2024 IA Diversity in Design Scholarship Winners

May 28, 2024 By Jessica Jones

This year’s IA Interior Architects scholarship recipients share their award-winning essays on the intersections of AI, diversity, and design

By Jessica Jones May 28, 2024

Published in Foundation

(Above image courtesy of IA Interior Architects)

IA Interior Architects and IIDA are proud to announce the 2024 Diversity in Design Scholarship Awardees. Approaching design from diverse perspectives and experiences, these awardees are incorporating their voices and ideas to help build a more inclusive design industry. To support these students in their educational endeavors, we provide one $5,000 scholarship, one $3,000 scholarship, and four $500 scholarships. A diverse design community drives innovation and inclusion, and ultimately helps build a better world—each of these brilliant awardees represents a brighter future full of possibility.

Our first and second place winners are Sophia Vinasco, Student IIDA, Louisiana State University, and Joe Beal, Student IIDA, George Washington University. “Receiving this honor has made such a difference in my work as a designer,” said Vinasco. “Not only have I been inspired to explore the future of our field on a deeper level, but I can now use my award to support my research endeavors!”

Beal is also excited about all that comes next. “It is an honor to win this award,” he said, “especially because AI is a tool empowering many young designers like me. I'm incredibly grateful!

Our honorees are Suwade Pe Than, Savannah College of Art and Design; Juliana Ferguson, University of Arkansas; Joseph Olivieri, Student IIDA, New York Institute of Technology; and BryAnna Lewis, Student IIDA, Texas State University.

Read our first- and second-place winners’ essays below.

In Vinasco’s essay titled, “AI in Design, from a Minority Standpoint,” she discusses how AI is useful throughout the entire design process and can provide a huge economic benefit to the industry, but AI still lacks one crucially important factor: the human experience.

AI in Design, from a Minority Standpoint
By: Sophia Vinasco, Student IIDA

The topic of artificial intelligence, as well as its application to the design industry, is an incredibly complex and multifaceted discussion to dissect. Al can be useful for a variety of practical purposes, therefore accelerating the development of projects across the board. This presents a huge economic benefit to firms throughout the industry, as it allows for a greater number of projects to be handled at one time.

AI is applicable in virtually every stage of the design process, from primary inspiration to final renderings. The possibilities in which AI can be applied to our field are endless. For example, if a designer has met with a client and has gathered their initial findings, as well as any specific requests, they can insert this information into an AI platform and receive design recommendations with ease and certainty. AI can provide a solid base for designers to use when beginning the design process, while still allowing for the application of one’s personal style or further modification as needed. However, AI lacks a factor that will always be an essential pillar in the interior architecture world—the gift of the human experience.

One of the key components of being a designer is the ability to approach a real-life issue from an out-of-the-box perspective and to find new, effective solutions for the task at hand. AI faces a major limitation in this area because its functions are based on the information that was already entered into the system by other people, leaving little room for a solution that contains no prior bias or influence. Any solutions created will simply be a new combination of previous findings, eliminating the authenticity of human-led problem-solving in the design world. Interior design is a unique field to be in because it allows for the expression of one's experiences, perspectives, and cultural differences through visual representation. Designers often have an underlying reason or experience that gave them a deeper passion for what they do—and for some of us, that reason is to create representation for those who are otherwise left unseen. AI will never be able to comprehend what it is like to be a minority in this country, how it feels to be in a workspace that is white-dominated, or what it is like to be subject to certain experiences and micro-aggressions throughout life. Translating such emotions and experiences into a visually appealing (yet impactful) way to the general population is something only humans are capable of. Even speaking from a more general standpoint, a computer will never be able to convert the deeper feelings of the human experience into a structure that connects people based on the fact that they faced similar struggles throughout their lives. Design brings people together—and when it comes to connecting individuals from different communities, the little details matter. People desire to feel seen, and it takes those who have gone through such experiences to truly make those groups feel recognized due to their unique perspective.

Beal’s essay titled, “Diversity Can Be Designing into AI,” focuses on how AI can be used to revolutionize the design process, but it lacks the ability to understand biases that affect the end result of a design.

Diversity Can Be Designed into AI
By: Joe Beal, Student IIDA

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the realm of design represents a shift with profound implications for emerging professionals. At the frontier of technological innovation, the ramifications of AI on the industry’s equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts, as well as its influence on the future of design, evoke both excitement and critical reflection. AI’s potential to revolutionize design is undeniable. Its ability to process vast datasets and identify patterns enables us to streamline design processes, enhance creativity, and optimize functionality.

However, in this era of rapid AI integration, acknowledging and addressing its inherent biases becomes paramount in ensuring fair and inclusive design solutions. Navigating AI’s biases involves multifaceted approaches. Firstly, designing diverse representation into the teams developing AI algorithms is fundamental. Diverse perspectives mitigate the risk of perpetuating biases embedded in data, promoting inclusive design outcomes. Additionally, continuous monitoring and refinement of AI algorithms are imperative to detect and correct biases that might reinforce social inequalities. By employing ethical frameworks and diverse datasets, we can design AI systems to recognize and mitigate biases, fostering a more equitable design landscape. Considering AI’s future in design, its impact spans across various facets. AI-powered tools offer unprecedented opportunities for personalization and user-centric design. Through predictive modeling and user behavior analysis, designers can create spaces tailored to individual needs, thereby enhancing accessibility and inclusivity.

Moreover, AI optimizes the design process through rapid prototyping and simulation, accelerating innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in design. However, as AI becomes more integrated into design processes, the role of the designer transforms. Rather than replacing human creativity, AI serves as a catalyst, enhancing our capabilities and enabling us to focus on higher-order design thinking—empathy, cultural sensitivity, and ethical considerations. Designers become editors, leveraging AI’s analytical skills while infusing designs with human-centric values and emotional resonance. Envisioning the future, AI’s impact on design extends beyond efficiency and innovation; it becomes a catalyst for social change in design. By harnessing AI ethically and inclusively, we can design spaces that foster equity and belonging for diverse communities. As design professionals, our responsibility lies in harnessing AI as a tool for positive change, using its potential to create spaces that resonate with stakeholders. In conclusion, the fusion of AI and design heralds an era of incredible opportunities and challenges. Navigating its biases demands a commitment to diversity and continuous refinement. Embracing AI as a partner, designer roles are reimagined, editing to ensure AI solutions are inclusive, innovative, and empathetic spaces that enrich the human experience. This synergy between AI and human creativity paves the way for a future where design becomes a tool for creating equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Suwade Pe Than
Savannah College of Art and Design

Accepting this award is a genuine privilege, and I'm thankful for the chance to present my essay to esteemed individuals within the industry. Being chosen for this honor marks a humbling milestone in my career.

Juliana Ferguson
University of Arkansas

Receiving the IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship is an affirmation of my commitment to fostering inclusivity and innovation within design, propelling me to continue championing diverse perspectives in every project I undertake.

Joseph Olivieri, Student IIDA
New York Institute of Technology

Having persisted through the academic safari, it is my deepest honor to relish in celebrating the trials and tribulations of the past four years and be grateful for having carried myself through what I didn't yet know to be the most difficult period of my life.