The International Interior Design Association (IIDA; Chicago) announced the winners of its 2024 Student Design Competition. The annual program provides emerging professionals the opportunity to showcase their work and gain exposure in the interior design industry.

This year’s competition, sponsored by Carolina, an OFS company, challenged participants to design an innovative pediatric primary care clinic focusing on behavioral health.

Projects were evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, creativity, functionality, human impact, fulfillment of program requirements, and presentation of information.

Three projects were selected as top winners.

First Place: JoyForest-Children’s Cognitive Training Clinic, submitted by Yi-Ti Zou, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taipei, Taiwan)

JoyForest-Children’s Cognitive Training Clinic is created specifically for children with mood disorders. The project is designed to feel like a forest playground and includes bright colors, a large tree-shaped seat, and wooden elements throughout the clinic.

The play area allows children to interact with peers and parents during therapy, avoiding confinement in small rooms. The clinic includes two types of consultation rooms to make the space more efficient: large rooms for patients requiring full examinations or physical therapy and small rooms for general check-ups.

 

Second Place: Dawn Pediatrics, submitted by Alex Pitchford, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, Calif.

Dawn Pediatrics, a symbol of radiance, optimism, and new beginnings, offers a new care setting for patients with behavioral health issues.

The proposed facility includes clerestory windows for natural lighting and emphasizes daytime colors from the sun, sky, and local flora to provide a positive and happy experience for patients. For example, brighter hues are used to create a distinction between public and private spaces, with more subdued colors indicating places of rest.

 

Third Place: Akasa Pediatric Clinic, submitted by Rahmanita Fairuz Shafiya, Thio Rahman Saleh, Farah Ainan Tajriyani, Angelica Rassie Fiandy, and Indana Zulfiya, Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta (Bantul, Indonesia)

With the theme of a “celestial sanctuary,” the Akasa Pediatric Clinic concept is designed to inspire the feeling of going on a cosmic spaceship journey, the ultimate adventure from a child’s perspective. The clinic’s futuristic interiors use a white, blue, and yellow color palette to evoke a clean, peaceful, and cheerful space.

The design team also focused on access to natural light as well as a circular layout for traffic flow with well-lit corridors that are easy to follow. “Akasa” is derived from the Sanskrit language and symbolizes the boundless expanse of space, representing interconnectedness and the essence of life itself.

Gensler, HKS, CannonDesign, Carolina, an OFS company jury members select winners

Entries were judged by a panel of industry interior design and business professionals including Peter Harrison, interior designer and project manager, Gensler; Ana Pinto-Alexander, global sector director, interiors, HKS; Jocelyn Stroupe, principal and co-director, health interiors, CannonDesign (Retired); and Natalie Thomas, national accounts director, healthcare, Carolina, an OFS company, IIDA.

“The jury was excited to review and see such a diverse and creative group of submissions for this year’s competition,” Juror Harrison said in a press release. “Designing for the healthcare setting must take a lot of factors into account and can be daunting for the designer. However, these winning projects went above and beyond—standing out in their thoughtfulness and allure.”

The 2024 Student Design Competition winning projects can be viewed here.

For more on IIDA, go here.