Georgian Interior Design degree students pick up two top finishes at industry competition
May 30, 2022
Georgian is celebrating two team wins by six of its Honours Bachelor of Interior Design degree students at the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO)’s recent summit and annual general meeting. The floorplan design challenge tested the skills of the fourth-year students, with two teams of three taking top place on days two and three of competition.
Students from interior design programs from across the province were tasked with creating engaging virtual event spaces for the more than 3,300 ARIDO members who attended. Criteria supported ARIDO’s efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility within the design profession and industry.
Brittany Dempsey, Nguyen Huong Giang and Yihan Shi contributed to the winning submission on day two of the challenge, while Julienne Bernier, Leanne Hollingworth and Crystal Roy designed their way to first place on day three.
“Unique hands-on learning and networking opportunities like the ARIDO competition are a cornerstone of Georgian’s Interior Design degree, and give students a chance to showcase their skills and talents to potential employers before they graduate,” says Andrea Vorstermans-Zado, Program Coordinator, Honours Bachelor of Interior Design. “It really helps them gain confidence and connections and gives them an edge in the marketplace as they prepare to launch their careers.”
Students benefit from other practical experiences over the four-year program, including:
- attending professional events like the Toronto Interior Design Show
- participating in excursions to industry suppliers and major design centres
- showcasing student work at Georgian’s annual Design and Visual Arts Scholarship Show
- gaining work experience through a 14-week industry co-op work term
The challenge
Fourth-year Bachelor of Interior Design students Julienne Bernier, Leanne Hollingworth and Crystal Roy competed in day three of the ARIDO challenge, which was focused on community.
Their submission promoted fellowship in the industry and was designed to bring the community together to facilitate collaboration and individual and team growth as designers.
Fourth-year Bachelor of Interior Design students Brittany Dempsey, Nguyen Huong Giang and Yihan Shi
competed in day two of the ARIDO challenge, which focused on advancing change.
Their submission revolved around the concept of a community garden and reflects the growth and rebirth of a plant.
How did the interior design co-op work term help build your skills?
“I chose Georgian because it’s a leader in co-op education. This was important to me because I’m an international student and wanted Canadian work experience. Georgian not only helped with securing a co-op work term, it gave me lots of opportunity to apply my skills. The best part? I’m still working part-time for my co-op employer, and getting even more experience.”
– Nguyen Huong Giang
Why did you choose to study interior design at Georgian?
“I’ve always had a passion for design and visual arts. I went to a Georgian open house and met with professors. They were very welcoming and helped me choose my career path. I loved all the team-building and extracurriculars encouraged at Georgian…it really helped foster strong group work, which is an important element of an interior design career.”
– Brittany Dempsey
What was it like competing in the ARIDO competition?
“The process of developing a design for the competition was very fast-paced and required tight turnaround. It also took great teamwork and strong spatial development skills to throw together a functional plan with all the required criteria. The work didn’t stop there. After our proposal was selected, we had to do a lot of back and forth with ARIDO officials to prepare the design to be compatible with the online convention platform it was designed for. It was a lot of work, but an great addition to my resumé!”
– Leanne Hollingworth