Recipe for a Room: Places for the Displaced

Recipe for a Room is a model-making contest about building spatial, sculptural, miniature rooms while fostering fun, creativity, and professional mentorship. For the 2024 edition, two-person teams, each comprised of a student and architect mentor, will design small-scale places for the displaced. We challenge teams to create one-person shelters which can be folded up into suitcase-size, portable packs.

Over 180,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City since the spring of 2022. Many did not choose this city as their destination, but all are travelers who left a previous home behind. In September 2023, Mayor Eric Adams stated, “New York is one of the few states where you have the right to shelter… however, while our compassion is limitless, our resources are not.” Shelter is only guaranteed for 30 days for single individuals and 60 days for families.  

Recipe for a Room asks student competitors to create a safe, temporary, portable Room for two displaced persons (one parent and one child), constructed of items one might take when leaving a previous life: a bag, a coat, favorite shirt, shoes, family photos, etc. 

The competition is hosted by the AIANY Interiors Committee. CEU credits pending. Net proceeds from the event will go to a non-profit working to directly assist displaced persons.

Recipe for a Room winners will be determined during a live contest event Thursday, September 5, at 6:00 pm ET. Each team will have the opportunity to present their completed room to a live audience. Two winners will be selected during the event: an audience favorite and a judges’ favorite.

Participating Schools:
City University of New York
Pratt Institute
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New York Institute of Technology

Student and Mentor Teams:
Saddqa Saeed Bahidrah, Pratt Institute
Lauren Schlesinger, Principal, Glickman Schlesinger Architects

Mouhamadou Dieng, City University of New York
Nicole Vlado Torres, Fellow, Design Trust for Public Space

Olivia Langford, City University of New York
Chuck Wolf, Senior Project Designer, Ennead Architects

Elaina Michetti, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Aya Matsumoto, Principal, AMAT Architecture

Jessica Nolasco, City University of New York
Samantha Josaphat-Medina, Co-founder, Studio 397

Gabriel Pena, City University of New York
Yutaka Takiura, Associate Professor, Pratt

Gerardo Ruiz, New York Institute of Technology
Eric Gering, Design Professor, New York School of Interior Design

Jury:
Amy Mielke, AIA, Associate Principal, Ennead Architects
Dr. Sharon Egretta Sutton, FAIA, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Architecture, Parsons School of Design
Kim Yao, FAIA, Principal, Architecture Research Office (ARO)