Interior Design Student Wins National Portfolio Competition

Congratulations to Master of Interior Design student Winnie Lin (’25), who was recognized by the American Society of Interior Designers as one of only three 2024 ASID Student Portfolio Competition award winners. The national competition draws entries from interior design programs across North America, with three rounds of judging by nationally recognized industry leaders—making Winnie’s win an incredible accomplishment. 

Born in Taiwan and raised in Singapore, Winnie’s design philosophy is rooted in the belief that design is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and is entering her final year of the Master of Interior Design program this upcoming academic year. Winnie sees each project, whether graphic or interior design, as an opportunity to tell a unique narrative, blending aesthetics and functionality to create immersive spaces and experiences that evoke emotion and connection while being responsible and inclusive. 

Winnie’s award-winning portfolio includes three projects completed during her time at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture: “Elements of Wellness,” completed in collaboration with Taylor Wordell for Nerea Feliz’s Interior Design Core III Studio; “Thresholds,” completed in Clay Odom’s Interior Design Core II Studio; and “Duality,” completed in Igor Siddiqui’s Interior Design Core I Studio in Fall 2022. Learn more about each project below. 

Elements of Wellness

Elements of Wellness is an innovative senior living community that not only enriches the lives of residents across the seven dimensions of wellness—physical, social, emotional, educational, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental—but also integrates seamlessly within the vibrant fabric of Austin’s social landscape. The core architectural philosophy is the belief that visual connection transcends mere design; it embodies the innate desire to belong, observe, and connect. The project aspires to redefine conventional designs by seamlessly embedding assistive technologies into the architectural design, harmonizing aesthetics with functionality to foster inclusivity and a sense of belonging.

Thresholds

Thresholds is an artist residency designed for painters, dancers, and chefs. It is a vibrant hub that knows no bounds. The interior design was driven by the concept of interiority, emphasizing how people’s perceptions, interactions, and spatial occupation contribute to the built environment. Thresholds embodies a celebration of the word itself—where architectural elements define boundaries, transitions, and connections within spaces. It is a space where spatial shifts, interconnected openings across floors, and the choice of materials all play a role in the spatial journey through the residency. 

Duality

Located within the UT School of Architecture, Duality is a sculpted monolithic structure designed for the idea of multifunctionality in the Mebane Gallery. The structure is intended to replace the current movable partitions used to create three independent spaces, providing extra flexibility and multiple options for student lounging, collaboration, reviews, and more. Duality is a design based on the idea of orthogonal vs. non-orthogonal elements. Anything that serves a function is orthogonal, creating a juxtaposition with the sculpted nature of the non-orthogonal surfaces.