LSU College of Art + Design Department of Interior Design students traveled to San Francisco in April to visit design firms in the city and take in the sights.
Designer and LSU Professional in Residence Matthew Edmonds said he most enjoyed seeing the students’ excitement and fascination. “San Francisco, with its rich history and mix of cultures, is an inspiring place to visit,” he said. “Paired with visits to some of the most dynamic architecture and interior design firms in the world, it is an experience that inspires the students and faculty alike.”
Students and faculty stayed at San Francisco’s historic Hotel Whitcomb on Market Street. Shortly after arriving on Wednesday, April 3, the group went on their first outing to Fisherman’s Wharf, where they enjoyed the iconic vistas of the city and bay.
The following day, the group made their first professional visit to McCall Design Group. The firm, founded in 1989 by Michael J. McCall, AIA, has grown from a small, two-person company to its current staff of forty. Flagship projects include national and international retail and hospitality giants such as Limited Brands, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Gap, and Williams-Sonoma. The firm has also completed projects for specialized prototype stores and boutiques such as Kate Spade, Gazoontite, and Gymboree and cultural institutions such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMMA) and the San Francisco Symphony. Students were welcomed to leave resumes and design portfolios behind.
The group’s next professional visit was to Field Paoli on California Street, whose work is comprised of downtown revitalization projects, libraries, community centers, and mixed-use developments for cities and agencies and local and national developers. Sustainability and smart growth are integral to the design of their projects, and Field Paoli believes that the wise use of materials and resources and intelligent urban design provide long-term benefits, not only to clients, but also to the communities they inhabit. Field Paoli has a firm-wide commitment to the LEED process and encourages employees to become LEED accredited professionals.
“Whether it was tips on how to attract potential employers to your portfolio or tricks on how to handle an interview with that specific company, we all gained insight from people in the interior design world,” said senior interior design student Gabriella Mujica, of New Orleans.
For the rest of the day, the students and faculty took a tour bus to top attractions around the city, including Chinatown and North Beach (San Francisco’s “Little Italy”) and extended stops at the Golden Gate Bridge, Vista Point, and Golden Gate Park, the Palace of Fine Arts, Presidio National Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Asian Art Museum, Union Square, and Nob Hill. That evening, students spent two hours visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the first museum on the West Coast devoted to modern and contemporary art.
On Friday, students visited Gensler, a 45-year-old leading global architecture, design, planning, and strategic consulting firm. Gensler has more than 3,500 professionals networked across 42 locations. Gensler’s services include architecture, brand design, consulting, global relationships, interior design, planning & urban design, retail, product design, and sustainability.
Interior design students appreciate the colorful chairs in the lobby at Gensler.
Edmonds said visiting these design firms helps validate the education students are receiving in the interior design department at LSU. “The curriculum within our department is intense, and the students make a lot of personal and financial sacrifices to attend. Visiting various firms and hearing directly from the principals and designers of the firms the same methods and concepts they are taught inspires, validates, and even rejuvenates the students.” Edmonds added that instructors use the trip to validate that the theories, concepts, and technology used in the classroom will set up students to become successful members in the profession of interior design.
“The working environments of some of the firms and the city of San Francisco have made a lasting impression on me,” Mujica said. “It assures me that I am where I want to be career-wise and opens my eyes to the opportunities a city like San Francisco can offer.”
Friday afternoon, the group visited Interior Architects and Huntsmen Architectural Group, a firm with more than 75 architects, interior designers, project managers, and support staff in San Francisco and New York. The group then had free time to spend downtown, riding the cable cars or visiting the Yuerba Buena Gardens, among other options, before meeting for dinner at Buca di Beppo on Howard Street.
Saturday and Sunday, students had free time to explore the city on their own, in addition to making group visits to the Japanese Tea Garden, the de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park.
“The trip to San Francisco has helped to shape my view on what I will be doing every day in my career and has me very excited about the future,” said Mujica. “As a student, there’s always a looming fear that has us wondering if we’ll be prepared after graduation. But trips like this one give students a chance to see the work place while still being able to pinpoint areas of improvement and areas to develop in our work so that we can better prepare ourselves for after graduation.”
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