College of Design-Points of Pride

Iowa State's programs in landscape architecture, interior design and architecture are among the top 15 in the nation, according to a survey of practitioners by DesignIntelligence, a bimonthly publication for leaders in design professions. The magazine's annual report, "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools," (November 2008), is the only national college ranking survey that focuses exclusively on design.

Undergraduate landscape architecture program ranked 9th among 42 accredited undergraduate programs in the U.S.
Undergraduate interior design program tied for 9th among 140 accredited undergraduate programs
Graduate interior design program tied for 10th among 52 interior design and related programs
Undergraduate architecture program tied for 12th among 48 accredited undergraduate programs (up from 14th last year)

Rome Program

The College of Design's Rome Program is the only fully licensed study-abroad program in the Iowa regents' system. The majority of students in the college's undergraduate professional programs participate in study abroad, with as many as 160 students per year taking part in the Rome Program.

Wireless Network

The entire College of Design building, as well as the Armory, is covered by the campus wireless network.

Bridge Studio

The Bridge Studio, a multidisciplinary studio course that focuses on the design of affordable, sustainable housing, won the 2009 NCARB Grand Prize for Creative Integration of Practice and Education and the Academy presented by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. It also won a 2009 Excellence in Green Building Education Recognition Award from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The studio was developed and taught by Nadia Anderson, assistant professor of architecture.

Read about the NCARB Grand Prize
Read about the USGBC award

The Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Program, created by Julia Badenhope, associate professor of landscape architecture, received the American Planning Association's 2006 Outstanding Planning Award for a Program at the association's national conference in April 2006. The community visioning program also received the American Society of Landscape Architects' Central States Honor Award for Planning in May 2006. Funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation, the 10-year-old program has provided planning and landscape design assistance to 113 Iowa towns with populations less than 10,000. The program brings together ISU design students, landscape architects and town residents in a participatory planning process. Iowa State manages the program in partnership with Trees Forever.

Two projects led by College of Design personnel were among 12 winners nationwide of the Federal Highway Administration's 2003 Environmental Excellence Awards presented in April 2003. Both projects were collaborative efforts involving public, private and nonprofit agencies and individuals.

Learning Communities

The Design Exchange residential learning community received the Outstanding Innovations Award for Exemplary Contributions to Iowa State Learning Communities in 2003.

GIS Certificate

In cooperation with several other departments at Iowa State, the community and regional planning department administers a comprehensive graduate certificate program in geographic information systems.

People

STUDENTS

Hospitality Design Awards

Designs by three senior interior design students triumphed in the fifth annual Hospitality Design Awards competition sponsored by Hospitality Design magazine. Michael Goodsmith, Cedar Rapids, won first place in the student category with his conceptual designs for a sustainable nightclub. A concept for an upscale hotel and spa by Anna Anderson, Waukee, and Jennifer Irey, Davenport, was a finalist. They developed their projects in the interior design senior studio taught by assistant professor Jihyun Song. Read more

Michael Grundleger and Jennifer Lehmkuhl

ADAI 2009 Student Design Exhibition

Derek Hunt, senior in graphic design from Dubuque, won three Best of Category awards (one in the identity development category and two in the collateral category) and the overall Best of Show honor in the Art Directors Association of Iowa (ADAI) 2009 Student Design Exhibition. Other College of Design students who won Best of Category awards included the team of Carolyn Egan of Dubuque, Ashton Jacobson of Webster City and Amber Loerzel of Davenport for identity development; Becky Murphy, Central City, for traditional illustration; Allison Connell, Pine Springs, Minn., for digital illustration; Robert Schellenberg, Fox River Grove, Ill., for editorial campaign; Ying Ying Liu, Ames, for poster; Nate Luetkehans, Waterloo, for packaging, and Calley Roberts, Bettendorf, for environmental design. Read more

Iowa ASLA Awards

Six landscape architecture students received awards from the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) at its spring conference in Des Moines in April 2009. Read more

Research in the Capitol

Five College of Design students -- Gina Assmann, interior design, Omaha, Neb.; Melissa Dilling, graphic design, Rochester, Minn.; Jason Grimm, landscape architecture and environmental studies, North English; Keihly Moore, architecture and environmental studies, Two Harbors, Minn.; and Becky Murphy, graphic design, Central City -- presented their research to legislators and others at the fourth annual "Research in the Capitol" event in Des Moines in March 2009. Rebecca Hildebrand, sophomore in graphic design from Cedar Rapids, performed with the ISU Flute Quintet. Read more

Bethany Wilcoxon, ISU senior in community and regional planning, presented a research poster to lawmakers March 10, 2008, at the state capitol building in Des Moines. She was among 20 Iowa State University undergraduate students selected to participate in "Research in the Capitol" and the only representative from the College of Design. Read more

2008 Olmsted Scholar

Jason Grimm, senior in landscape architecture, was among the 2008 Olmsted Scholars honored by the Landscape Architecture Foundation in October.

Design Emphasis '08

Senior Andrew Kopp's bench won Best of Show in the International Woodworking Fair's Design Emphasis '08, considered the nation's premier furniture design competition for students. Two of his classmates in the integrated studio arts program, Ryan Seiler and James Ian Killinger (BFA 2008), were finalists. Read more

Woodwork Magazine

The December 2008 issue of Woodwork Magazine features a two-page spread of work by eight BFA and MFA students in associate professor Chris Martin's furniture design courses.

Bridge Studio Outreach Project

One of two "green" homes being built this fall for low- to moderate-income families on Des Moines' west side was designed by Iowa State architecture and interior design students in a spring 2008 studio led by Nadia Anderson, lecturer in architecture. Students included Ryan Larson (M.Arch 2008 Architecture), Bryan Galli and John George, both graduate students in architecture, and Katie Myrhe (BFA 2008 Interior Design). Read more

2008 Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition

Christian Vandehaar, senior in integrated studio arts from Altoona, earned Best of Show honors for his chalk pastel drawing, "St. Matthew and the Angel," in the Fine Arts Exhibition at the 2008 Iowa State Fair. Read more

CW TV Network Promo Competition

Graphic design junior Joe Kutilek of Omaha, Neb., won an internship with the CW TV Network when his 25-second, digital motion-graphics promotional spot for "Gossip Girl" took first place in a national college competition, "Making the Cut." His winning promo was selected from 370 entries. Six entries in the top 15 and three of the nine finalists were from the ISU College of Design. (The other Iowa State finalists were Greg Ervanian, graphic design senior from Des Moines, and Andy DeVries, who received his BFA in graphic design in May 2008.) Read more

2008 Des Moines Arts Festival Emerging Iowa Artists

Fifteen of the 24 Emerging Iowa Artists selected for the 2008 Des Moines Arts Festival were College of Design students or recent graduates. Considered one of the nation's top festivals, the event annually attracts more than 200,000 patrons. Jared Porter, senior in integrated studio arts from Waukee (who has since graduated with his bachelor of fine arts degree), earned Best of Show in the emerging artists category.

2008 BFA Senior Student Exhibition

Students from West Des Moines, Solon and Altoona took top honors in "Collective Perspective," the 2008 BFA Senior Student Exhibition at the ISU College of Design in February. Joseph Gonzalez, West Des Moines, received best in show/first place for his untitled charcoal drawing. Andrew Kopp, Solon, took second place with "Two-Tone Mantis," a table made of Birdseye Maple and quarter-sawn White Oak. Third place went to Jordan Miller, Altoona, for his black-and-white portrait titled "Matt Rittman." Four other students earned honorable mentions. Read more

Meta!Blast Educational 3D Video Game

Faculty and students with College of Design connections are part of a multidisciplinary research team that's creating a new educational 3D video game. Called Meta!Blast, the game is designed to give high school and college students an interactive approach to understand the inner workings of a plant cell. The project includes work by Steven Herrnstadt, professor of art and design; graduate students Trent Grover, integrated visual arts; Denise Bacher, human computer interaction (based in the art and design department); and Trevor Brown, who graduated in December 2007 with a bachelor's degree in biological and pre-medical illustration (a joint program of the College of Design and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences). Read more

ICPF National Logo Design Competition

ISU graphic design students earned three of the top five spots in the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation's national logo design competition. Robert Schellenberg, Fox River Grove, Ill., took first place, while Anders Holine, Woodbury, Minn., placed third and Lydia Stone, Minneapolis, placed fourth out of 141 team and individual entries from over 200 students and 13 colleges and universities.

Depression Bipolar Support Alliance VPSA Competition

In December 2007, two ISU graphic design students -- Jacob Ahlers, Remsen, and Anders Holine, Woodbury, Minn. -- placed first and second in a national competition in for 30-second video public service announcements (VPSAs) for the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance. Read more

ASLA Student Competition

Grant Thompson, who received bachelor's degrees in landscape architecture and horticulture in December 2007, won a national award in the American Society of Landscape Architects' Student Competition for his Digital Art on Campus Project. Read more

Memorial Union Artwork

ISU graphic design senior Greg Wohlwend's art is in the entrance of the south addition to the Memorial Union on the Iowa State campus. The work represents the eight colleges and was inspired by and created to look similar to the zodiac motif in the floor of the building's north entrance to Gold Star Hall. Read more

FACULTY

AIA Iowa Medal of Honor

Cal Lewis, professor and chair of the ISU architecture department, received the 2009 Medal of Honor from the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Iowa) at the Central States Region/AIA Iowa Annual Convention in Des Moines in October.

Mark Engelbrecht, professor of architecture and dean of the ISU College of Design, received the 2008 AIA Iowa Medal of Honor. Read more

AIA Iowa Educator Award

Kate Schwennsen,

Award recipients have positively influenced a large number and wide range of students, are forward-thinking and integrate other areas of expertise into their teaching

David Block, professor of architecture, received the 2008 AIA Iowa Educator Award. Read more

Palermo received the 2007 AIA Iowa Educator Award. Read more

Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for Best Dissertation in Planning

Gerardo Sandoval, assistant professor of community and regional planning, received the 2009 Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for Best Dissertation in Planning from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) in October 2009. Read more

American Philosophical Society Sabbatical Fellowship

Tom Leslie, associate professor of architecture, received an American Philosophical Society (APS) Sabbatical Fellowship for his research on Chicago architecture. Read more

ACSA Creative Achievement Award

Mitchell Squire, associate professor of architecture, received a 2008-2009 Creative Achievement Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) at its annual meeting in March 2009. Read more

Children's Book

Chuck Richards, associate professor of art and design, recently authored and illustrated his second children's book, "Critter Sitter" (Walker Books, 2008), and completed four commissioned paintings now on display at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Read more

Bailey Research Career Development Award

Debra Satterfield, associate professor of graphic design, and colleagues received a $150,000 Bailey Research Career Development Award from Iowa State University. The grant has allowed the group to team with Mayo Clinic to examine how design variables influence the decision-making process of patients using medical decision aids. Other members of the research team include associate professor Sunghyun Kang and assistant professor Paul Bruski, graphic design; associate professor Fred Malven, interior design; and assistant scientist Nora Ladjahasan with the Institute for Design Research and Outreach. Read more

ASLA Iowa Award of Excellence / ASLA Central States Merit Award in Communication

Christopher Seeger, assistant professor of landscape architecture and ISU Extension landscape architect, received the 2008 Award of Excellence from the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and a Merit Award in Communication from the ASLA Central States Conference in April. The awards recognize Seeger's development of an interactive online geospatial tool used by a Seattle design firm to collect public input on infrastructure and design plans for the city of Lake Forest Park, Wash. Read more

APA Chapter Presidents Council 2008 Leadership Award for Chapter Professional Development Officer Recognition

Gary Taylor, assistant professor and extension specialist in community and regional planning, received the Chapter Presidents Council 2008 Leadership Award for Chapter Professional Development Officer Recognition from the American Planning Association (APA) in April 2008. He was honored for his leadership and dedication to training the professional and citizen planners of Iowa. Read more

ACSA Creative Achievement Award

A team of Iowa State faculty, representing all four College of Design departments, received the 2007-2008 Creative Achievement Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). The team was cited for development of Design Science, an experimental course intended to introduce students to the fundamental relationship between science and design in their first year of college. Team members included Jason Alread and Thomas Leslie, architecture; James Miller and Carl Rogers, landscape architecture; Joe Muench, art and design; and Karen Jeske, formerly with the department of community and regional planning.

ACSA Distinguished Professor Award

Gregory Palermo, professor and associate chair for undergraduate education in the ISU department of architecture, is one of three in the nation to receive the 2008 Distinguished Professor Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). Recipients are recognized for sustained creative achievement in the advancement of architectural education through teaching, design, scholarship, research or service. Read more

US DOE Solar Decathlon

Iowa State is one of 20 teams from four countries selected to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy's fourth Solar Decathlon competition in Washington, DC, in 2009. Iowa State's is the first Solar Decathlon team from Iowa. Ulrike Passe, assistant professor of architecture, is heading the effort, which involves faculty and students from 11 departments in five colleges. Read more

Book on the Iowa State Fair

In his book "Iowa State Fair: Country Comes to Town" (Princeton Architectural Press, 2007), ISU associate professor of architecture Thomas Leslie uses the fair's buildings as a starting point for a cultural history of the fair as an intersection between industry, technology and design. Read more

AIA President

Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of architecture, served as president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2006. She was only the second female, second educator and second Iowan to serve as president of this prestigious 150-year-old professional organization.

Professional Fellows

Nine College of Design administrators and faculty members are fellows of their professional organizations (American Institute of Architects, American Institute of Certified Planners, American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association, Interior Design Educators Council, American Society of Landscape Architects, Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture).

Triple Fellow

Dorothy Fowles, professor emerita of interior design, has the rare distinction of being a fellow in three different professional organizations: American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC).

National Service

Eighteen faculty members serve on editorial or advisory boards of national/international professional journals, hold offices in national/international professional associations, and/or serve on national academy committees.

Westonbirt Festival of the Garden
Mira Engler, associate professor of landscape architecture, was one of 14 international designers/design teams selected to build a garden for the 2004 Westonbirt Festival of the Garden at the Westonbirt Arboretum, UK.