BWBR is thrilled to announce the recipients of our first-annual equity scholarships. Each award is designed to support equity in the built environment by providing a $1,000 prize to a student of architecture, interior design, or graphic design. Applicants submitted both a personal statement and a sample design project, and we were truly blown away by the caliber of submissions for these inaugural awards.
Let’s meet this year’s winners.
THE DOROTHY BRINK INGEMANN SCHOLARSHIP FOR GENDER EQUITY IN DESIGN
Named for Dorothy Brink Ingemann, one of the first women to graduate with an architecture degree from the University of Minnesota (and foundational collaborator/wife of William Ingemann, the founder of what would become BWBR), this scholarship is awarded to a woman studying architecture, interior design, or graphics.
This year’s recipient is Allison Loth, an architecture undergrad student at Ball State University. Allison’s submission focused on food equity in urban environments, and she showcased her talent and creativity via an innovative food hub design for downtown Fort Wayne, Ind. In her own words, Allison talks about her passion for food justice:
“We are currently facing a food crisis in the United States where it has become exceedingly difficult to gain access to healthy food for an affordable price. We now live in a society where there are more McDonald’s than grocery stores, where it’s cheaper to purchase a burger and fries for lunch than a salad at the same restaurant. This urban food hub is not only a space where fresh produce can be bought and sold, but is a place for the community to learn how food is grown and properly cooked. […] By designing inclusive architecture that addresses this issue in environments where it’s needed most, we take a vital step towards achieving true equity in the food industry in the United States.”
THE MILT BERGSTEDT SCHOLARSHIP FOR RACIAL EQUITY IN DESIGN
Offered to a BIPOC student in architecture, interior design, or graphics, the Milt Bergstedt Scholarship for Racial Equity in Design is named for a founder of BWBR who championed the elimination of barriers to equity in his architectural practice and his community.
This year’s winner is Freeland Livingston, a Master of Architecture student at Southern California Institute of Architecture. Freeland’s submission highlighted his work on the Church Rock Senior Center in Church Rock, N.M., which serves the elderly of the local Navajo community. Freeland spoke eloquently about his passion for incorporating the Native perspective into design:
“I believe that we are in a moment of rapid transition and transformation of our built environment. I want to address those changes through architectural practice and teaching of the next generation of architects. I intend to continue working with Native American communities to create healthy and beautiful Native American communities. I strongly feel that the built environments of Native peoples are inadequate and degrades the culture, commerce, and livelihood of Native American populations. I aim to provide architecture that represents the spatial needs of Native peoples and cultures.”
