05.10.24
The 2024 Student Design Charrette Reimagines the Historic Broadway Trade Building
The IIDA SoCal Chapter Student Design Charette was held on Saturday, March 23rd at Gensler Newport Beach. Student Members of IIDA from schools across the region competed for cash awards and the chance to contend for the opportunity to compete in the National Student Charrette at Neocon in Chicago. Check out the photos of the event here.
Students were divided randomly into teams and challenged to use design thinking in order to re-develop the historic downtown LA Broadway Trade Building for an imagined non-profit dedicated to increasing diversity in the arts. They were asked to fulfill a long list of program requirements while honoring the unique historical features of the space.
Participating schools included Interior Designers Institute, Mount San Antonio College, Saddleback College, California State University Long Beach, California State University Northridge, Orange Coast College, Santa Monica College, and Design Institute of San Diego.
The teams had 4.5 hours to research, develop a cohesive concept and communicate their design through sketches, inspiration images and material swatches. Time management and the ability to collaborate well as a team were critical to the outcome for each group.
Each group had 10 minutes to present their design concepts to a panel of jurors – Danielle Baker, Designer at Gensler Newport Beach, Valerie Shea, Designer at Gensler Los Angeles, and Caroline Feran, Design Director at Gensler Los Angeles and current IIDA SoCal Co-VP of Student Affairs.
After much consideration, the judges decided to bring back three teams for additional Q&A to help them determine first and second prize winners. Following the Q&A, the first and second place winning teams were determined as:
First Place Winners:
Alondra Almeda |Mt. San Antonio College @mtsac
Jamie Campbell | CSULB @csulongbeach
Jayden Barbara Cauchi |Saddleback College @saddlebackcollege
LeAnne Hlavka | Interior Designers Institute @interiordesignersinstitute
Andrea Nieve | Orange Coast College @orangecoastcollege
Jewel Tucker | Santa Monica College @smcedu
Second Place Winners:
Avery Salleh | CSULB @csulongbeach
Kaina Vega | DISD @designinstituteofsandiego
Vicky Sordilla | Saddleback College @saddlebackcollege
Allison Maynard | Interior Designers Institute @interiordesignersinstitute
Genoveva Santos | CSUN @csun_edu
The first place winning team then competed amongst themselves in a follow-up competition, where one member will be awarded the opportunity to compete in the IIDA Nation Student Design Charrette at Neocon in June 2024. This opportunity has been awarded to LeAnne Hlavka of Interior Designers Institute.
Our first place winning team was honored during the IIDA SoCal Calibre Design Awards on May 3, 2024.
Caroline Feran from Gensler, and Derek Chen, from LPA – IIDA SoCal Co-VPs of Student Affairs, would like to thank all volunteers, sponsors, and judges for making the event a success:
We would like to thank all volunteers, sponsors, and judges for making the event a success:
Venue Sponsor | @genslernb
Volunteer | Mairim Saavedra, IIDA San Diego City Center Student Affairs Chair
Volunteer | Saloni Kapur, Designer @genslernb
Food and Refreshments Sponsor | @environmentalcontracting
James Arakelian| @environmentalcontracting and IIDA Regional Student Affairs Director
Jurors:
Danielle Baker, Designer | @genslernb
Valerie Shea, Designer | @genslerla
Caroline Feran, Design Director | @genslerla and current IIDA SoCal Co-VP of Student Affairs.
Event and Scholarship Sponsors:
ENV Design Team
Arakelian Family
Environmental Contracting Corporation (ECC)
Martin Brothers
Sharpe Interior Systems
Global Construction
Unison Electric
PCI Drywall Contractors
Doortek
Taber