Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

Lawrence Tech fourth-year student Keith Marks, a dual major in architecture and interior design, is the 2011 winner of the Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship competition. The award comes with a paid summer internship at any Gensler office, and Marks has selected Denver.

“Gensler places an emphasis on encouraging the professional development of the industry’s young architects and interior designers, and we are proud to support the next generation of talent through our annual Brinkmann scholarship program,” says Robin Klehr Avia, managing principal for Gensler’s Northeast Region.

Marks’ submission was chosen from a myriad of applications received from top colleges and universities across the nation. The winner was announced at Contract magazine’s 32nd Annual Interiors Awards Breakfast in New York City in January.

Associate Professor Jin Feng suggested that Marks apply for the scholarship while he was studying in Florence, Italy, for the fall semester

Marks’ winning entry was a design for a new Macy’s shoe store at Herald Square in New York City. His task was to create a fresh image and shoe buying experience for a younger demographic in the city. The design solution he proposed, based on the idea of a folded plane, generates space that engages the shoe in both a physical and aesthetic context.

“Winning the Brinkmann Scholarship has given me such a great opportunity to grow as a designer, and having the chance to work with such an exemplary firm firsthand will be an irreplaceable learning experience,” says Marks.

The Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 as a memorial to Donald G. Brinkmann, a gifted interior designer, inspirational leader and former partner at Gensler. The scholarship fund celebrates Brinkmann’s career-long commitment to nurturing new design talent by presenting outstanding interior design students with an internship and a financial award to be applied to their final year of school.

Founded in 1965, Gensler is a global design, planning, and strategic consulting firm networked across 35 locations on five continents.

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