Knoll Los Angeles Showroom Hosts Student Day + Design Challenge

On October 10, the Knoll Los Angeles Showroom hosted its inaugural Student Day + Design Challenge. The showroom hosted twenty-two students from eight design schools, exposing them to the inspiring world of commercial interior design and presenting the challenges facing professionals today. Visiting students began the day with a breakout session, discussing the factors important to them in their future workplace followed by a presentation on the rich history of Knoll. After getting to know the Company and its heritage, the students had a guided tour of the Los Angeles Showroom.

Giovanna Cirelli, Marketing Product Manager, explains the sourcing of wood veneers and manufacturing process to students.

For the second part of the day, Knoll associates across sales and marketing led sessions on their areas of expertise. Casey Barclay, Knoll Regional Sales Director, delivered a talk on presentation skills—providing students with the knowledge they need to build a message and confidence in public speaking. In addition, Giovanna Cirelli, Marketing Product Manager, spoke to students on wood excellence, detailing the sourcing of sustainable veneers as well as the manufacturing process.

Casey Barclay, Knoll Regional Sales Director, Southern California, gives students pointers on presentation delivery and public speaking.

The day concluded with the Student Design Challenge. Visiting schools split up into teams to solve a case study client scenario, tasked to collaboratively provide an original, creative and relevant solution to suit the client’s needs. The students presented their ideas to a panel of judges and received feedback on their presentations. Afterwards, judges chose winners for awards. Students of the Woodbury School of Architecture and California State University, Long Beach tied for the Bronze Award; ArtCenter College of Design won the Silver Award; and University of Los Angeles, California won the Gold Award.

Overall, the 2019 Student Day + Design Challenge provided a rich day of design education and engagement for students and Knoll associates.