March 17, 2016
ArtCenter College of Design Students Win Top Awards from International Interior Design Association
Environmental design leaders recognized for innovative spatial design, addressing sustainability and bringing art to underserved children
Today, ArtCenter College of Design announced that three Environmental Design undergraduate students, Alvin Oei, Michelle Ann Sugeng and Eri Kawaguchi, won top awards from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Southern California Chapter. The students, recognized as future design leaders for their outstanding innovative spatial design, addressing the issue of sustainability and bringing design to underserved children in the community, will be honored on stage at the IIDA SoCal Calibre Design Awards 2016 during a gala on May 13th at The Beverly Hilton hotel.
Alvin Oei won the prestigious Stephanie Tarr award of $5,000 for his service to the community and commitment to mentorship through Art Reach, a student club he founded which brings the disciplines of art and design to underserved children in the Pasadena community and around greater L.A. Established in memory of Stephanie Tarr, the award recognizes the inspirational influence she had on the interior design industry in Southern California.
“Receiving this award means that my constant push to expand Art Reach throughout the region and put students out into the community is starting to make a difference,” said Oei. “This recognition inspires me to continue my efforts to widen its reach.”
Oei, a 7th term Environmental Design major, also received a Social Relevance in Interior Design Honorable Mention award of $2,500 for Under Moon, a concept that proposes repurposing an abandoned theme park into a playground of ideas and experiments in the dynamic city of Berlin, Germany. The project was created during an ArtCenter Berlin Study Abroad trip under the guidance of instructor Rob Ball.
“Being honored for the Berlin project reminds me that people appreciate risks and projects that may seem out of the ordinary,” said Oei. “The award reinforces my intention to continue pushing my interest in storytelling through the lens of environmental design.”
A native Angeleno who lives in Upland, Oei says his dream job after college is a position at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Michelle Ann Sugeng, a 4th term Environmental Design major, from Jakarta, Indonesia, won the Innovation in Interior Design award of $5,000 for her boutique hotel concept. The project was recognized because it “achieves a high level of innovation through design solutions that show creativity and a fresh approach.”
A current resident of Pasadena, Sugeng’s winning design is the ISSEY Boutique Hotel, inspired by fashion designer Issey Miyake and his distinctive line of clothing that appears to come to life when worn by consumers. The concept features spatial elements such as interactive lights and ribbons hanging from the ceiling, which are activated by human movement. The project was created in an experience design for hospitality course under the guidance of instructor Emil Mertzel.
“This recognition motivates me to keep on believing in what I do at ArtCenter,” said Sugeng who would like to work as a spatial interior designer at Gensler after graduation.
Eri Kawaguchi, a 7th term Environmental Design major, raised in a small country town south of Osaka, Japan, won a Social Relevance in Interior Design Honorable Mention award of $2,500 for Diquis, an eco-friendly retreat addressing sustainability.
The project, created during an ArtCenter Costa Rica Study Away trip under the guidance of faculty member James Meraz, “uses the power of interior design to transform a built environment, create a user experience and impact in the community.”
Kawaguchi’s winning concept is for a self-sustaining, off the grid eco-friendly retreat located on a mountaintop in Uvita, Costa Rica. She named the project Diquis after the pre-Columbian indigenous people’s word for “great waters.” Her goal was to create a space where guests live in harmony with water and luxuriate in its beauty. By generating hydro-electric power, she designed a bio-mimicry cooling system inspired by the striking beauty and grace of the Costa Rican rainforest Morpho butterfly. The destination provides visitors with an opportunity to experience and connect with nature.
“I found my true passion and decided to go to ArtCenter later in life,” said Kawaguchi, a small business owner in Simi Valley where she lives with her husband and son. “Winning this award means a lot to me. I would not be here without support, so I’d like to thank everyone especially my husband and my son.”
After ArtCenter, Kawaguchi would like the opportunity to create interior designs for a worldwide hospitality organization.
IIDA is an association for the commercial interior design profession dedicated to creating meaningful spaces that enhance wellbeing, productivity and community.
The organization connects members to ideas, opportunities and experts worldwide while offering programs to expand the knowledge of design professionals who create environments that matter.
About ArtCenter
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design (artcenter.edu) is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round educational programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.
Contact:
Teri Bond
Media Relations Director
ArtCenter College of Design
teri.bond@artcenter.edu
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