Zamarion Bender, an interior design major from Newton, is among 110 students in MSU's College of Architecture, Art and Design who launched the fall semester with an interdisciplinary student design competition.
Thirteen teams comprised of students from each major in Mississippi State's College of Architecture, Art and Design-architecture, art, building construction science and interior design-competed for top honors and a cash prize in the annual Brasfield & Gorrie Student Design Competition. First launched in 2011, the competition is sponsored by one of the nation's largest privately held construction firms based in Birmingham, Alabama. Brasfield & Gorrie also has a Jackson office, which opened in 2015.
The competition simulates real-world design processes with a goal of helping students overcome preconceived ideas of the roles traditionally assumed by the various disciplines in the college.
This year's competition tasked students with developing a comprehensive design, construction and branding plan for a housing resource center serving Starkville Strong, a nonprofit that provides essential support to residents in need. The center, named The Stronghold, is to be housed in an existing building and must include an office with a meeting room, a food pantry, overnight shelter accommodations, staff parking and outdoor space for clients.
