Two of Ringling College of Art and Design’s staff designers took second place for their design projects at the Association of University Interior Designers Design Competition 2023.
Facilities Commercial Designer and Project Manager and Ringling alum Monique Chicvak ’17, Interior Design, and Assistant Director of Capital Construction Becky Owens won for their design of the new Esports Arena and the Patriot Plaza Resilience Panel Project, respectively.
Located at the west end of the campus’ Ann and Alfred Goldstein Hall, the arena boasts 1200-square-feet of gaming space complete with 10 state-of-the-art gaming stations; a lounge viewing and playing area; four console stations, each with 83” TV, XBOX® Series X, Playstation 5, and Nintendo Switch; and PC stations equipped with top gaming equipment and 4090 graphics cards.
Of the Arena project, Chicvak stated, “This was such a fun and important project to work on for the College. The arena boasts state-of-the-art gaming technology, custom ceiling lighting that resembles a computer chip, and provides a space for students to build friendships and community.”
On April 21, 2023, the sculpture Resilience by artist Larry Kirkland made its way to its new home at Ringling College of Art and Design. Originally installed at Sarasota’s Patriot Plaza, the sculpture that was once part of the larger series, Testimonies, is now installed in Ringling’s Ulla Searing Student Center. For Owens, one of her first tasks at Ringling College was to select the laminate and metal finishes for the new cabinet that would support the donated artwork. “This is one of the things that I love about our profession, that we can be called on for many special projects,” she said.
The annual design competition hosted by the Association of University Interior Designers is an opportunity for university designers’ work to be reviewed and critiqued by professional, practicing interior designers in the field. Learn more.
