Dr. Paulette Hebert is pictured with student award winners (back row) Erica Roomsburg, Ashton Shugart, Blakelee Stowers and Town and Gown board member Jacob Boyd; front row Kelsey Hisaw, Lacy Lamle and Abby McDougall.

Interior design students participate in service learning project with Town and Gown Theater

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

As part of a service learning project, Oklahoma State University interior design students created renovation plans for Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theater. Design work from the 24 students in Design, Housing and Merchandising professor Paulette Hebert’s Environmental Design Studio course is on display through the end of May in Town and Gown’s Wagner Gallery.

The partnership provided an educational experience for the third-year interior design students while enhancing Town and Gown Theater.

Interior design student Jennifer Jones presents her renovation design project for Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theater.

Hebert says students benefitted from the opportunity to participate in a field trip to the theater and the chance to visit with Town and Gown board members.

“The students utilized photography, standard measurement devices and light meters to empirically measure existing conditions. Then, they compared the existing conditions to industry standards for a renovation,” Hebert said.

Students created renovation ideas and renderings for the lobby, gallery, box office, back-of-house hallway and dressing rooms while addressing energy-saving lighting, ceiling materials, layout, furnishings and finishes.

Through their designs, students endeavored to meet the Town and Gown Theater’s goals to enhance the existing facility in an effort to accommodate current theater patrons and volunteers and to attract new patrons and volunteers.

Students presented their designs in the Town and Gown’s Wagner Gallery prior to and during intermission of the recent presentation of The Savannah Sipping Society. Students collected feedback from patrons in an informal setting.

“This was an amazing opportunity because it taught students the value of listening to their clients,” Hebert said.

A panel of judges selected first-, second- and third-place winners and patrons were invited to vote for their favorite designs. The following students received awards, including cash prizes and tickets to a future Town and Gown production:

Interior design student Brittany Burnham shares her renovation design for Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theater with a patron.

Judges’ Votes:

First Place: Ashton Shugart

Second Place: Abby McDougall

Third Place: Kelsey Hisaw

Patrons’ Votes:

First Place: Blakelee Stowers

Second Place: Lacy Lamle

Third Place: Erica Roomsburg

OSU’s interior design degree program, which is nationally accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), is part of the Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising in the College of Human Sciences.