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As residential spaces continue to evolve toward luxury living, smart technologies, and integrated lifestyle aesthetics, the Bachelor's Program of Interior Design under the School of Architecture at Feng Chia University continues to advance innovative industry-academia collaboration. This semester, the sophomore design studio partnered with internationally renowned premium kitchen appliance brand DE Dietrich to develop the project Home & Décor × Smart Kitchen Living Integrated Design. By incorporating industry resources into design education, students were guided through every stage from concept development to practical integration, enabling closer alignment with industry needs.
Set within the context of a luxury residence, the project challenged students to design a spacious 160-ping residence while integrating living rooms, dining areas, kitchens, and diverse lifestyle spaces with DE Dietrich smart appliances. The course emphasized lifestyle analysis, spatial planning, appliance integration, and aesthetic design, helping students develop comprehensive, market-oriented design thinking based on user needs. The midterm review was conducted as a design competition benchmarked against international kitchen design standards, allowing students to test their work against real-world industry criteria and strengthen both the professionalism and feasibility of their proposals.
During the semester, DE Dietrich also arranged a corporate visit and showroom tour. Through hands-on observation of premium appliances and professional presentations, students gained deeper insights into product design concepts, material details, and user scenarios. This experience enabled them to translate brand values into spatial design language and significantly enhance their design integration capabilities.
The Bachelor's Program of Interior Design at Feng Chia University partnered with DE Dietrich to host the Home & Décor × Smart Kitchen Living Integrated Design midterm review and design competition on April 21.
The midterm review and design competition took place on April 21. Renowned designers Sheng-Hsin Hsu and Shou-Shu Liu, together with Program Director Lee Yuan-Jung and DE Dietrich General Manager Liu Chien-Sheng, served as judges.
Following a highly competitive evaluation process, student Hsin-Yu Feng won the Gold Award. The judging panel unanimously praised her project for its mature spatial planning, accurate interpretation of luxury residential lifestyles, and thoughtful integration of DE Dietrich appliances. By successfully incorporating the brand's distinctive features into the overall interior design, the project demonstrated both creativity and practical applicability.
Feng shared that the course taught her to approach design from both brand and user perspectives, rather than focusing solely on space planning. Through site visits and direct interaction with products, she developed a deeper understanding of the role that high-end kitchens play in everyday life and learned how appliances can become an integral component of spatial design. She believes the experience will be highly beneficial for her future career in the design industry.
Sophomore interior design student Hsin-Yu Feng (left) successfully incorporated the brand's characteristics into her spatial design and won the Gold Award with unanimous praise from the judging panel.
DE Dietrich General Manager Liu Chien-Sheng remarked that the collaboration not only revealed the tremendous potential of emerging design talent but also laid the foundation for future industry-academia exchanges and internship opportunities that will help students connect with the profession at an earlier stage.
Program Director Lee Yuan-Jung emphasized that, beyond professional training, the university places great importance on cultivating students' global perspectives and practical competencies. Through collaboration with DE Dietrich, students gain direct exposure to premium brands and real market demands while learning how to integrate space, products, and user experience into a cohesive design approach, thereby strengthening their readiness for professional practice.
The collaboration achieved outstanding results, demonstrating the practical value of connecting education with industry while establishing a strong foundation for future partnerships between the Bachelor's Program of Interior Design at Feng Chia University and DE Dietrich. Moving forward, the program will continue to deepen this co-creation model and nurture top-tier design professionals equipped with both practical expertise and international perspectives.
Program Director Lee Yuan-Jung presents a certificate of appreciation to DE Dietrich General Manager Liu Chien-Sheng (right).
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