November 12, 2018

On Saturday, October 13, 2018, 35 students from five Philadelphia area universities competed in a one-day, seven-hour charrette at the Jacobs Philadelphia Interiors Studio in Center City for the 17th Annual Jacobs Interior Design Competition. Their charge was to design and space plan a design studio in Philadelphia using a two-story floor plate provided by Jacobs. The studio type could be of the students own choosing. Debra Ruben, program director for the Drexel University Interior Design program noted, "This is a very tight time frame for students. In addition to excellent time management and problem-solving skills, it requires a unified presentation, strong planning skills, and finish selections that clearly support the student concept."

Winners were announced during a reception held at the Jacobs’ Center City office on November 1, 2018. Drexel graduate Interior Architecture & Design students Shelly Mascarenhas and Ala Felemban won first ($5,000) and second ($3,000) places. The winning project titled “Hybrid Loft” was envisioned as a product design studio and praised for its inclusive design, open plan, and a sculptural landscape focal point bringing elements from the outdoors inside promoting health and fostering collaboration among designers. “It was exciting, as well as challenging, to come up with a design concept, brand, floor plan, perspective and material palette for a design studio all in seven hours,” said first place winner, Mascarenhas. “It was my first design competition and will not be my last!”