Interior Architecture students triumph in prestigious design competition

Projects addressing needs of new parents and London’s barge communities receive recognition

Two Middlesex University Interior Architecture students have won top accolades at the prestigious Interior Educators National Student Awards 2026 with projects that support new parents and people living on barges.

Third-year student Rachel Koh, who graduated this summer, won the Social & Cultural Agency Award for her design of a community hub for new parents, while second-year student Nicoleta Mereuta won the IE Conference Award (Progressing Students) for her plan for a wellbeing and social space for London’s barge communities.

The annual awards showcase exceptional undergraduate work across seven design categories from universities across the UK and Ireland. Winning and shortlisted projects are now being shown at various locations hosted by Interior Educator members on a year-long nationwide tour.

This is the third year in a row that Middlesex University students have been recognised at the awards across three major categories, including Social Justice, Collaborative Practice and Social & Cultural Agency.

Rachel’s award recognises excellence in design that supports community needs. She interviewed mothers, caregivers, healthcare professionals and community support workers and used their insights to influence her final design which included a breastfeeding area, café, nursery, fitness facility, midwifery room, educational space and gardens.

She said: “I became interested in how interior architecture could go beyond providing clinical services to create spaces that support connection, belonging and everyday community life. My project reimagines postnatal care as a shared social infrastructure, bringing healthcare, education and community support together under one roof.”

Rachel, who lives in London and is originally from Malaysia, said she was “incredibly honoured and grateful” to have won the award and said her course at Middlesex University gave her the freedom to explore different approaches to interior architecture. She said: “My tutors encouraged me to think critically about the social, cultural and environmental implications of design, rather than focusing only on how a space looks. That has shaped the kind of designer I want to become. I’m now looking forward to starting my career in practice and applying what I’ve learned at Middlesex to real projects and communities.”

Nicoleta received her award for using the Interior Educators conference theme “Imagining Interiors” to create an interesting and original design idea. Her winning project looked at communities living along London’s canals and explored how interior architectural spaces could respond to this with a dedicated space for wellbeing and social connection.

She designed a floating public sauna built into the old Ice Warehouse at King’s Cross, taking a historic canal building and reimagining it as a communal sauna and wellbeing space for people who live around the canal. In winter, the building becomes a sheltered area for yoga, bathing and communal gathering. In summer, a floating spa rises through the building, reconnecting occupants with the canal.

Nicoleta said: “Cities are often defined by what is visible - buildings, streets, and infrastructure - yet I was inspired by the existence of people living on and along London’s canals which is less obvious. My design project examined one of these overlooked conditions and rather than imposing a new system I tried to explore architecture that supported this shifting way of living.”

Jason Scoot, Programme Leader for BA Interior Architecture at Middlesex University, said: “We’re very proud that Interior Architecture at Middlesex University has been recognised in three major categories for three consecutive years at these important industry awards. The dedication shown by our students and staff is exceptional; it is both an honour to teach them and a privilege to teach alongside a dedicated teaching team.

“This year’s projects highlight the deep social awareness our students bring to their work, exemplifying the calibre of designers we are shaping for industry. They also showcase the extraordinary potential of those about to begin their final year with us, whose talent continues to define the future of Interior Architecture at Middlesex.”

Francesca Murialdo, Director of Programmes in Interior Architecture and Design at Middlesex University, said: “Our students are supported to become critical designers who combine creative thinking with practical skills – from drawing, digital technologies and material exploration to storytelling and communication.

“These projects celebrate the diversity of approaches within Middlesex Interiors: from intimate spatial experiences to larger questions of reuse, belonging and transformation. Together, they demonstrate how the next generation of designers can create spaces with purpose, responsibility and impact.”

Find out more about studying for a BA Honours Interior Architecture degree at Middlesex University.