Moira Denson

Grounded in lived experience and inspired by the people I love, I believe good design is good common sense.

As a designer, educator, painter, and author, I explore how our environments shape us and how they can better support us as we age. My work brings together psychology, sustainability, and intergenerational storytelling to help people think differently about space.

I teach Interior Architecture + Design at Marymount University, where I guide students to see design not only as a creative act, but as a responsibility to the communities and generations we serve.

Through my consulting work and writing, I collaborate with families and institutions navigating transitions from aging in place to creating shared spaces that foster dignity, autonomy, and connection.   

My forthcoming book Grandma + Me, By Design (2026) is a graphic narrative that reflects on empathic design and the evolving experience of aging. It is rooted in both research and lived experience, and it invites readers into a larger conversation about longevity, sustainability, and care.

When I’m not teaching, painting, or writing, I design workshops and community partnerships that bring students and older adults together through shared creative practice. As Founding Design-athon Coordinator at Marymount University, I’ve helped lead initiatives recognized with a 2016 CIDA Award of Merit for Excellence and the 2014–2015 Wm. L. Wilkoff, FASID Design for Humanity Award.