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Beach now stands as the winner of the 9th annual Steelcase NEXT Student Design competition. But, his first place finish wasn\u2019t a slam dunk.<\/p>\n
Thanks to one of the most talented crop of finalists to date, judges had the intense task of whittling a winner from the final five. Beach, competing on behalf of Maryville University in St. Louis, was joined in the top tier by Juliana Schwartz from Kansas State University, Molly Taylor from Mississippi State University, and Nevi Keser Gruskin and Morgan James, both from California State-Long Beach. Judges and organizers all agreed, the winning margin was razor thin.<\/p>\n \u201cThe caliber of the top five, the diversity of their submissions, the radically different concepts, the level of execution \u2026 It was the best we\u2019ve ever seen as a group of five submissions that were all equally weighted after the first round. And it carried through to the formal presentations,\u201d said Jerry Holmes, Steelcase Design Alliances principal and competition co-leader. \u201cIt was so challenging to get the judges to make a final decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Contest co-leader and Steelcase Design Alliances Principal Denise Calehuff was impressed with the way the students were able to manage their projects while taking part in remote education. \u201cThis group of designers is just so talented, no matter what kind of learning style is coming at them, they\u2019re going to adapt,\u201d Calehuff said.<\/p>\n Nearly 1,000 student designers from 76 interior design programs across the U.S. and Canada were charged with visualizing a new satellite office for a fictional, socially-conscious, minority-owned cosmetics start-up called \u2018NEXT.\u2019 Students were asked to conceptualize a plan that would meet the physical and technological demands of a post-pandemic hybrid workplace<\/a> but also integrate the company\u2019s core values and draw inspiration from the company\u2019s diverse and multicultural New York City neighborhood. The made-up beauty company was founded by a woman who emigrated with her family from Korea as a child, driven to create a more sustainable and culturally-inclusive line of beauty products. The new 15,000-square foot space was to be situated on two floors where employee health and safety, and work mode flexibility were also top priorities.<\/p>\n The competition is decided by a panel of seven esteemed judges from top design firms all across the country. The group spent months deliberating hundreds of designs, culminating in the top five visiting and presenting at the Steelcase Grand Rapids, Michigan campus.<\/p>\n After hearing the presentations, the judges had the unenviable job of choosing a winner. Sequestered away in a lounge area on campus, judges agonized over the selection.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a five-way tie,\u201d said Bouchey. \u201cThis is one of the hardest decisions we had to make, which is a testament to all of the contestants.\u201d They debated for an entire afternoon, before finally arriving at their decision.<\/p>\n \u201cThis shows that the future of design is in great hands,\u201d said competition co-leader Jerry Holmes. \u201cWe want to help facilitate that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn behalf of this group, Steelcase gave us this gift of asking us to participate, and it truly is a gift to have come to know you (the contestants) and it’s a gift that you all are truly deserving of,\u201d said Bill Bouchey, HOK design principal.<\/p>\n Following the announcement of the winner, each student received personalized one-on-one feedback with each of the judges to help them understand what worked and what could be improved upon. The contest is meant to mirror the rigor of a real client presentation, and the judges agreed that performing well in the contest sets students up to be successful in the real world of interior design.<\/p>\n WINNER: Elliott Beach, Maryville University<\/strong><\/p>\n Beach\u2019s design emulated not only the uniqueness and vibrancy of New York City, but the NEXT Company as well. Beach framed his project with an emotive and colorful mood board based on New York City\u2019s Fashion Week to demonstrate his palette and texture choices. That set the table for the \u2018pride of place\u2019 reflected throughout the design. Beach said the emphasis on natural ingredients within the cosmetic product informed his decision on using organic curves and shapes in the layout. He also focused on building a space that capitalized on the unique uses of the furniture.<\/p>\n \u201cHe excelled in two voices, he put himself in the client\u2019s shoes by speaking with empathy\u201d said Holly Christian, design principal at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. \u201cBut he also spoke as an expert to solve problems.\u201d<\/p>\n The judges were impressed not only with Beach\u2019s design but also his smooth presentation and ability to take the judges on a journey through the space via his storytelling. \u201cI did have a very simple, pragmatic concept but it was a direct response to what the client wanted,\u201d Beach said<\/p>\n Organic forms make up the upper floor where people can socialize, bask in the ample natural light and take in sweeping views of the New York City skyline.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t Beach designed the monumental stair as a nod to the \u2018great steps\u2019 of old European cities.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The open workspace is bathed in sunlight and encourages workers to gather in the balanced \u201cme + we\u201d spaces.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The most beautiful and awe-inspiring space was reserved for the company\u2019s work cafe to inspire dynamic connections.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t This team zone is designed for maximum flexibility, collaboration and productivity. <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n Molly Taylor, Mississippi State University<\/strong><\/p>\n Molly Taylor\u2019s design made no bones about bringing the city into the space, mingling a diverse array of materials, street art, lighting and wall applications to recreate NYC\u2019s eclectic and electric vibe. The design heavily features unique and vibrant street art along with elements of urban life such as crosswalks and \u2018traffic areas\u2019 designated by darker floor applications meant to mimic asphalt. Taylor\u2019s design was influenced by the melting pot of cultures in New York, and the physical arrangement of space was informed by the efficiency of the city\u2019s street grid.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone appreciates beauty in a different way, and I wanted to translate that to the company and the brand as well,\u201d Taylor said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe loved the attention she paid to the visitor journey, and the huge amount of background and reasoning behind all the elements of the design,\u201d said Sandi Rudy, senior interior designer for Cushing Terrell. \u201cShe really directly addressed the idea of wellbeing throughout the space.\u201d<\/p>\n This reception area design offers an ADA compliant desk as well as three individual pieces of street art: a wayfinding mural, a reception desk mural and brand-reinforcing stairway art.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t This open office space includes a variety of floor coverings to reduce footfall noise and increase acoustic quality, and also features a custom mural to reinforce office inclusivity. Taylor said she wants the space to feel like it represents everyone who works at NEXT.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t Taylor situated her design\u2019s work cafe next to the outdoor terrace to give people a choice of a variety of seating options to encourage people to eat lunch together inside or out.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t This product display space includes plenty of sinks and mirrors to allow clients to test products, and is situated near the reception\/staircase area for ease of access when influencers and guests visit.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t This meeting space is equipped with the Steelcase Roam mobile stand and Microsoft Surface Hub 2S to allow for maximum flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n Morgan James, California State University-Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Morgan James\u2019 NEXT design was as cerebral as it gets \u2013 literally. James centered her design on human biological makeup, for instance, linking NEXT\u2019s brand identity to a fingerprint icon, and designing spaces based on the natural functions of alpha and theta brain waves. Those themes, along with a DNA helix, carried throughout the physical design. As a result, James was able to devise what the judges called a \u201csuperb\u201d arrangement of space across the two floors.<\/p>\n \u201cThe storytelling was done masterfully and that is such an important part of what we do as professionals. We need to narrate the emotional experience of how the user would interact with the space,\u201d said Mary Cheval, design principal at Ware Malcomb. \u201cThe expression of the user experience was absolutely brilliant, particularly as she introduced the concept of a customizable app. She had all of us wanting to download the app right now so we could experience it for ourselves!\u201d<\/p>\n For James, the entire NEXT experience with Steelcase was life changing. \u201cThis project easily became my life. It became my passion project and it just brought so much meaning into my life and opened doors I never thought were possible. I thought no one would like it, and I was wrong. It means so much \u2013 I feel like I’m just redeemed,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n This monumental staircase features elements of social togetherness and the Massaud Lounge by Coalesse offers a place to relax.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t James\u2019 use of biological features is evident in this office hallway, with the fingerprint icon in the door and the brain wave design as a ceiling application<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t James said the ceiling design of the work cafe was an \u201cexperiment.\u201d It was one of the last features she added to her project, and her favorite element.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The 8th floor retail store is a place for clients and visitors to relax and try on the NEXT product.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The wild card space in James\u2019 design was an \u201cExpression Experience\u201d where a customer uses an app to allow them to see what they would look like in different cosmetics. This was among the judges\u2019 favorite features.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n Nevi Keser Gruskin-California State-Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWeaving Stronger Paths,\u201d was the motto of Nevi Keser Gruskin\u2019s work and the theme was evident throughout. Gruskin took the idea of social interaction braided with racial inclusivity to literal lengths by weaving strands of different materials together to form walls, ceiling applications and other design elements.<\/p>\n \u201cThe three big elements that dictated this project were location, Steelcase furniture and the company brand. I didn\u2019t want to just focus on one. I wanted to play on the diversity aspect, the sustainability aspect and I wanted to come up with a clever way to tightly interweave all of them,\u201d Gruskin said.<\/p>\n The judges were attracted to that theme. \u201cThere was a sense of belonging and connectedness with all of your staff and to your company mission,\u201d said Erika Moody, design principal at Helix Architecture + Design. \u201cThe design really informed the culture. It would drive the culture.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cWeaving Strong Paths\u201d idea is evident in Gruskin\u2019s reception\/monumental staircase conception.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The interaction lounge is a casual social space where people from different departments cross paths, share information and collaborate.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t The work lounge is inspired by nature with plenty of plant life and natural light.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t Lagunitas Focus Nooks by Coalesse give people a place for heads down work in these unassigned open spaces.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1646759931\/22-0173752.jpg\")
The Competition<\/h2>\n
The Judging<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1646760004\/22-0173735.jpg\")
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\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_300,w_300\/v1646750115\/Elliott-Beach-Hi_Res-copy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_70,h_656,w_1166\/v1646770601\/22-0173912-1.jpg\")
Elliott Beach\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Elliott Beach\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Elliott Beach\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Elliott Beach\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Elliott Beach\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_300,w_300\/v1646750884\/Molly-Taylor-Hi_Res-copy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_70,h_656,w_1166\/v1646771113\/22-0173932.jpg\")
Molly Taylor\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Molly Taylor\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Molly Taylor\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Molly Taylor\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Molly Taylor\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_300,w_300\/v1646751080\/Morgan-James-Hi_Res-copy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_70,h_656,w_1166\/v1646771608\/22-0173976.jpg\")
Morgan James\u2019 Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Morgan James\u2019 Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Morgan James\u2019 Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Morgan James\u2019 Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Morgan James\u2019 Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_300,w_300\/v1646751462\/Nevi-Keser-Gruskin-Hi_Res-copy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_70,h_656,w_1166\/v1646772294\/22-0173913.jpg\")
Nevi Keser Gruskin\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Nevi Keser Gruskin\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Nevi Keser Gruskin\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Nevi Keser Gruskin\u2019s Design<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,dpr_auto,q_70,h_656,w_1166\/v1646772757\/22-0173910.jpg\")