Industry leaders lauded the students for their innovation
A group of Environmental + Interior Design students at Chaminade were recognized for their innovative design of a “beer spa” at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Hawaii Chapter’s Design Excellence Awards this month, clinching an Award of Merit in the student commercial category.
Judges praised their Da Crater Spa’t design as “exemplary of vernacular architecture.”
Developed by Environmental + Interior Design (E+ID) students Katherine Liu ’26, Farrah Dinh ’25, Jazlynne Williamson ’25 and Soraya Ortiz ’25, the class project was entered in the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture Competition.
“We entered the contest late so we only had one month to work on the project, while others had a year,” Williamson said. “I think we still did a great job, but I think with more time—even a month longer—we would have had a more cohesive design.”
Liu, a student representative with the American Society of Interior Designers, was especially proud of the teamwork that went into the design.
“This award marks a milestone in my undergraduate design journey,” said Liu, who also won an individual competition award for her proposed design of a renovated gymnasium at Sacred Hearts Academy.
Liu said the project was the most comprehensive project she has ever taken on.
“It was quite a heavy project, but I learned so much from the experience and felt that it was a great practicum assignment since it truly encompassed all stages of interior design,” Liu added.
Attending the ASID Award Ceremony on October 12 with associate professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch, the four awardees also had the full support and congratulatory cheers of 10 of their interior design undergraduate peers.
“They had the opportunity to meet the designers behind award-winning projects they had previously visited,” Suh said. “Students also mentioned that it was great to see that many of the interior designers at the awards were graduates of Chaminade’s E+ID program.”
Suh said it was rewarding to see her students’ hard work recognized by the professional community.
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Suh added the event served as a great model for other students to participate in design competitions and awards. It also provided invaluable experience for students to measure their design projects against a larger community beyond school, while simultaneously offering an excellent platform to showcase their work and make professional connections.
“I encourage our students to engage with other designers in the community,” Suh said. “My goal is to help students become versatile designers who can connect the theory they learn with innovative practice.”