The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has named three recipients of Transform, the organization’s second annual Interior Design Research Grant Program that focuses on applied research in interior design and human behavior.  The funds total of $115,000 will be distributed between Drexel University, Texas Tech University student Angela Bourne, and the Center for Health Design.
 
Drexel University will explore ways to mitigate symptoms of dementia at St. Francis Country House using evidence-based design and a daylight-matching, low-energy LED luminaire prototype. In collaboration with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Drexel team will work to address sustainability issues of balancing environmental concerns with an optimum quality of life for maximum cognitive skills.
 
Environmental design PhD student Angela Bourne of Texas Tech University will research therapeutic living and enrichment for aging adults with intellectual developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. Her work will focus on developing guidelines and therapeutic community models for those with deteriorating health and related mental health conditions.
 
The Center for Health Design will work to develop a standard, evidence-based patient room design checklist and evaluation tool. Features will include a web-accessible guide to be used for existing facilities, as well as renovations or new construction.
 
To learn more about this year’s Transform grant, visit asidfoundation.org.