Interior Design Winners to be Announced 2/26

Accessible housing for disabled veterans was the focus of a design competition among students in the Florida State University Interior Design program. Forty students participated in the competition, which was informed by interviews with an FSU student veteran who had been seriously injured in Afghanistan. Tallahassee nonprofit Graceful Solutions for Aging (GSA) sponsored the competition and winners will be announced:

4:00 pm, Monday, February 26

1073 William Johnston Building
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Veterans and others with serious disabilities require housing that is not just accessible but also allows for physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Lisa Waxman, professor and department chair of interior design at Florida State, said,

Criteria for the competition included thoughtful space planning, attention to accessibility, and the creation of an uplifting design that eases the transition to life for veterans with a serious injury.

Judges for the competition included:

• Michael Graves – Internationally recognized architect and presidential appointee to the U.S. Access Board
• Dr. J.R. Harding – Advocate for persons with disabilities and former member of the U.S. Access Board
• Carole Butler – Local interior designer, certified aging in place specialist and member of the GSA board of directors

The competition also received support from the Student Veterans Center at Florida State. Graceful Solutions for Aging is a Tallahassee-based nonprofit founded in 2012 and dedicated to affordable, accessible housing for seniors and persons with disabilities.