Annual Charrette Honors FSU Department of Interior Architecture & Design’s 50th Anniversary

Guest Judge and Chair of the Interior Architecture & Design Advisory Council Michael Fornaro reviews some of the posters for this year’s Charrette Competition.

The Florida State University Department of Interior Architecture recently hosted its eleventh annual Charrette, a competition in which teams of students compete to solve unique design problems. In past years, students have tackled such creative challenges as building a zombie apocalypse bunker or developing a “life size” version of a favorite childhood game.  

This year’s theme, “Decades of Inspiration” challenged the teams to envision a black-tie event to honor the Department’s own 50th anniversary. Each of the teams were assigned a decade, from the 1970s through the 2010s to base their designs around, leading to a diverse set of styles.  

Assistant Professor Terry Londy presents the awards.

“Our students work incredibly hard on their Charrette projects each year and I am always impressed with them,” said Terry Londy, assistant professor and director of the Charrette. “It was so interesting to see how each of the teams interpreted the time periods they were assigned. We’re so proud of what they accomplished.” 

Emeritus Professor Lisa Waxman presented a History of Interior Design Education to the entire student body at the event’s Kickoff, to provide context behind the anniversary. Students were given a tour of the FSU Alumni Center Ballroom, where the event will be held.  Students from FSU’s Dedman College of Hospitality also served as special advisors to each group, helping them consider special needs associated with an event. 

Three expert guest judges volunteered to judge this year’s competition:  

Marie Roberts (BS 1985) 

Roberts has decades of experience in design and marketing and serves as a Senior Designer at Bright Red Agency, a marketing and advertising firm located in Tallahassee.  

Emory Johnson (BS 1972) 

One of the first alumni of the FSU Interior Design program, Johnson has more than 40 years of experience in the field. He has long been an advocate for the professionalization of the industry, and currently serves as a member of State Regulatory Board of Architecture and Interior Design. Johnson is also a founding member of FSU’s Interior Architecture and Design Advisory Council. 

Michael Fornaro, PhD 

Fornaro, the founder and principal of Luxe Design Associates is a published author, designer and educator with more than 20 years of experience in the design field. He is the current chair of the Interior Architecture & Design Advisory Council.  

Peyton Kimble and Alisson Angarita

Announcing our 2024 Charrette Winners:   

First Place: Team 383 “1970s” 

Abigail Walrath 

Reegan North 

Alisson Angarita 

Peyton Kimble 

Consultant: Pamela Cabrera  

Second Place: Team 395 “1990s” 

Kayla Reiff 

Ciara Lee 

Alejandro Beltran 

Isabella Escruceria 

Ciara Lee, Alejandro Beltran and Isabella Escruceria

Consultant: Sydney Hilgert 

Third Place: Team 387 “1980s” 

James Dzwil 

Victoria Perree 

Isabella Montilla Liscano 

Kate Wankelman 

Consultant: Nydia Clement 

The winning posters will be on display at the department’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on March 2. The first-place team will attend the celebration as special guests, and elements of their designs have been incorporated into the online promotion of the event.  

Register for the 50th Anniversary Celebration and Alumni Weekend  

Can’t attend? Honor your time at FSU by making a gift to advance the Department at https://give.fsu.edu/interiordesign.