IDC and IDIBC's First Annual Student Design Charette 

THE TEAMS: Twenty-five selected students from eight BC interior design programs in
mixed teams of six will develop a solution to a given design problem while sharing their
education and experience.

THE DATE: Trade day - Friday, September 28, 2012

THE PROCESS: Teams will have six hours to develop and prepare presentations of their
projects. Mentorship will be provided by Michelle Biggar, principal at ‘Office of McFarlane
Biggar Architects + Designers’.

THE PRODUCT: Teams will do ten-minute presentations of their design solutions to a
judging panel, who will select the winner. All projects will be placed on display for the
public to see and vote for a ‘People’s Choice’ award.

JUDGING PANEL
Sharon Bortolotto
Sharon Bortolotto is Principal of BBA Design Consultants, Inc – one of Western
Canada’s leading interior design firms. BBA specializes in Hospitality & Resort, and
Multi-family Residential design. During a career spanning more than three decades,
Sharon’s work has been featured in numerous publications and her firm has been recognized
with countless awards.

Omer Arbel
Omer Arbel leads Omer Arbel Office (or OAO), a Vancouver-based design practice which
aims to collapse traditional boundaries between the professions of building and industrial
design, craft and materials research. The practice produces designs for buildings,
objects, furniture, lighting and electrical accessories. Arbel is also the creative director
of manufacturing and design company Bocci.

Michael Geller
Michael Geller is a Vancouver based architect, planner, real estate consultant and
property developer with four decades of experience in the public, private and institutional
sectors. He is President of THE GELLER GROUP, which comprises Michael Geller &
Associates Limited (MGAL), active in planning and real estate consulting; Laneway
Cottages Inc.; and Geller Properties Inc.

Jorge Amigo
Jorge earned his Masters in Political Science at UBC, and is currently pushing the
boundaries of Vancouver’s social life. After hundreds of failed attempts at meeting
strangers, he wrote the infamous "Do Vancouver Women Suck?" article response, which
led him to create the successful #bemyamigo movement to foster sociability in Vancouver.

GRAY Magazine
GRAY is a print and digital magazine filled with resources, engaging features, and
interviews covering architecture, landscape, interior design, industrial design, décor and
fashion—all things that are imagined, made or available in the Pacific Northwest.

MENTOR
Michelle Biggar
Michelle Biggar has been practicing as an Interior Designer for 16 years with
international experience in Australia, the UK and in Canada. Working on a vast range of
project types from the hands-on crafting of small projects to the project management of
large scale, complex multi-user facilities Michelle seeks to push traditional project
typologies with innovative, highly integrated and research-driven solutions.

Come see BC's future interior designers in action!