The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) proudly announces the installation of its new president for 2014-2015, Julio Braga, IIDA, LEED AP, Design Principal, IA Interior Architects, and the election of current vice president Scott Hierlinger, IIDA, Design Director, Nelson, as president-elect for the 2015-2016 year.
Marlene Liriano, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C, Vice President and Director of Interior Design, HOK, was elected to the International Board of Directors. Julio succeeds past president Felice Silverman, FIIDA, Founder and Principal, Silverman Trykowski Associates Inc., who retains a seat as vice president. All four were inducted at the IIDA Annual Meeting at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
“Julio’s international experience and unwavering commitment to commercial interior design make him an ideal candidate to lead IIDA into its next 20 years,” IIDA executive vice president and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP, said, noting the organization’s 20th anniversary this year. “Likewise, the ongoing dedication of Scott, Marlene, and Felice to the profession, and their vast collective industry experience give them the instinct and insight needed to make outstanding contributions to the IIDA international board in the next year, and we look forward to their input in advancing IIDA and the Interior Design profession worldwide.”
In Julio’s more than 25 years in the profession, he has directed a broad range of projects both domestically and internationally. In the early 1990s, he joined WalkerGroup/CNI’s Environmental Branding Studio as Design Director. By 1999, he established Braga Oris Associates, which would be named up-and-coming Design Firm of the Year only five years later. His numerous accolades include:
- Institute of Store Planners’ Specialty Store of the Year Award in 2002, for his Ford new-concept store
- An IFMA Design Excellence Award for his design of the IA Interior Architects offices in New York
- In 2009, Interior Design magazine’s Best of the Year award for his headquarters project for Bancolombia in Medellin, Colombia, which also earned him the CoreNet CA Chapter Innovation Award, IIDA NY Chapter Lester Dundes Award and the IIDA Global Design Excellence Award.
Scott’s passion for Design and his many years in the profession have made him an expert in corporate design. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, his strong background in interior design has enabled him to provide creative and integrated project services to national tenant services clients as well as to regional and national high-profile Interior Design projects, including Polaris Industries, Comerica Bank, and SPS Commerce, among others.
As Design Director and co-Principal of NELSON, he is responsible for all aspects of the design process, including programming, space planning, design development, construction documentation, and project management. His enthusiasm for the natural progression of hospitality elements into commercial and workplace design is an ideal example of his on-target thinking, which he looks forward to further sharing as continuing board member and president-elect.
A graduate of Florida International University, Marlene gained years of experience as Interior Design Director for Perkins+Will in Miami, where she developed her reputation for delivering innovative, thoughtful design solutions. As Director of Interior Design and discipline leader for the Florida practice of HOK, she continues to exceed client expectations. The foundation of her approach is the advancement of her clients’ business goals, the support of the organization’s culture and the maximization of their productivity.
Insight, team collaboration, and thought leadership are hallmarks of her work that, combined with a rare expertise, have earned her numerous design awards, publications and long-term client accounts. Recent notable clients include HBO Latin America Group, Perry Ellis International, and American Airlines, in addition to numerous aviation, higher education, science and technology, and government-sector projects. She was recently honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from Florida International University’s College of Architecture + The Arts.
Felice continues her focused efforts on designing spaces for education, children, healthcare, fitness, and commercial office interiors as the co-founder and principal of Silverman Trykowski Associates Inc. in Boston. She will continue to contribute a valued perspective as past-president and now a vice president of the international board.