For immediate release
July 18, 2013
KPU Interior Design student grabs 2nd place in international contest
Third-year Interior Design student Megan McNee (Heil) was awarded second place in the annual Durkan D*scover Design Competition's student category.
The contest aims to promote excellence in hospitality carpet design, and was developed by Durkan - an industry-leading printed carpet manufacturer in the hospitality market - and the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) - a non-profit organization that provides scholarships, education and development opportunities for those working in the hospitality industry. The contest is well-received by both professional designers and design students around the world.
Competitors had to present a ballroom carpet (viewed as one big canvas) and a coordinating pre-function area carpet that met specific design requirements. Students also had to design modular carpet tiles.
This year, KPU’s Interior Design program submitted 14 entries to the contest. McNee's submission was chosen from many strong competitors: The Durkan D*scovery student category typically receives well over one hundred submissions in total.
Judges based their decisions on the overall strength of the submission, taking into consideration concept, presentation and feasibility.
“Megan is a creative and thoughtful student who certainly portrayed excellence in all these areas with her design solutions,” said Erika Balcombe, Interior Design faculty member. “As an instructor, I welcomed this unique opportunity to explore carpet design, computer software, colour theory, concept development and presentation, but more importantly, to apply those skills in a practical way. To hear that our students did so well again this year was another proud moment for me, the class and the Interior Design department. The entire process was a great learning opportunity on many levels. We look forward to participating again next year.”
More information on the Durkan D*scover contest can be found here.
For questions, contact Interior Design Instructor Erika Balcombe at erika.balcombe@kpu.ca.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 18,000 students annually have a choice from over 200 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations. Learn more at www.kpu.ca.
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