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Melanie Bruning Wins First Place in ASID Student Design Competition

Melanie Bruning, a junior interior design major at Villa Maria College, was awarded first place in the American Society of Interior Designers‘ 2016 Student Design Competition.

Melanie designed Riverworks, a Bavarian biergarten located on the banks of the Buffalo River. Using the concept of “gemutlichkeit,” the German word for comfort, Melanie incorporated feelings of warmth, friendliness and belonging into her design. Her choices allowed her to maintain the authenticity, craft and heritage of the traditional German biergarten, which is simply an outdoor area in which beer and local food are served. Traditional elements were given an updated look by using textural woods, fabrics and metal frame work to create a warm, urban space. By using a neutral palette accented with rich, vibrant blues, she created a calm and comfortable feel that emulated the colors of the Bavarian flag.

The main elements of her design included:

  • The shop
  • Main dining hall, featuring concrete flooring and Candelaria chandeliers
  • The bar, featuring Bleecker Street pendant lighting, reclaimed antique oak flooring, chip bar stools and steel bar stools with a black coat finish
  • Water front seating
  • Outdoor seating, featuring chestnut table tops and outdoor string lighting

Water Front SeatingMain Dining Hall

For a complete rendering of Melanie’s design, please click here.

Entries were evaluated in the following areas:

  • Design objectives: overall clarity of the project, did the project address all the requirements and scope in concept statement
  • Aesthetics: overall visual success of the project using the principles and elements of design
  • Functionality: effective and appropriate use of materials, finishes, furnishings, lighting, space planning and detailing
  • Design creativity: originality and creativity in problem solving, material use and attention to detail

Contest guidelines required submissions to depict a project created during the course of the 205-2016 school year and were to be individual works. Melanie’s project was submitted in the commercial design category, which was open to current junior and senior students.