We design the middle ground: where organizational purpose becomes shared understanding, ideas take spatial form, and complex systems become usable experiences. Our work focuses on the literal, social, and systemic spaces where public life unfolds, translating institutional values and ambitions into communication, services, and environments people can understand, navigate, and help to shape over time. Increasingly, this includes designing with artificial intelligence, helping organizations integrate emerging technologies in ways that are transparent, accountable, and grounded in human values.
Our Approach
We believe design is not about imposing solutions, but about holding complexity long enough to make something useful, meaningful, and durable emerge. In the middle ground, design becomes a practice that connects people, institutions, and futures through thoughtful forms encouraging meaningful action. We design not just outcomes, but the conditions for collaboration. Our projects are grounded in place, attentive to accessibility, and shaped through listening and iterative making.
What we Design
We design spaces, experiences, and branding that support participation, clarity, and long-term relevance. Our capabilities move across systems and scales, shaped by the needs of each project and the people who will ultimately use it. Follow the links to read more about what we design.
Brief History
of MaNY
2012
Year Andrew's first book came out. Designing for Social Change provided the evolving framework to help MANY grow. He has collaborated on three additional publications.
06
Platforms that have featured our project and research: Webby, SLATE, 99% Invisible, NPR, AIGA, and Fast Company.
13
13th is the street (and 5th Ave) and location of Andrew's office at Parsons School of Design, where he teaches as Associate Professor of Integrated Design.
129
Number of national and international talks we've given on topics related to our projects and reseach. (as of 10/2025)
2015
MANY was founded as a design studio focused on elevating progressive initiatives and supporting creative communities.
50+
Partners we've worked with since we started, across NYC, the USA, and internationally. Our clients range from foundations and small businesses to cultural institutions and advocacy groups. Reach out to talk about your project.
01
Number of pro bono projects we take on at any one time. Contact us to see what pro bono project we're working on now.
16
Designers who have worked on MANY projects. Three designers usually comprise a team for each project.
our team
Andrew Shea, Creative director
Andrew founded MANY in 2012 to partner with institutions navigating high-stakes communication challenges, where design can provide both clarity and impact. MANY has worked with organizations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, MIT, Columbia University, and the NYC Mayor's Office on projects spanning civic, educational, environmental, and arts sectors.
Andrew serves as Associate Dean and Associate Professor at Parsons School of Design. He co-founded the Lab for AI & Creative Labor, and he researches how organizations can strategically integrate emerging technologies while preserving human judgment and creative rigor. This positions MANY to help institutions adopt AI thoughtfully. MANY also benefits from research insights gained from his books, including Design for Social Innovation (2021), LEAP Dialogues (2016), and Designing for Social Change (2012).
kshitij palresha, Design Strategist
Kshitij is a transdisciplinary designer and researcher working at the intersection of design, systems, and human behavior. With an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons School of Design, his practice brings together speculative design, creative strategy, and behavioral economics to shape meaningful and future-oriented experiences.
He has previously collaborated with LG AI Research on AI-driven research exploring human–AI co-creativity and relational dynamics. Notable works include serving as co-producer and research lead on Being the Machine, a short film that received two Telly Awards, and co-authoring the research paper Relational Dynamics in Human-AI Co-Creative Learning, presented at ICCC’24 in Sweden.
MANY partners with foundations, universities, and cultural organizations to design strategic communication systems that make ideas visible and accessible—from brand identities and digital platforms to exhibitions and campaigns. Recent collaborators: Bloomberg Philanthropies, MIT, Columbia University, AIA New York, Commonwealth Fund, W.T. Grant Foundation
2 West 13th Street
New York, NY
586 306 6323
© MANY Design