience/Recent Exhibitions:  Prof. Villella works for many major institutions, including Columbia University, NYU Langone Medical Centers, Queens Public Library, and New York Presbyterian Hospitals. He also also done work for Northwell Health, formerly NorthShore-LIJ, the Veteran’s Administration, and Health and Hospitals Corporation of NYC.