Interior Architecture Students Receive Awards

Two of three 2006-2007 honor awards given by the Northern California chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) went to K-State interior architecture and product design students.

Kimberly Kolkovich, St. Louis, MO, and Leah Sand, Leawood, KS, each received a $1,500 scholarship. Kolkovich is a fourth-year student who has been participating in a study abroad program in Italy during the spring 2007 semester. Sand is a fifth-year student who will graduate in May. The third award went to a student from California.

To benefit future design professionals, the IIDA Northern California chapter established a scholarship program for interior design students who are asked to submit a competition entry that best addresses a focus topic. This year’s competition topic was “Responsible Stewardship.” Each competitor was asked to prepare written and visual consideration of how he or she could affect the direction of communities, both large and small, around the world in a positive way.

Each of the K-State competitors selected a different topic for her entry. Sand’s project was a building, inspired by abstract expressionism, meant to encourage downtown revival. The structure contains a gallery, performance venue and studio space. Kolkovich designed an office building situated in downtown Chicago with an emphasis on sustainability as her project.

Professor Fayez Husseini was studio instructor for Sand’s project. Kolkovich’s project was completed under the direction of Professor Neal Hubbell.

For the second year in a row, the Northern California chapter of IIDA decided to honor chapter member Michelle Wempe, a K-State interior architecture and product design alumnus based in San Francisco, by selecting student recipients from her alma mater. Wempe is an award-winning residential and commercial designer who has been extremely involved in a wide range of activities for her chapter. She is also on the advisory boards of both the College of Architecture, Planning and Design and the Department of Interior Architecture and Product Design.

The competition was open to all students in academic programs accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) in northern California and, during Ms. Wempe’s tenure as chapter honoree, Kansas State University, her alma mater.

IIDA is a professional networking and educational association with more than 10,000 members in 8 specialty forums, 9 regions and more than 30 chapters around the world. The organization is committed to enhancing the quality of life through excellence in interior design and advancing interior design through knowledge.

For more information, contact:
Fayez Husseini, 785.532.5992
Neal Hubbell, 785.532.5992
Diane Potts, 785.532.1090