2025 IIDA Student Design Competition
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Closed
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Winners Announced
Sponsored by
Winners
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Project Title
Sunshine: Day 1 Behavioral Health Clinic
LeAnne Hlavka | Sunshine: Day 1 is a thoughtfully designed facility integrating informed design solutions that radiate around a holistic patient experience and journey to more days of sunshine. Skylights and windows allow for natural and cast light and shadow while LED lights tunable to circadian rhythms are specified with LightGlass simulated glass features. The care desk promotes a positive relationship between staff and patients; the sundial courtyard moves patients out to nature; and the arched fireplace encourages gathering and community. Considerations of patient testimonials seeking autonomy, comfort and dignity in treatment centers are prioritized by designing the clinic with materials, tall structures and expansive views that resemble a mountain retreat. The ideas of “Prospect” (view of nature) and “Refuge” (shelter) in biophilic studies show that both in tandem reduce stress, enhance mood and a feeling of safety, therefore, alcoves and curved shapes are thoughtfully included to offer respite. Gentle colors, intuitive wayfinding and clutter free rooms inhibit potential triggers, resulting in a safe space sensitive to all patients.-
Location
N/A
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Firm
Interior Designers Institute
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Category
Overall
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Award
First Place
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Location
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Project Title
Path to Balance: A Healing Environment for Behavioral Health
Leah Ferry | Path to Balance presents a holistic approach to behavioral healthcare by integrating fluid architectural elements, nature-inspired materials, and therapeutic strategies with a focus on guiding design principles of the seamless integration of curves and organic shapes; nature-inspired therapeutic spaces; adaptability and personalization; and safety, accessibility, and comfort. The intuitive wayfinding, sensory-responsive environments, and adaptable areas embrace biophilic principles and acoustic interventions through greenery, nature-inspired wall coverings, sound-absorbing materials, and white noise integration. Flexible therapy rooms and multi-use spaces that can be adjusted to meet individual needs, allow space for reflection, work, and rest while mitigating stress-inducing stimuli, while the care desk is strategically positioned to maintain a clear lie of sight. This design prioritizes ligature-resistant solutions, ADA-compliant features, and staff visibility without compromising the sense of autonomy and dignity for patients. Private spaces for de-escalation, including the Quiet Room, offer patients a sanctuary for self-regulation within a secure setting. Path to Balance is more than a healthcare facility—it is a dynamic, healing environment that fosters growth, resilience, and well-being through intentional, human-centered design.-
Location
N/A
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Firm
Kent State University
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Category
Overall
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Award
Second Place
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Location
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Project Title
Vantage Point Behavioral Health Clinic
Katie Becher, Samantha Crown | Vantage Point Behavioral Health is an inpatient behavioral health facility serving patients eighteen and older, encompassing a combination of indoor and outdoor areas for use by patients, families and friends of patients, healthcare providers, and staff. The safety of all users is the main priority, utilizing design as a tool to promote wellness. Located in the city of Denver which is recognized for its vibrant urban skyline and scenic mountain views that appeals to tourists and locals alike. Therapy can lead to significant breakthroughs and insights into one’s mental and emotional health — similarly in nature, hidden depths are what build strength in our world. The clinic encourages patients to visualize themselves in their own environment and have control over their perspective and healing. Important sightlines for healthcare providers will be maintained throughout the facility to ensure the safety of patients. With a goal of encouraging patients to find strength in the depths of their own horizons, the facility will be inspired by the layers of Colorado’s nature, using an attentive design approach to create a positive, calming atmosphere where the healing power of sight is woven into every aspect of care.-
Location
N/A
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Firm
Florida State University
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Category
Overall
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Award
Third Place
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Location
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Project Title
Healing Through Connection Center
Michael Hernandez Reyes, Hailey Reicks | Healing Through Connection Center embodies the resilience and unity of an aspen grove, where individual trees thrive through a vast interconnected root system. Combining Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian comfort, the space achieves a delicate balance of clean lines, organic materials, and soft neutral tones. Wayfinding techniques enhance navigation and accessibility through a color-coded system applied to rooms and hallways while skylights in the milieu space bring in natural daylight while a continuous light strip enhances spatial awareness. Open communal areas encourage social interaction and connection, while private nooks and enclosed rooms provide solitude and reflection. The design considerations reinforce safety, comfort, and therapeutic engagement with a patient-centered approach. Patient rooms have non-locking doors for safety without compromising dignity; belongings are stored in locked compartments; medication room layout facilitates a secure and smooth process, and the nourishment center is a secure, locked room adjacent to the care desk for easy access. This facility is more than just a treatment center—it is a space for growth, renewal, and holistic well-being. Blending nature, thoughtful interior design, and human connection, it fosters a sense of community, trust, and reassurance, ensuring an environment where patients, staff, and families can heal, grow, and thrive together.-
Location
N/A
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Firm
Kirkwood Community College
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Category
Overall
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Award
Honorable Mention
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Location
Jury
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Aimee Burmaster Hicks, IIDA
Principal, Interior Design Director, Page
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Maria VanDeman, Ind. IIDA
Director of Design Strategy, OFS
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Patricia Paulson
Senior Interior Designer, HDR
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Lakiesha Stanley, NCIDQ, IIDA
Interior Designer, Healthcare, Gresham Smith
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Paul Widlarz, AIA
Vice President and Principal, HGA Architects and Engineers
Competition Guidelines
Submission Requirements
Download the 2025 IIDA Student Design Competition Brief Here
Download the 2025 Student Competition FAQ/Clarifying Questions Here
The competition will open Tuesday, January 7, 2025, it is advised that you begin the application and project before that date.
All submissions must be submitted electronically, no hard copy submissions will be accepted. To enter a project into this competition, you will need to prepare and submit the following:
Written Component
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Your contact information including participant name(s), member ID (if applicable), address, phone number, and email
- Your design project's information including project title
- Project description outlining why your concept demonstrates the best solutions possible for the design prompt (500 words)
Digital Presentation Board
Please submit one (1) 24” x 36” digital presentation board in PDF format with a file size between 3MB and 10MB and containing the following:
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One (1) dimensioned floor plan drawn to scale
- One (1) furniture and materials plan (may be combined with dimensioned floor plan)
- One (1) reflected ceiling plan, created with the assumption that the ceiling is a blank slate
- Two to four (2-4) renderings of the completed space
- Two (2) additional drawings of the space, which can be elevation, perspective, isometric, axonometric, or orthographic.
- Additional elements to convey the overall concept including, but not limited to, furniture and fixture specifications, color palettes, wall sections, electrical plans, schedules, additional renderings, etc.
- Your board should NOT contain your name or any identifying information. Your file name should be: SDC + initials + year_board (SDCLHH2025_board.pdf)
Images
Please submit individual images of the 10-12 images outlined above. All images should be submitted in JPG or JPEG format with a file size between 2MB and 10MB. Take note of the following additional guidelines:
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Images should be saved in RGB color mode with a minimum 150 dpi (300 dpi is preferred)
- Images should have a minimum dimension of 8.5” x 11”
- Your images should NOT contain your name or any identifying information. Your file names: SDC + initials + year_number (SDCLHH2025_1.jpg)
Judging
The winning design projects will be selected by a jury of design professionals. Submissions are judged on excellence in aesthetics, design, creativity, and function as well as the suitability of the design solution to the project challenge and the successful integration of the elements of design.
Prize
Winners will be announced Spring 2025, and will be featured on IIDA.org, in the Spring 2025 issue of QUAD, and DesignMatters newsletters. OFS provides the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners with a financial prize of $2,500, $1,500, and $750 respectively. Winners will also receive official digital assets, including competition winner logos for self-promotion, coverage and mention on IIDA’s social media accounts, and in an official press release distributed to leading industry outlets and media partners.
