Carissa Henriques is a designer and maker whose work involves place and placemaking, expressive/experimental typography, and experience design. She specializes in democratic design and design for social impact. Her work delves into design’s social role, including its ability to foster inclusive communities through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to making and storytelling. Her current research interest involves urban palimpsests, and the way the creation, history, and layering of visible vernacular impact linguistic landscapes.
Her recent design work was displayed in the 2024 Venice Biennale’s book pavilion for the exhibition catalogue of Pablo Delano’s exhibit, The Museum of the Old Colony. Her professional practice also includes the design of a permanent exhibition design for James Madison University’s Wilson Hall as well as numerous exhibition catalogues and brand identities for national clients. Henriques has presented her research and held workshops nationally and internationally, at the AIGA Design Educators Committee, Ashoka U, VentureWell, a2ru, and (B)Academics (B-Corps) and she has received numerous grants, including support from the Innovate/Collaborate program and the International Network of Universities. She founded and directed a short-term study abroad that explores design and sustainability in Scandinavia, which engages students in cross-disciplinary, speculative, and place-based design projects.
She holds an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Design: Visual Communication and a BFA in Studio Art (Graphic Design) from James Madison University.
