2025 Student Design Competition

IIDA WI CHAPTER | SWMF
2025 CELEBRATE in DESIGN - STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
ELIGIBILITY & GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Annually, the IIDA Wisconsin Chapter, celebrates the talent and hard work of our student members.  The competition provides a platform for students to showcase their work, gain exposure in the interior design industry, and gain scholarship dollars!!

Submissions due January 31, 2025

Best of Competition | $2000

First Place (4 categories) | $1250 each

Honorable Mention (4 categories) | $750 each

Scholarships are awarded from the IIDA WI - Susan Wohlitz Memorial Fund.

 

ELIGIBLILITY

• The Celebrate in Design (CiD) competition is open to all IIDA WI student members attending a WI college or university.
  • Those who aren’t yet members may become eligible by joining IIDA through the online student application. 
• Participants may be individuals or part of a design team engaged in the practice of design, but must be one of the individuals that worked on the project entered. 
  • All students on the team must be members to receive the scholarship awards.  Awards split evenly between team members.
• The project must have been completed after January 1st, 2023.
• If the project has previously won an award from IIDA WI then it can not be resubmitted.
• If a project has been submitted previously into CiD and not won in ANY category, then it can be resubmitted.
• Students are eligible to enter only (1) project in each of the four categories
• All entries must adhere to entry requirements and judging criteria. Failure to comply with these specifications will result in disqualification of entry and forfeiture of the entry fees.

Note: The winning projects will be published on the IIDA Wisconsin Chapter website. By making a submission, each entrant certifies that permission has been obtained from the photographer(s) to publish the photographs and images submitted.

 

JUDGING CRITERIA

• Project Concept Statement: Clearly outlines project programming requirements, addresses the project challenges, and defines concepts for how the design provides a solution to the project challenges.
• Design Intent: Ideas from the Project Concept Statement are evident throughout the overall design. Concepts implemented in the design represent innovation and ingenuity in design.
• Material Use: Demonstrates a thoughtful and successful application of materials and interior finishes throughout the overall design. Project considers the environmental impact of materials and interior finishes that were selected.
• Creativity: Project implements design elements that contribute to the use of space, as well as the overall aesthetic of the design, while still being code compliant. Elements that contribute to the overall design include architectural detailing, lighting, and furnishings.
• Technical Proficiency: Includes a minimum of (4) project photos or design renderings in pdf or jpg format. Validates correct understanding and practical application of drawing and/or rendering software.

Winners are determined by a jury of IIDA WI professional members. (1) First Place may be given in each category, given the projects meet all criteria, scores, and the jury feels they are of appropriate design and caliber for an award.  Honorable Mention award(s) may be given in each category for projects that meet minimum criteria, point scores, and the jury feels they are of appropriate caliber for recognition.  (1) Best of Competition will be awarded for the project with the highest points value over all categories.  

 

REQUIREMENTS

• (1) Project requirements if given by the professor.
• (1) Project concept statement (pdf) - 1 page pdf (as long as it fits on on the 1 page PDF in reasonable size font (10 or 11)
  • In your project statement please include your concept ideas that were used to describe your design intent.  Describe any details that you feel would be important to explain how you came to the final design and execution of that design.  Project statement can include descriptions of materials and any unique design features that are integral as part of your design.
• (1) Floorplan (pdf) - must be in PDF format but multiple pages are allowed in the 1 pdf document.
• Minimum of (4), maximum (8) project photos in pdf or jpg
• No identification of designer, firm or project shall be included in the Design Concept Statement, Project Challenges or Project Design Solutions. Entries failing to follow instructions will be disqualified.
• No identification of designer, firm or project shall be visible on uploaded photography and/or drawings (including file names), including designer name / firm name and respective logos, trademarks, etc. However, in commercial design categories, it is acceptable for company / client logos and signage to appear in photographs. Entries failing to follow instructions will be disqualified.

 

AWARDS EVENT

The Celebrate in Design will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at The Edgewater Hotel - Madison. Registration will open in January 2025.

 

Thank you for participating and good luck!