Design students from across the country threw their hats in the ring for top honors at the fourth-annual ASID Student Portfolio Competition, which pits design schools’ top talents against one another for the chance to win a scholarship and a place in the national spotlight. Ultimately, five winners plus seven finalists were celebrated for their innovative projects, including a reimagining of Instagram’s headquarters and a futurist temple.

The competition, which culminated in an awards ceremony in New York during the first weekend of March, is hosted by the American Society of Interior Designers. Students were evaluated based on a demanding rubric including conceptual thought, content of work submitted, and record of achievement.

In the final round, contestants underwent an in-person portfolio review with a judging panel that included Carolyn BaRoss, an interior design principal at interdisciplinary architecture and design firm Perkins+Will; Elizabeth Von Lehe, a New York–based design and brand strategy principal at global engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services firm HDR; Mindi Weichman of San Francisco–based design firm Studio O+A, and Randy Fiser, CEO of ASID. The winners will receive a scholarship from Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation, as well as the exposure to top design firms—setting the stage for careers that are sure to prove inspiring.

Clockwise from top left: Jieru Lin, Jianfeng ‘Lucas’ Ni, Xuan ‘Megan’ Dang, Ara Kim and Jessica MaEileen Meny