Chicago, IL, April 28th, 2026 - OFS, Carolina, and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) are proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Student Design Competition. This annual competition celebrates the creativity and innovation of emerging interior design and interior architecture students from around the world, while also providing a platform for industry exposure and recognition.
A jury of leading interior design and business professionals selected the top three winners based on their ability to create a welcoming, inclusive healthcare environment that prioritizes preventative care, neurodiversity, dignity, and hospitality-inspired design.
The IIDA Student Design Competition 2026 challenged students to design a primary care clinic in a rural community in Northwest Montana, addressing limited healthcare access, provider shortages, and the cultural and geographic realities of rural life. The goal was to create a welcoming, inclusive healthcare environment that prioritized preventative care, neurodiversity, dignity, and hospitality-inspired design. Half of the furniture solutions used in each submission were required to be from Carolina and OFS including Element, Lasata, Offshore, Mile Marker, Elara, Noé, Stray, and Staks.
1st Place: “Uplift Primary Care Clinic” by Deborah Wroblewski of George Washington University
Northwest Montanans face healthcare barriers related to geographic isolation, provider shortages, and limited access to specialty care. Uplift Primary Care Clinic is a community anchor and civic space, supporting integrated care delivery and addressing the realities of rural healthcare access. Reimagined as a vibrant community space, the waiting room has social and private zones accommodating a spectrum of needs like internet access, educational resources, social interaction, and privacy. Self-rooming and check-in kiosks improve efficiency and promote patient autonomy, while staffed reception zones preserve human connection. Integrated treatment models make treatment across multiple practices seamless, while balancing evolving technologies with personal interactions. The materials and layout draw inspiration from Montana’s expansive landscape, wildlife, and mining history, with air quality and breathable materials as architectural expressions of care for residents who have had their health impacted by the mining industry. Integrating community gathering spaces, coordinated care environments, and regionally responsive interior strategies, the clinic improves access to care, strengthens provider collaboration, and reinforces primary care as essential civic infrastructure across the region. View the full project.
2nd Place: “Care That Belongs” by Kelsey Kamerling and Elise Hewitt of Kirkwood Community College
Care That Belongs explores how healthcare environments can create spaces rooted in familiarity, rhythm, and place. The project focuses on thoughtful design that fosters emotional comfort, intuitive movement, and long-term trust. Circulation paths are clear and intuitive, reducing stress and reinforcing predictability. Subtle transitions in lighting, materials, and scale help define public, transitional, and private zones without harsh separation. Inspired by the surrounding landscape, materials and finishes blend soft textures and muted tones to balance support, comfort and familiarity with the technical needs of a medical environment. Human-centered planning informs each area of the clinics with waiting spaces that support autonomy and personal comfort, and exam consultation rooms that prioritize clarity and adaptability for both patients and providers. Staff areas are designed as restorative spaces that support caregivers who are essential pillars in rural communities. Consistent visual cues, cohesive material palettes, and gentle spatial rhythms create an environment that becomes easier to navigate with each visit and reinforces a sense of belonging. The clinic is a space that reinforces trust and is shaped by comfort, clarity, and connection. View the full project.
3rd Place: “The Grove Primary Care Clinic” by Grace Becton of George Washington University
The Grove mirrors Northwest Montana’s heavily forested landscape, transitioning from open, public waiting spaces to sheltered “groves” of care. The design uses natural elements to establish a sense of place with a peaceful backdrop. The patient journey begins in the waiting area, conceived as an “open meadow,” surrounded by “trees.” Wood-wrapped structural columns and perforated metal screens evoking light filtering through a forest canopy and support emotional regulation and anxiety reduction, while feeling familiar and non-institutional. A dedicated sensory room serves neurodiverse patients through adjustable lighting and sound, a sensory pod, and a green wall providing visual and tactile engagement. Zones are clearly articulated by shifts in lighting, ceiling condition, and materiality signaling entry into the core clinical zone. Exam rooms are organized to improve workflow efficiency, reduce travel distances, and support provider oversight, and the central care desk and staff lounge promote caregiver well-being and retention. Through evidence-based design strategies, and empathy for patient and provider experiences, The Grove delivers an inclusive, welcoming healthcare environment rooted in the local context. View the full project.
4th Place: “Pondera Health” by Alexa Condento and Lilly Gleaton of Florida State University
Pondera Health is an integrated ecosystem of care reflecting the values, identity, and realities of rural life in Northwest Montana and long-term health for the community and responds to critical gaps in regional healthcare access like provider shortages and clinic closures. Inspired by natural ecosystems and frameworks, the clinic has standardized exam rooms, support spaces, and an infrastructure that supports patient experience and provider workflow. Spatial organization, materiality, and form work together to support patient well-being by reducing stress, encouraging autonomy, and reinforcing an intuitive spatial understanding. Clear sightlines and a gently branching circulation guide patients from shared spaces into private spaces. Repeating forms, layered spatial moments, and subtle shifts in enclosure provide visual and tactile cues that minimize cognitive load for patients that are anxious, unwell, or unfamiliar with healthcare settings. Consistent material and color strengthens visual continuity, while seating options and self-directed wayfinding provide a sense of control for patients. Centralized waiting and lounge areas reinforce social connection among patients, families, and staff, while exam rooms and quiet zones support focused conversations, trust, and individualized care. View the full project.
5th Place: “HEARTH Primary Care Clinic” by Haoen Chen and Yu-Hsien Tsao of National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
HEARTH Primary Care Clinic focuses on three key priorities: supporting collective; organizing space through visibility over separation; and creating a supportive environment for patients and healthcare workers. Care is understood as a “shared and visible condition.” The design ensures care remains perceptible and visible with a centrally located care desk serving as a visual anchor for the entire clinic. Exam rooms become relational spaces rather than standardized, isolated boxes, responding to different conditions, and acknowledging that primary care is often experienced collectively. Single rooms support focused consultations, a sensory room aids patients who feel overwhelmed, and family exam rooms accommodate larger groups. We also place emphasis on staff well-being as a critical design priority rather than a secondary concern. Staff areas are organized to reduce unnecessary movement, support short moments of recovery, and improve retention. This design offers a balanced and sustainable solution for long-term healthcare environments by integrating shared care, relational exam spaces, and staff well-being into the structure of the clinic while balancing the realities of comprehensive primary care. View the full project.
6th Place: “Juniper Primary Care” by Gabby Gilden of George Washington University
Juniper Primary Care supports neurodiverse and rural patient populations through familiar and legible spaces. Drawing. While overly stylized design can feel unfamiliar and intimidating, when inspired by home it fosters trust, comfort, and a sense of well-being among patients and providers. Neurodiverse individuals with heightened sensitivity to sound, light, color, and movement need predictability, clear and intuitive wayfinding, and flexibility. Fractal patterns translate a natural, familiar pattern into an organizing framework providing and are seen subtly throughout the clinic. The patient corridor has a linear organization that minimizes patient confusion and offers a calming view of the mountains. Provider efficiency and privacy is achieved through an on-stage off-stage model with intentional space planning and same-handed layouts within exam rooms. Materials that aid in acoustic mitigation and cleanability, stimulating and adjustable features in the sensory waiting room, and resources for the providers were also considered. By incorporating principles of neurodiversity, domestic familiarity, and natural pattern into spatial organization, Juniper Primary Care supports patient well-being, clinical efficiency, and comfort for everyone involved. View the full project.
For more information on the 2026 IIDA Student Design Competition, including eligibility criteria, submission guidelines, and deadlines, please visit: https://iida.org/submissions/2026-iida-student-design-competition.
About OFS
OFS is a family-owned contract furniture manufacturer dedicated to crafting experiences and products that contribute to places where people want to be. Founded in 1937, OFS provides furniture and logistics solutions for office, healthcare, education, lifestyle, government, and home office markets worldwide, offering seating products, tables, casegoods, and open-plan products. OFS is based in Huntingburg, Indiana.
About Carolina
For over 75 years, Carolina has designed and manufactured quality healthcare furniture for customers around the globe. Founded in 1947, Carolina has constantly evolved their products and expanded their knowledge to meet the needs of tomorrow’s challenges, as well as today’s. Carolina is based in High Point, NC, and was acquired by OFS in 2007. Due to the unique connection to OFS, Carolina can also draw from their full offering of products designed for administrative working spaces.
About IIDA:
IIDA is a commercial interior design association with a global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. We advocate for advancements in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day.
OFS Press Contact: Aaron Estabrook - aestabrook@ofs.com
