Students in interior design design the mayor's office

From the first year of study, students receive Interior Advisor training Assignments from business clients. Students developed a recommendation for the mayor's office, the canteen on Sterrenlaan, and administrative space on Willem de Rijkelaan.  

 

"Our client is the mayor," explains a student. "We started the project by preparing for the client meeting. At first, we were nervous about asking him questions, but he's a really friendly man. We also sat with other groups during the meeting, so you also learn from the questions they ask. After the meeting, we had time to measure the room."  

 

When we got back to school, we brainstormed again, created a mind map, and searched for various inspirational images. We focused primarily on the client's wishes and what we thought would best align with them. The mayor mentioned that he welcomes all kinds of people to his office, from the King to volunteers. That's why our recommendations focused on creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. A true sense of 'home.' 

 

"Then comes the fun part," adds another student. "Furnishing the space. Not only do you choose furniture, you also have to draw it to scale. Otherwise, you don't know if it will fit. We also had to consider sustainability and recycle as much as possible. We created two designs to demonstrate the various possibilities."  

 

Students don't just think about the design. They also have to determine how to present their concept to the client. But how do you ensure your idea is conveyed effectively? Do you just show a floor plan, a SketchUp, or a 3D model?  

 

"When a client walks into a space, what should they experience? That should be the concept," explains Thijs van Agt, Interior Design lecturer. "Think about how you want to convey the story. Discuss the common thread running through the design, and present that." A group of students already has a clear vision in mind. "Our plan is to use a board with color samples, the presentation board, and the floor plan by color during the presentation of our preliminary recommendation. We're especially curious about the feedback. That way, we'll know if we're on the right track." 

 

Students start working independently from the very first year. Thijs notices that project-based learning can sometimes feel awkward for students. Yet, he sees tremendous growth within a relatively short time. “Students often say, ‘You never tell us what to do, you just ask questions.’ With some students, you know everything will turn out fine. But others, when they're in front of a client, discover that not everything was clear. We then challenge them to think about what they could do. During various workshops, they receive more information to help them progress with the project. It's truly their own learning journey.” 

 

Meanwhile, the final presentations have been completed. The students did very well, and the mayor was impressed! Next year, one of the designs, in collaboration with the students of the training as a furniture maker and (ship) interior builder, realized. Curious which design the mayor chooses? Keep Facebook, Social media coordinator en LinkedIn closely monitor.