Michael LaForte

Lecturer LaForte joined the Department of Design in the Fall of 2010 and is a Visualization Specialist and having produced close to a thousand high-profile competitions is a Promotional Specialist and Leading Marketing Strategist. Since 2011 he has led the design of our departmental website and social media campaigns. From 2011-2013 he was a Faculty-in-Residence with the university where he mentored student residents in all areas of study and organized life skills and educational events.

 

As a supplement to his classroom instruction he produces streamable video tutorials of perspective drawing and rendering demos. Videos are available to all and can be found on his LaForte Daily Demos Youtube channel.

 

Michael is also the Principal of Studio LaForte, a multi-disciplinary creative design lab with work ranging from graphic design, branding and identity to architectural investigations; from character design to investigative sculpture, conceptual performance, and theatrical performance. Clients include private practices in architecture and he regularly provides design services for non-profit organizations.

 

In the course of his career has been the Art Director for leading international architecture and design firms including Rafael Viñoly Architects, Perkins Eastman Architects (and Marketing Director), and Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects. Early in his career he worked with Jones Studio Architects in Phoenix, Arizona, McIntosh Poris Architects in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and SOM in New York. Working with multi-disciplinary teams, he has designed and directed thousands of compelling visual campaigns including presentations, proposal submissions for highly competitive international projects, brochure collateral, exhibitions and environmental graphics. He has been a guest critic at OTIS, USC, RISD, Pratt, and RPI.

LaForte has also had an independent art practice exploring the boundaries of art, architecture, and design. 

 

His work has been shown throughout the US and in Argentina where he spent a year in residency. His work is in a number of private collections including the Norton Family Foundation Collection.

 

A drawing of an orange convertible driving fast with everything else blurry.

A rendering of the external of a building.

Drawings of a character design for a little humanoid hairless green monster with a little tummy.A character design render showing a computer generated image of the previously drawn creature.

A photograph of pamphletsPhotographs of a magazine.Photographs of holiday greeting cards.

A photograph of a book with open pages.A compilation of images showing the exterior of a building.

Urban Land Institute poster showing the interior of a room with design displays.

Photographs of a pamphletExterior shots of a sign.

A poster design for an event.

An art installation of many red strings strung across a green lawn.A statue in the middle of a green lawn with red string across the lawn.

A black and white photograph showing a man on a ladder.Black and white photographs of a person standing on a board.A black and white photograph of a wood board.