Jessica Sommer, a senior majoring in interior design, won the national ACCESS Design Challenge.
January 22, 2008
Jessica Sommer, a senior majoring in interior design in the Department of Design and Merchandising, College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University, won the national ACCESS Design Challenge student competition this past fall. The competition was sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers, or ASID.
Designed staff lounge for Grey's Anatomy hospital
The design competition was open to all of the approximately 14,000 ASID student members. Sommer responded to the following challenge: "Whether it's gossiping about a new surgeon or bickering about who's getting preferential treatment for 'scrubbing in,' the interns of Grey's Anatomy are both chatty and catty in the staff lounge at Seattle Grace Hospital. Design a lounge that can allow for both playful banter and tranquil solitude. The lounge must be 350 square feet and must contain personal lockers, a seating area, a kitchenette, and a place to rest. A single ADA-compliant restroom is adjacent to the lounge, so you do not have to include one in your design solution."
Sommer says of her design, "The lounge incorporates a loft-like residential atmosphere to create a feeling of home for its visitors. The space utilizes comfortable seating and sunlit spaces, allowing for relaxed gathering and peaceful solitude. An open space plan featuring large windows creates an inviting aura. Scenic views capture Seattle's natural beauty and bring a much-needed contact with nature into the medical facility." Sommer's design is pictured above.
Jessica Sommer is amazingly gifted and talented
Stephanie Clemons, professor of interior design, says, "Jessica Sommer is an amazingly gifted and talented senior design student who is intelligent and a pleasure to teach. Her design talents have been shared with many other students in our competitive program as Jessica has made time to serve as a teaching assistant in several courses. We are so pleased for the recognition she received from ASID. It is a very competitive and prestigious award from the largest interior design practitioner organization in the nation."
Sommer says, "I was incredibly excited when I discovered that I had won the design challenge! I was very happy that my design had been recognized and proud to represent my school in the national ASID competition. I would definitely encourage other students to enter similar competitions."
ASID has more than 38,000 members
ASID is a community of people-designers, industry representatives, educators and students-committed to interior design. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people's lives. Its more than 38,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
More information about ASID can be found at http://www.asid.org.
Contact: Gretchen Gerding
Email: Gretchen.Gerding@colostate.edu
Phone Number: (970) 491-5182
