OFS, Carolina, and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) are proud to announce the winners of the 2023 Student Design Competition. This year’s competition attracted an impressive 90 entries from interior design and architecture students worldwide, showcasing their innovative ideas and design talent. The competition offered emerging design professionals a unique opportunity to gain exposure in the interior design industry and receive recognition for their work.

After a rigorous judging process, 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 IIDA Student Design Competition 2023 tasked design students to create critical areas in a newly built assisted living facility in Austin, Texas. The goal was to inspire innovative and inclusive spaces that catered to the diverse needs of aging residents with varying levels of need, including those who required physical assistance, had memory impairments, medical conditions, or other needs. Half of the healthcare furniture solutions used in each submission were required to be from Carolina and OFS including, Embrace, Elide, Ice, Mile Marker, Modern Amenity, Seek, and Theatre.

Mississippi State University takes 1st place with “The Collective”

The first-place award went to Mississippi State University’s Anna Madison, Hayley Wilson, and Anny Roberts for their project, The Collective draws inspiration from the quilt—a collection of unique pieces of textiles that are unified to create a beautiful work of art that stands the test of time. The Collective integrates the six human experiences, similar to joining pieces of a quilt together. The six human experiences are the collective moments in someone’s life that connect with one’s purpose. Physical experiences require interaction with one’s surrounding environment. Mental experience involves training and stimulating the mind. Emotional experiences play a role in the way that one perceives events. Social experiences are a crucial part of basic human needs, involving contact and communication with others. Virtual experiences refer to one’s ability to connect with the world around them through technology. Spiritual experiences are subjective and unique for each resident. These key aspects combined, create a purposeful and fulfilling lifestyle for residents of The Collective. The overall aesthetic of The Collective draws moments of inspiration from mid-century modern design to connect residents with their younger years.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT HERE