IDC and Milliken celebrate Design Research Award recipients

Created in 2015 by Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and Milliken, the annual Design Research Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence and innovation through interior design research, including projects conducted at the masters or doctorate level and through major research projects by final-year students. The winners of the 2018 award have now been announced, with educator Heather Roberston Corrigan and student Juwana Abu-Zeinah taking home the respective awards.

Heather Roberston Corrigan (left) and Katie Lind, Milliken (right).
Heather Roberston Corrigan (left) and Katie Lind, Milliken (right).

IDC and Milliken offered congratulations to Heather Robertson Corrigan from Nova Scotia whose research focused on ‘Performative interior design in the criminal courtroom.’ In the student category, Ontario’s Juwana Abu-Zeinah was the winner. Abu-Zeinah’s research concentrated on ‘Reducing patient vulnerability to illness: The integration of biophilic elements into the design of acute care hospital emergency waiting rooms.’

Juwana Abu-Zeinah (left) and Katie Lind, Milliken (right).
Juwana Abu-Zeinah (left) and Katie Lind, Milliken (right).

The winning entries demonstrated relevance to the profession by outlining the potential impact of their research on the profession and/or the human experience. Sponsored by Milliken, certificates and cash prizes – $5,000 for Educator/Practitioner and $2,500 for Student – were awarded at IDC’s 46th Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario on Sept. 18th.

The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and innovation through interior design research in two categories: the Educator/Practitioner category for research conducted at the master’s or doctorate level, and the Student category for major research projects conducted by final-year students.


More information about IDC and Milliken’s fourth annual Design Research Award is also available via the official IDC website, linked here. Images via IDC.