Making Room: Housing for a Changing America Student Design Competition Focuses on Universal Design, Flexibility, and Budget

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation, HomeAdvisor, and the National Building Museum announce the Making Room: Housing for a Changing America Student Design Competition. The competition, open for submissions February 20 – April 13, 2018, challenges students who attend colleges and universities in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. regions to design a living space for a retired couple that is flexible, employs universal design concepts, and has a budget of $50,000 or less. The first, second, and third place winners will receive scholarships and have their work featured at the National Building Museum.

"At ASID we believe that design impacts lives. As an association that represents the design industry among designers of all specialties and career stages, we are proud to support the Making Room: Housing for a Changing America Student Design Competition," said Randy Fiser, Hon. FASID, CEO, ASID. "The students who enter the competition represent the future of our profession and will need to employ universal design and evidence-based design principles as they enter the workforce. This is a great opportunity for students to practice real world design before graduation. ASID and the National Building Museum appreciate the generous support of HomeAdvisor in helping us to make this competition a reality."

The Exhibition
Making Room: Housing for a Changing America, an exhibition currently on view at the National Building Museum through September 2018, focuses on the mismatch between the diversity of our homes and the homogeneity of our housing. Unprecedented shifts in demographics and lifestyles have redefined American households, but housing options have not kept pace. Smart technology, environmental sustainability, and demands for healthy living are top requirements of the 21^st century home.

The exhibition's centerpiece, The Open House, features a hyper-efficient layout, movable walls, and multifunctional furniture. The flexible space addresses the needs of three prototypical households: roommates, the multi-generational family, and retirees looking to downsize.

The Competition
The American Society of Interior Designers Foundation, HomeAdvisor, and the National Building Museum challenge students to create an affordable design solution for a retired couple, or a retired couple and caretaker, looking to remain in their 1,000 square-foot home and age-in-place. The design should embrace the same goals of flexibility and seamless universal design—which inherently makes things easier, more usable, or accessible for the greatest number of people, including older and younger individuals and people with, and without, disabilities—incorporated in The Open House.

"We're excited to present even more options and ideas for how seniors can downsize at an affordable price point," said Chrysanthe Broikos, architectural historian and curator of Making Room: Housing for a Changing America at the National Building Museum. "It is our hope that the submissions from our student competitors will provide inspiration and a new perspective on flexible, affordable housing alternatives for seniors."

Because a visit to the Making Room exhibition will be crucial for entrants, the competition is limited to students studying at colleges or universities in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia only.

The Rewards
Scholarships of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners, and the finalists' designs will be featured on a flat screen monitor within The Open House from June 1, 2018 until the exhibit closes in September 2018.

Learn more about the competition, download entry requirements, and submit your design here.

About ASID
The American Society of Interior Designers believes that design transforms lives. ASID serves the full range of the interior design profession and practice through the Society's programs, networks, and advocacy. We thrive on the strength of cross-functional and interdisciplinary relationships among designers of all specialties, including workplace, healthcare, retail and hospitality, education, institutional, and residential. We lead interior designers in shared conversations around topics that matter: from evidence-based and humancentric design to social responsibility, well-being, and sustainability. We showcase the impact of design on the human experience and the value interior designers provide.

ASID was founded over 40 years ago when two organizations became one, but its legacy dates back to the early 1930s. As we celebrate nearly 85 years of industry leadership, we are leading the future of interior design, continuing to integrate the advantages of local connections with national reach, of small firms with big, and of the places we live with the places we work, play, and heal. Learn more at asid.org.

About National Building Museum
The National Building Museum is America's leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, web content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

About HomeAdvisor
HomeAdvisor® is a digital marketplace evolving the way homeowners connect with service professionals to complete home projects. With HomeAdvisor's on-demand platform, homeowners can find and vet local, prescreened home service professionals; view average home project costs using True Cost Guide; and instantly book appointments online or through HomeAdvisor's award-winning mobile app, which is compatible with all iOS, Android and virtual assistants, including Amazon Echo. HomeAdvisor is based in Golden, Colo., and is an operating business of ANGI Homeservices. 

Contact: Laurie Enceneat, Senior Associate, Marketing & Communications Projects, ASID
Email:  [email protected]
Phone: 202-675-2369
Website:  http://www.asid.org

SOURCE American Society of Interior Designers

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