Dec. 7, 2020 — The Cornish College of the Arts Interior Architecture Department was recently awarded an $80,000 grant from the Angelo Donghia Foundation to be used for a new Resource Innovation Library. 

The new library will directly empower interior architecture, object design, and environmental graphic design students with reference materials, work samples, digital tools, and a space to develop their skills as designers. The library will be located at Cornish’s main campus in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. The establishment of a formal resource library reflects the significant growth Cornish’s Interior Architecture Department has experienced over the last five years. Cornish’s main campus is steps away from Amazon, Google, and Facebook cohort offices. As these firms have expanded their regional presence, they have become increasingly dependent on interior designers to shape the spaces where they work and live. The next wave of interior architecture research will emphasize how we adapt to COVID-19 impacts. The department and student work will be significantly engaged in inspiring the profession. 

The new Resource Innovation Library will provide classroom resources and a database of materials to inform approaches to solutions and spaces. Cornish’s new resource library will differ from traditional design libraries in that there will be a deliberate focus on innovation. The resources available will allow students to examine both the specificity of products and the social ramifications of products. The library will act as an industry hub that establishes relationships between students and the surrounding design community to collaborate on innovative practices.  

The Interior Architecture Department is chaired by Julie Myers—a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, IIDA, The Interior Design Educators Council, and the National Design Education Council. Myers worked with the Advancement Office, and Nail Cail to write the grant. In recent years, the department has received two $30,000 National Donghia Foundation Scholarships for students based on their excellent portfolio projects.