Guests view impressive portfolios, experience virtual reality design tours at the College of Human Sciences Interior Design Senior Exhibit

Hours of hard work spent in the classroom, studios and more were on display at the College of Human Sciences Consumer and Design Sciences' (CADS) Interior Design (INDS) Senior Exhibit held at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center on May 2.

Thirty-four interior design upperclassmen showed off their wide range of creativity through portfolios that included selected works and projects completed during their academic career at Auburn as guests walked through the performing arts center enjoying their unique design work.

Scan the QR codes to view Madie Camp's "Best of Show" CADS 5350 Advanced Design Project.

Adding a realistic feel to the Senior Exhibit was the use of 3D printed models where students in the CADS 5350 Advanced Design Studio class modeled and 3D printed an outdoor pavilion concept for the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and utilized virtual reality rendering technology so guests could scan QR codes to view a full 360-degree tour of virtual reality interiors.

Melanie Duffey, an interior design associate professor, said the INDS faculty members came up with the idea together as a way to honor the student’s hard work and share it with their family, friends and broader design community.

“Our students have never had a final display event for their projects, and we wanted a way to celebrate them before they left so our faculty came together and we thought about what the choices were that would work best so we would showcase all of their work,” Duffey said. “We also wanted something interactive so we worked with the Advanced Design Studio, which is the last semester they take, we were able to incorporate VR components and 3D printing, so we exhibited those in conjunction with the portfolios. Moving forward, each year we are going to come up with a new theme and concept for the exhibit.”

With each design project comes challenges, but in the end, being able to see what all you have accomplished is what makes it worth it according to senior Interior Design student Mikayla Watson.

“I think some of the challenging things would be some of the later nights and obviously with different studios, they all have their own challenges,” Watson said. “Commercial was a really challenging studio just because it’s one of the first large scale projects working with a group but being able to finish that overall project was a great experience and really nice to look back on.”

Even though the event was for upperclassmen, other interior design students attended the event and in due time, should see all of their work on display at their own senior exhibit in a few short years.

Human Sciences faculty members and leaders including Dean Susan Hubbard, families and friends attended the Senior Exhibit where they got a chance to vote for which exhibits they liked the best as a “Best of Show” award was announced at the conclusion of the event.

In the end, 217 total votes were cast as senior Madie Camp was awarded the “Best of Show” for her portfolio and use of 3D models and virtual reality interiors under the direction of interior design Assistant Professor Georges Fares. Fares is a new faculty member in the interior design program and brought his expertise in 3D printing and VR.

Senior interior design student William Patterson said portfolios included health care, residential, commercial and hospitality design projects so students could get a wide-range of experience to help them determine what they like best as designers.

What’s next for Patterson after graduation? He will be moving to Nashville to begin his career at a residential design firm in large part thanks to the preparation and instruction he learned through the interior design program at Auburn.

“I think a lot of it is the collaboration because they encourage all of the students to collaborate among each other and you’re also still able to have one-on-one time with professors so I think that’s super important,” Patterson said. “You’re able to get their knowledge and other people’s ideas and then be able to see your peers work as well and it helps you become a better designer. I interned at a design firm last summer, and I felt very well prepared because a lot of design is collaborative, and I felt like I already knew that aspect of it. We are also very technology heavy in the interior design program here so I was able to already understand all of the software so when my boss told me to do something, I was able to do it pretty quickly without a lot of trouble because I felt well prepared.”