Articles

HCC Interior Design students earn praise, gain experience during competitive Architectural Charrette

By Donald Sparks, HCC Central Communications Director

Feb 23, 2026


(from left to right) HCC Interior Design students Julianna Couty, Fiona Puga, Raul Flores and Ashley Martinez competed in Health SES Student Design Charrette & Presentation, hosted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Houston Chapter. HCC was the only community college represented in the highly competitive, interdisciplinary event.

Pictured from left to right: HCC Interior Design students Julianna Couty, Fiona Puga, Raul Flores and Ashley Martinez competed in Health SES Student Design Charrette & Presentation, hosted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Houston Chapter. HCC was the only community college represented in the highly competitive, interdisciplinary event. Other four-year institutions included Texas A&M University, Rice University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston and University of Texas at San Antonio.

Each year the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Health hosts a professional seminar, exhibit and social allowing members of the architectural and healthcare communities to network and showcase trends and the future of design in health architecture.

As part of the event, the AIA sponsored a Health SES Student Design Charrette & Presentation featuring students from major universities across the state of Texas. This year four students from the Houston City College (HCC) Interior Design program were the only representatives from a community college to participate in the event.

Juliana Couty, Raul Flores, Ashley Martinez and Fiona Puga were able to collaborate and interact with students from Rice University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, Prairie View A&M University and The University of Texas at San Antonio during the two-day charrette and presentation.

“Their inclusion in this highly competitive, interdisciplinary event reflects the strength and rigor of our interior design curriculum,” said Shasta Beveridge, faculty chair, HCC Interior Design program. “Being invited to collaborate alongside students from nationally recognized universities demonstrates that the quality of work produced in our program is on par with four-year institutions in our region.”

Beveridge added this also reinforces the impact on the program’s emphasis on experiential learning, professional engagement and industry partnership.

“Events like this position HCC students within the broader design community and strengthen the visibility of the college within Houston’s architecture and design network,” she said.

For Martinez, taking part in the event reinforced the value of her education. The 25-year-old Houston native expressed gratitude for the opportunity to showcase her skills at this level.

“It felt like everything we’ve been learning at HCC came to life in a real setting,” Martinez said. “I felt confident presenting and representing our program. Honestly, I believe we stood strong next to the four-year institutions. It made me proud to be part of HCC and showed me that our training truly prepared us.”

During the event, the students were placed into teams with students from other colleges and had to design a healthcare facility based on the theme – Transforming Cancer Care: Insights, Ideas, and Design.

As part of the charrette, they collaborated to create a design board and then deliver a group presentation tackling the design problem. Projects were judged on consideration of creativity, design solution, presentation, problem-solving, story and design concept.

“During the charette, they didn’t just participate, they led,” said Jackie Barry, HCC Interior Design professor. “Jurors specifically noted and praised their ability to articulate clear design concepts, explain patient journey maps, and frame healthcare spaces around human experience.”

Barry added that seeing her students stand shoulder-to-shoulder with architecture students from four-year institutions confirmed that strong design education is about depth, rigor, and relevance––not the size of the school.

“It means validation of our curriculum, our faculty and our students,” Barry said. “Events like this reinforce what we already know: HCC Interior Design students can absolutely hold their own in interdisciplinary, high-level design environments.”

One of the takeaways that Puga took from the charrette was the exposure to software programs and resources available to help bring a design to life. The 23-year-old from Houston’s East End pursued a career change in 2023 and chose the HCC Interior Design program to merge her background in business with her passion for art.

“This event meant a great deal to me,” Puga said. “I immediately jumped at the opportunity because it offered valuable exposure—not only for myself, but also for a realistic glimpse into collaborating with architects and engineers while working alongside entirely new teams. Being immersed in that environment pushed me to grow both professionally and personally.”

To learn more about the HCC Interior Design program, visit hccs.edu/interiordesign.

HCC Interior Design students took part in the Health SES Student Design Charrette & Presentation, hosted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Houston Chapter.HCC Interior Design students took part in the Health SES Student Design Charrette & Presentation, hosted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Houston Chapter.