Chicago, IL, May 2nd, 2024 - OFS, Carolina, and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Student Design Competition. The IIDA Student Design Competition celebrates the talent and fresh design ideas of interior design students throughout the world who are currently enrolled in an interior design program or institution. The competition provides emerging professionals the opportunity to showcase their work and gain exposure in the interior design industry.
A jury of leading interior design and business professionals selected the top three winners based on criteria such as innovation, creativity, functionality, human impact, fulfillment of program requirements, and presentation of information.
The design challenge for this year's competition focused on a newly constructed pediatric primary care clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. This new clinic will provide comprehensive pediatric primary care from birth to age eighteen (18) with accommodations to treat behavioral health issues. The clinic’s design scope will include Exam Rooms, Public Areas, both Administrative and Physician Workrooms, Manager’s Office, Nurse’s Station, Staff Lounge, Medical Room, Soil Room, both Family Restrooms and Staff Restrooms, a Patient Education Space, and an Outdoor Area. Designers were challenged to incorporate new drivers in pediatric care such as, family-focused areas, adaptable and flexible areas, orovide safety for staff, patients, and families, supportive staff areas, acoustics, and sensory sensitivities.
Half of the furniture solutions used in each submission were required to be from Carolina and OFS including, Boost+, Basil, Mile Marker, X/O, STAKS, and Element.
1st Place: "JoyForest" by Yi-Ti Zou of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
JoyForest is created specifically for children with mood disorders, designed to feel like a forest playground. I identified pain points and aimed to reduce the children's fear of medical visits. The theme includes bright colors, the incorporation of wooden elements, and considerations for their safety like rounded corners used to reduce the risk of injuries. Addressing different needs, there are two types of consultation rooms to make the space more efficient—large rooms are used for patients requiring full-body examinations or physical therapy, while small rooms are for general check-ups. The forest-themed patient education space features a large tree-shaped seat designed along with a running path and OFS series furniture, creating a style reminiscent of a forest, river, and scattered stones. The playground play area space allows children to interact with peers and parents during therapy, avoiding confinement in small rooms. Placed adjacent to the outdoor area it also enhances interaction with nature, aiming to reduce tension during therapy and improve treatment effectiveness. View the full project.
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2nd Place: "Dawn Pediatrics" by Alex Alex Pitchford of California State University, Long Beach
Celebrating the warmth of the rising sun over Baltimore, Dawn Pediatrics focuses on hope, optimism, and renewal for patients. Dawn, a symbol of radiance and new beginnings, represents a shift for patients with behavioral health issues and symbolizes a focus on a brighter future. Emphasizing daytime colors from the sun, sky, and local flora, the clinic provides a positive and happy experience for patients. The brightness of colors offers a distinction between public and private spaces with more subdued colors indicating places of rest, and clerestory windows provide natural lighting. This concept centers on patients’ mindsets, which directly relate to behavioral health. The use of light and color serves a wide age range of patients, and the design spatially demonstrates a strong flow of movement while conceptually mimicking the circular shape of the sun with window locations and a floor plan easy to navigate for not only patients but caregivers as well. View the full project.
3rd Place: "Akasa Pediatric Clinic" - Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta
Rahmanita Fairuz Shafiya, Thio Rahman Saleh, Farah Ainan Tajriyani, Angelica Rassie Fiandy, Indana Zulfiya | Our “Celestial Sanctuary” themed clinic inspires the feeling of going on a cosmic journey spaceship, the ultimate adventure from a child’s perspective. We designed our concept to integrate a nurturing environment for patients, family, and staff with an environment that fosters a sense of peace and comfort. Our theme connects humanity with the infinite beauty of the cosmos making visits stress-free and inspiring. The futuristic interiors use white, blue, and yellow to invoke a clean, peaceful, and cheerful space. We also focused on good ventilation and natural light as well as a circular layout for traffic flow with well-lit corridors that are easy to follow. Akasa is derived from the Sanskrit language and symbolizes the boundless expanse of space, representing interconnectedness and the essence of life itself. We chose this word for our pediatric clinic because it embodies our belief that health is deeply influenced by the environment. Welcome to Akasa Pediatric Clinic, where health meets celestial wonder, and children's smiles light up the sky. View the full project.
4th Place: "Choco Health Clinic" - Rhode Island School of Design
Jiaanqi Cheng, Qiyan He | Choco Health Clinic gives attention to the nuanced needs of children’s behavioral therapy and aims to enrich their therapeutic journey with a magical and exploratory environment. Inspired by the classic film "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," design elements spark imagination. With a nod to Baltimore’s industrial heritage, the chocolate, candy, and forest theme is evident from the corridors and nurse stations that mimic forests and rivers. Natural light in examination rooms and soundproof design provides a sense of well-being and protects patient and staff privacy. The clinic emphasizes the important role of families in the therapeutic process, offering dedicated areas within each examination room for family education and participation, strengthening the child’s support system, and empowering families in the therapeutic journey. The goal is for Choco Health Clinic to provide professional services while creating an environment that feels safe and filled with imagination. Our hope is to help children better understand their emotions and behaviors, thereby fostering growth and development throughout their therapeutic journey. View the full project.
5th Place: "Luridae Behavioral Health" by Kaylin Wedel of University of Wisconsin-Madison
Luridae Behavioral Health is designed with Maryland native Petaluridae dragonfly in mind, with a concept based on transformation and change addressing the lack of access to healthcare, and mistrust in the healthcare system by low-income and Black Americans for whom this project is designed. The accessible location and community-centered design elements, feature artwork created by Black artists, an outdoor space for community engagement, and a selection of sociopetal or sociofugal seating, playful elements, and effective wayfinding that contribute to a healing environment. Overall, this pediatric center uses the symbol of transformation of the Petaluridae dragonfly, not only in its design but in its mission to bridge gaps in healthcare access and build trust among underserved populations. View the full project.
For more information on the 2024 IIDA Student Design Competition, including eligibility criteria, submission guidelines, and deadlines, please visit: https://iida.org/submissions/2024-iida-student-design-competition
About OFS
OFS is a family-owned contract furniture manufacturer dedicated to crafting experiences and products that contribute to places where people want to be. Founded in 1937, OFS provides furniture and logistics solutions for office, healthcare, education, lifestyle, government, and home office markets worldwide, offering seating products, tables, casegoods, and open-plan products. OFS is based in Huntingburg, Indiana.
About Carolina
For over 75 years, Carolina has designed and manufactured quality healthcare furniture for customers around the globe. Founded in 1947, Carolina has constantly evolved their products and expanded their knowledge to meet the needs of tomorrow’s challenges, as well as today’s. Carolina is based in High Point, NC, and was acquired by OFS in 2007. Due to the unique connection to OFS, Carolina can also draw from their full offering of products designed for administrative working spaces.
About IIDA:
IIDA is a commercial interior design association with a global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. We advocate for advancements in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day.
OFS Press Contact: Aaron Estabrook - aestabrook@ofs.com