Cutting-Edge Design: Thinking Through Sponsored Studio

Perry DiClemente and his father, Gino DiClemente, an alumnus of Lawrence Technological University, have always been very generous to the university through endowments and involvement. When DiClemente Siegel Design reached out regarding schematic design and visions for a property in Owosso, Michigan, the College of Architecture and Design easily paired the design firm with senior design students to provide fresh perspectives and real-world exposure.

by Kerry Greene

The senior interior design students conducted client interviews, site visits, and site measurements and began compiling a program with numerous meetings to gain an understanding of the vision the client wished to seek with periodic check-ins. Perry DiClemente, who is now leading DiClemente Siegel Design, stated, “It’s beneficial for the students to work on an existing building, where they are able to get a feel for the building, its history, and even meet the community, which will assist and influence their designs. Having such a building in Owosso, I knew it would be of value to students. I thought, why have our company do the work when I know it would be a great learning experience for students,” which led him to reach out and form the sponsored studio, with the assistance of Christopher Stefani, chief of staff to LTU President Tarek M. Sobh. At the end of the semester, the seven interior design students submitted their final projects to DiClemente for review. The sponsored project was a semester-long, 15-week project that was the culmination of their undergrad experience. As Stefani explains, “Our students come into these projects and add value in the form of young, fresh perspectives. They are immersed in the latest technology, whether it be 3D modeling software or point cloud scanning, while still grounded in practice—not just keeping students in the classroom but putting them in real-world situations [while in] the classroom.”

The building the students worked on was a historic one built in the 1920s. Though many of the architectural elements from the 20s had to be demolished to bring the building up to code, the class tried to preserve and incorporate as many of its historical details as possible into the design. The structure was multi-use, with a retail space on the first floor, five garages, and nine apartments upstairs. There were discussions on incorporating more of the river, the Shiawassee Art Center, and cultural aspects into the model, as well as a restaurant on the first floor—there was a massive fire a year ago that destroyed a locally favored restaurant the town loved a few blocks away. To gain a broader perspective on the project that would ultimately impact their designs, students interviewed residents and researched how businesses thrived in the area. Len DiLaura, associate professor of practice at the College of Architecture and Design, explains, “The goal was to allow students to visualize and bring their ideas to life rather than just one that is, you know, a blueprint of an existing building somewhere.”

by Kendall Hands

As a technological university, LTU students integrate technical and technological skills with theory. It is through hands-on experience that students can develop as leaders and build on their entrepreneurial spirit. The sponsored studio offered CoAD the opportunity to support students in teaching soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and active listening. Students also built on their research abilities by investigating the history of the building, its location, how businesses thrived, rent prices, and more; these findings impacted their design and the success of the structure. In addition to practicing interior design, students were able to see how their models complemented a real estate developer and witnessed the difference between designing for apartments versus short-term housing and designing for a restaurant versus a bar—CoAD students were tasked with both: designing apartments on the second floor and a restaurant on the first floor. Students had to be conscious of space usage while also focusing on ROI (return on investment), allowing them to have an entrepreneurial approach. Perry was pleased with the designs, complimenting the students' work with, “There are different levels of design. I liked the floor plans, and a few students had some good interior designs with materials at a reasonable price. But there is always room to learn more.”

by Kendall Hands

The sponsored studio allowed students to gain real-world experience and put their theories into practice. Community involvement was employed to help CoAD courses be embedded with real-world projects to help students build their portfolios and experiences. As Stefani adds, “By putting students in these situations while they're in school, they're able to have a wide breadth of experiences, all while still having the safety net of the academy behind them, which in turn only better prepares them to succeed and lead in the real world.” Students were able to apply what they learned in the classroom to real-life situations with individuals at a real site. Professor DiLaura builds on the importance of such hands-on exposure in creating a holistic college experience and preparation for success: “The sponsorship helps CoAD students not only from the perspective of gaining real-life experience [but] enables them to sharpen their communication skills [by coming up] with a series of questions to ask the client, and they have to be able to communicate not only to ask questions but to listen to what the client is saying for their answers.”

by Kendall Hands

The sponsored studio with DiClemente Siegel Design allowed CoAD senior interior design students to truly make their mark in Owosso, Michigan, all while being exposed to the life and reality of a design career. Students were able to witness a project that went beyond the paper and onto a structure that will soon be a bustling retail and rental place right here in Michigan.

by Nurzahan Rahman