AMES, Iowa — On the second floor of the Iowa State University College of Design is a door like any other. Behind that door, however, student creativity and connections thrive.

Located in the southwest corner of the building, room 216 Design is home to the Interior Design Materials Lab, or Mat Lab. Equipped with shelves, racks and drawers full of the latest product and material samples available, the facility allows interior design students to spec tiles, finishes, wall and floor coverings and more for their projects that are the same as those being used in industry.

“Through relationships I have in the art and design community, I was able to get donations of products for students to use,” said Angela Koppes, an associate professor of practice in the Department of Interior Design, who initiated the lab’s two-year renovation process.

“And the important thing to note is that all of these products are current. Students have hands-on access to materials they’ll be using at their internships and when they start their careers.”

Vertical photo showing students and faculty around a table with a presenter in front of a wall monitor and tunable white LED strip lighting hanging above them.
Conference room with tunable white LED strip lighting

In addition to these materials, new lighting, carpeting and furnishings have refreshed the space and enhanced student learning. Tunable white LED lighting in the adjoining conference room can be adjusted so students can see how samples appear in different settings.

Formerly used for storage, the conference room has been transformed for use as a meeting and presentation space. And the back wall now features a mural designed by interior design associate professor Yongyeon Cho and some of his students.

The mural depicts the Iowa State campus along with fun facts about certain buildings and locations.

“I think the students really enjoy this mural, and it’s a unique detail to this space,” said Cho, whose research and scholarship focuses on visual communication for interior design. “My hope is that students can build upon this mural as the campus grows over time and this can be a reminder of how campus once looked.”

This semester, the Mat Lab is staffed four days a week by interior design seniors Avery Keen and Tanner Schieferdecker. When the space isn’t being used by students to spec materials or to host meetings, the room also serves as the perfect venue for industry professionals to connect with students and chat about their products.

“It’s been super helpful to be able to see and touch the materials we’re learning about in our classes,” Schieferdecker said. “I also love how this space allows students to connect. Interior design is very relationship- and people-focused and the Mat Lab is the perfect venue for those connections to start.”

Contacts

Yongyeon Cho, Associate Professor, Interior Design, yongyeon@iastate.edu
Angela Koppes, Associate Professor of Practice, Interior Design, akoppes@iastate.edu
Tanner Schieferdecker, Senior, Interior Design, tan001@iastate.edu
Lauren Johnson, Communications Specialist, College of Design, laujohn2@iastate.edu

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