Our I Like Design competition was founded last year with a fairly simple goal: teaching design students the growing importance of leveraging social media in the professional world. Working in conjunction with Nashville-based firm Gresham, Smith and Partners (GS&P), we developed a basic design challenge and invited entrants to solicit votes for their submissions through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
The results were promising, with our eventual winner, Cassie Welch, garnering more than 10,000 votes for her project, a spacious health and wellness center in the heart of Nashville. But the question remained—are students making the most of the limitless networking and marketing opportunities provided by these free platforms?
After counting up the results from our second I Like Design challenge, the answer is an unqualified yes. Attracting more than 153,000 votes, our finalists demonstrated the power that social media (and great design) has to connect and move people to action.
This year’s challenge added branding to the mix, as entrants were asked to design a workplace for 93 employees of a mid-size apparel company with a strong retail presence throughout the United States. The space needed to support the company’s desire to enhance creativity and collaboration, while also serving as an example of the client’s commitment to sustainability and fiscal responsibility.
The eight finalists chosen by Interiors & Sources and GS&P had their projects posted online, and followers and readers alike were asked to vote for their favorite design; at the end of each week, two finalists were eliminated from the competition. We were eventually left with one woman standing, who then walked away with a summer internship with GS&P and paid housing in Birmingham.
Full of expressive colors, bold graffiti art and a grid-inspired floorplan, Fuqua’s design for Urban Edge captures the feeling of life in the city while also supporting employees with a range of multi-purpose collaborative spaces. Concrete floors echo sidewalks, exposed brick mirrors the urban fabric, and glass offices imitate the window displays seen while walking down the street.
We sat down with Fuqua to discuss her thoughts on design, and get an inside look at what’s in store for the Alabama native as she prepares for her summer internship at Gresham, Smith and Partners.
I&S: How did you find out about the I Like Design contest?
Mary Claire Fuqua: My professor at Samford University found the competition online and then assigned it to my class. When we got the project I was really excited about it. My thought process through the whole thing was focused on making sure that I tried my hardest to win, so I wouldn’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. I never wanted to feel like “Oh, I could have done that better” or “I wish I had tried harder.” I’m always doing my best to at least try and win, and it turned out great for me, so I’m excited about that.
I&S: Have you had any other internships or other real-world experience?
MCF: Yes, my dad is an architect and he has his own firm in my hometown. I did an internship there over the summer and over Christmas break. I’ve also worked for another interior designer that does more residential stuff in Birmingham, so I’ve gotten to see the different sides of the industry and get a good mix of experience that way.
I&S: What’s your favorite kind of project?
MCF: Probably something that’s in an exotic location, something more commercial—and no budget would be great! Right now I’m working on my senior project and that’s been really fun. I’m taking the Detroit Superior Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, which has awesome architectural elements like arches and really cool steel features, and I’m turning it into a hotel.
I&S: How did you come to your design decisions for Urban Edge?
MCF: When I started coming up with the concept for Urban Edge, I researched a bunch of clothing stores and ended up doing a mixture of two of my favorite stores that I thought would be really fun to brand—Urban Outfitters and Edge of Urge. That’s where I found my inspiration, putting together all the patterns, the colors, the brand canvas, and kind of creating my own company that way.
A lot of my concept has to do with the downtown urban area of the city, where I found inspiration from the materials used like exposed brick, concrete and natural wood. My graphic concept came from looking at graffiti.
I&S: As a designer with your own unique voice, how do you balance your own style and the style of your customers?
MCF: You know, it’s something that you have to pay attention to and make sure that you recognize, but you also have to
be able to express something new and exciting and unique in it. It’s finding that balance between your style and your
customers’, but also not being afraid to explore ideas and make it interesting—that’s the important thing.
I&S: How would you describe your style?
MCF: I always try to do something that’s very clean-lined. I have a very strong focus on structure and simplicity, but then I always like to add the unique factor, whether it’s bright, bold colors or some cool graphics, or just the use of materials in a different way. It’s about adding that surprise element or fun into it, as well.
I&S: Have you met the people you’ll be working with at Gresham, Smith and Partners?
MCF: Actually, after speaking with GS&P, I’ve decided that I’m going to work from their office in Birmingham. Some of the interior designers there volunteer with Samford University, so I’m excited to get to continue working with them. I know that it’s a wonderful department and has a great reputation as well, so I’m happy I’ll be able to learn from them and pick their brains, and hopefully become a better designer from that.
I&S: What are your goals for the future?
MCF: I do think that one day I would like to have my own firm or go in with my dad, but right now I want to explore, see all that I can learn, and get great experience so I’ll be able to do that well in the future.
The Finalists
This year’s I Like Design competition was narrowed down to eight worthy students when the online voting process began. As a nod to the seven other finalists, here’s a brief glimpse into their thought-provoking concepts for this design challenge. Look for more inspiring work from these student designers and from next year’s entrants!
Kent State University
Samford University
University of Memphis
Kent State University
Samford University
University of Memphis
Samford University