Every Chicago Design Week, IIDA brings together students from across the country for an opportunity to collaborate and compete in the IIDA National Student Design Charette. The national design charette was created to bring together students of all ages and different walks of life who all have one common goal — design, problem-solving, networking, and fun! The 45 student participants this year were most excited about getting to work with people they have never met before, strengthening their design skills, and challenging themselves. 

Separated into 10 teams, participants were presented with the design problem of designing a versatile workplace that supports co-working and client engagement. A big part of this challenge is working quickly while collaborating with strangers, a real-world skill for any designer. Once complete, the design solutions are presented to and judged by a panel of design professionals, with a celebration later in the day open to the public. 

First place Student Design Charette winners Sophia Knasel, Student IIDA, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Andrea Arcia Jarquin, Student IIDA, Queens University of Charlotte; Evelyn Koblin, Student IIDA, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University; Kristen Ortiz, Student IIDA, Illinois State University; and MaryKate Reeves, Student IIDA, Syracuse University, said that the key to creating a design that stood out started with the willingness to grow and learn. 

Each of these students had different ideas on what they wanted to get out of their experience, but they all wanted to strengthen their skills as designers, and learn how to be better collaborators. 

“I knew that I had a good background in the artistic side of design, but I did not feel very confident in other skills. I wanted to be inspired by other students and connect with them as a team,” said Knasel, a junior. Senior Arcia Jarquin explained that “I saw the charette as an opportunity not only to learn from other students, but also to challenge and better understand my own design process.” 

The charette puts students in a scenario where they have less than a full day to complete a project concept, preparing them for the tight timelines they will inevitably face in the workplace. “The most important part was getting to know each other and understanding each of our strengths and weaknesses,” explained junior Koblin. “Working under such a time constraint was definitely a challenge, but everyone on the team was great about communicating and sharing their ideas,” she continued.

From adapting to a new team to working under pressure, students were put to the test to see how they could support one another and make sure everyone’s voices were heard. At first it was easy to divide and conquer based on their strengths but they needed to dig a little deeper. 

Initially they began discussing their own personal work styles, Knasel explained, but soon realized that designers aren't doing the same work as the average person. “We talked about our friends and family members and how they preferred to work. I think this was very helpful to reflect on how other people would interact in the space, not as designers but as our friends and family,” she said. 

Ortiz, a senior, realized that understanding the needs of all users made the path to their final design easier. “Considering different users made us consider how we wanted to separate different spaces and scatter them around the room.” She added, “Hospitality was something we thought was important to keep up front so that everyone felt welcome right as they walked into the space. Our layout allowed people to move throughout the office and find different options that work for them.” 

Working in tandem with each other and putting everyone's strengths to use pushed the team to not only understand other points of views but to build trust and actualize what team work means.

Throughout the day students gained valuable insights about themselves and the various ways you can approach a design solution. For Reeves, the experience provided an opportunity to learn from her teammates in ways she hadn't experienced in the classroom. “I have not gotten to experience what it is like to work with a team on a design project. So my teammates taught me how to express my ideas verbally and not just in my head but on paper too,” she said. At the charette students are in full control of the way they work — they have to guide themselves, know when to step up and step back, and look to each other for leadership. 

The most valuable aspect of charette is the level of collaboration the students get to have with one another. Some classrooms and studios are more focused on individual work and growth, but the charette demonstrates the importance of working together, taking all ideas into consideration, and streamlining them to create the final presentation. “It [the charette] made me realize how important team work and collaboration is within the design industry. Everyone brought different ideas, strengths, and perspectives to the table, and each person played an important role in bringing our design together. Without that level of collaboration and trust, we would not have been able to accomplish what we did in such a short amount of time,” said Reeves. 

Learn more about exclusive experiences for IIDA student members here