Interior Design class creates renovation plans for local theater

Monday, April 15, 2019

As part of a service-learning project, Oklahoma State University interior design students created renovation plans for Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theater.

Twenty-four students in the Design, Housing and Merchandising professor Paulette Hebert’s Environmental Design Studio course created renovation ideas and renderings for the theater in the form of large format sheet layouts and technical booklets. 

The partnership with the theater provided an educational experience for the third-year interior design students. 

“The students utilized digital photography, standard measurement devices and light meters to empirically measure existing conditions in the dressing rooms, make-up rooms, Green Room and other spaces,” Hebert explained. “Then, they utilized their field studies, end-user inputs, industry recommendations and independent research to develop a renovation focused on design concepts, lighting design, energy efficiency, performance standards, acoustics and color theory.” 

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.

Interior design student Kate Korneva said it was rewarding to work with a non-profit like Town and Gown Theater.

“It was very rewarding to know that we were giving back, through our design work, to people who constantly give without any expectations,” Korneva said. “Knowing the client and end user, as well as the story behind the Town and Gown Theater, really inspired me. Overall, this was one of my favorite projects because of the personification of the design process.”

Students recently presented their designs to community representatives, theater stakeholders and interior design faculty members.

“This was a great opportunity because it allowed students to consider the needs of their end-users and include a local, service-learning project in their design portfolio,” Hebert said.