The IIDA Student Design Competition (SDC), sponsored by OFS and Carolina, celebrates the talent and fresh design ideas of design students around the world who are currently enrolled in an interior design or interior architecture program or institution. The competition provides emerging professionals the opportunity to showcase their work and gain exposure in the interior design industry.

For the 2023 competition, we invited participants to design a newly constructed assisted living facility with several critical areas. The assisted living facility should include spaces that support healing, restoration, and connection for aging residents with different levels of need. The design should create a seamless resident experience through interior architecture and thoughtful design. Additionally, the design should take into account COVID-19’s effects on this resident population. View the first, second, and third place projects below, as well as the honorable mention, and join us in congratulating our student participants.

2023 Jurors

A smiling woman with long, straight hair wears a black blazer over a black top, posing in a bright indoor setting. — **Corey Cappello**
Interior Designer and Senior Living Associate, Perkins Eastman

A woman with curly hair smiles confidently while wearing a blue dress with ruffled sleeves, arms crossed in a professional setting. — **Kelley Dorsett, IIDA, CHID**
Senior Interior Designer and Professional Associate, HDR

A smiling woman with short, curly hair and gold earrings stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery, wearing a black top. — **Elsie St. Leger, Assoc. IIDA**
Past President of IIDA NY

Natalie Thomas
National Accounts Director, Healthcare, OFS

WINNERS

First Place:
The Collective
Anna Madison, Hayley Wilson, Abby Roberts | Mississippi State University

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.

A modern reception area featuring wooden accents, cozy seating, plants, and warm lighting, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

A cozy coffee shop interior featuring wooden shelves stocked with snacks and drinks, alongside a customer ordering at the counter.

A modern dining room with wooden accents, featuring green chairs, a round table, and large windows providing natural light.

Modern communal space featuring a cozy kitchen area, seating options, a game zone, and stylish decor, promoting social interaction.

A modern, cozy technology area featuring computers, cozy seating, bookshelves, and soft lighting, welcoming quiet study and collaboration.

Modern resident room featuring warm wood accents, a cozy bed, a work desk, and a large window with a view of greenery outside.

A versatile room showcases two setups: one for yoga practice with mats, the other for a relaxing meeting space with chairs and easels.

A serene healing garden features lush greenery, comfortable seating, and a central water feature, inviting relaxation and tranquility.

Axonometric design showcasing an outdoor healing garden connected to an indoor patio, featuring accessible raised beds and a central fireplace.

Detailed floor plan showcasing a community layout with resident rooms, common areas, a library, and outdoor spaces for social activities.

A detailed floor plan featuring furniture layouts, various ceiling heights, and lighting fixture placements in a spacious area.

Zoning plan illustrating designated areas that promote physical, mental, emotional, social, virtual, and spiritual well-being for residents.

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Second Place:
Terrene Assisted Living Facility
Sydney MacMann, Aidan Taylor, Tori Waldbieser | Mississippi State University

Terrene Assisted Living Facility’s primary objective is to create an atmosphere that encourages residents to experience comfort and therapeutic relaxation in the way that suits them best. Both the name and design of Terrene are inspired by the Scandinavian lifestyle principle of Hygge. This tried-and-true concept refers to the feeling of being content within the present moment. Taking inspiration from Scandinavian design principles, Terrene heavily emphasizes curvilinear and bending forms, interior finishes that mimic the natural world, and the implementation of daylighting. Terrene prioritizes preventative care, individualized treatment regimens, and tactile forms of therapy. Design trends that were taken into consideration for Terrene Assisted Living Facility are heavily influenced by the recent pandemic, which gave healthcare professionals insight on how socialization, or lack thereof, affects mental health. Human-centered design is implemented in a way that preserves the dignity of each resident, such as having a clear distinction between staff and resident areas to preserve a sense of residential normalcy. Environmental psychology plays a large role in human-centered design, for example, dimmable lighting is included throughout Terrene for each resident to be able to control their environment.

Detailed floor plan layout featuring various rooms such as suites, a game room, a library, reception, and outdoor seating areas.

Floor plan layout featuring suites, a game room, kitchen, library, and various work and common areas, designed for effective space use.

Floor plan layout features rooms and open spaces with detailed lighting and general notes, providing a clear design overview.

A modern reception area featuring an ADA-accessible desk, limestone accent wall, inviting seating, and lush greenery for a welcoming atmosphere.

The dining space features large windows with outdoor views, flexible seating arrangements, and areas for both social and private dining.

A modern library with tall bookshelves filled with books, cozy seating, and several people engaged in conversation and reading.

A cozy suite features a bed with decorative pillows, warm wooden furniture, and a seating area where three people are engaged in conversation.

A modern suite layout featuring a bed, custom storage solutions, and a bright bathroom with sleek finishes, enhancing a residential feel.

A modern patio with wooden pergolas, seating areas, and a circular fire pit, featuring landscaped greenery and two people conversing.

Various furniture and finishes for an assisted living facility, including chairs, tables, upholstery, and wall materials.

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Third Place:
The CuraBlu Assisted Living Facility
Shraddha Karalkar, Student IIDA | West Valley Community College

The CuraBlu (healing flower) Assisted Living Facility derives its name from the bluebonnet flower which is the official State Flower of Texas. The flower symbolizes beauty, bravery, patience, and pride and is reflected through the interior and architectural elements. The objective behind the designed space is to provide a safe, engaging, and comforting environment to aging people that cultivates hope coming from the word “CuraBlu,” a hope for healing and source of vitality. The space seeks to incubate a nurturing environment for rehabilitation, restoration, and connection through its design elements. The space planning provides various dynamic spaces to the residents where they feel connected and engaged. This research based approach to design an assisted living facility in which the needs of the resident can be customized and tailored to their specific age and physical and cognitive abilities demonstrates the ideal solution and helps promote the safety and psychological well-being of the aging residents.

A detailed floor plan featuring various communal spaces, resident areas, and caregiver zones, complete with designated functions for each space.

Reflected ceiling plan displaying various lighting types, including LED panels and downlights, alongside a layout of rooms and furniture.

A modern reception and waiting area of CuraBlu Assisted Living Center features comfortable seating, welcoming decor, and a friendly staff.

Bright, inviting dining area featuring round tables, cushioned chairs, and greenery, with a woman assisting a man in a wheelchair.

A cozy media room features green chairs, colorful wall designs, and a large screen displaying a city skyline at night.

A nurse in scrubs reviews notes at a desk while an elderly woman sits comfortably in a chair in a well-designed medical room.

A bright and modern library space features seniors engaging in activities, reading, and using interactive learning tools.

A modern staff lounge featuring two healthcare professionals; one stands with a tablet, while another sits, engaged with their device.

A modern physicians' workroom features sleek desks with computers, two healthcare professionals discuss patient information in a welcoming space.

CuraBlu Assisted Living Facility emphasizes healing and vitality through design inspired by Texas' Bluebonnet flower, fostering comfort and connection.

Diagrams illustrating plant-inspired architectural concepts, showcasing spatial relationships and design principles for dynamic space planning.

A detailed design plan illustrating a typical resident suite with various furniture options, included specifications, and materials listed.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Aquifer
Anna Batalova, Student IIDA, Elizabeth Perry, Paloma Vargas, Ladan Khalvati, Daphne Amarachi Uchechi Chilaka | Texas Tech University

The Aquifer Assisted Living Facility is inspired by the life-giving habitat of the city of Austin's Barton Springs Pool. The goal of the Aquifer Assisted Living Facility is to emulate the considerable ingenuity of Barton Springs, which has continually symbolized the attributes of not only shelter and protection, but of socialization and healing through water. The objective of the Aquifer Assisted Living Facility is to promote rejuvenation, independence, and a sense of security for both the residents and the members of their families. This is achieved through flexibility created in the layouts of the public, resident, and caregiver spaces. Socialization among the residents will be facilitated through the implementation of a variety of recreational areas, and the introduction of indoor, semi-indoor, and outdoor social settings. To enhance the safety and sense of security of every resident without infringing on their autonomy, non-intrusive gates have been discreetly located along each outdoor space. Overall, the Aquifer Assisted Living Facility creates a seamless resident experience through thoughtful interior and environmental design that supports healing, restoration, and connection for aging residents.