USC Interior Design students Jasmine Therese Yap, Selina Katrina Quinto, and Danielle Trizha Tan (JST Team) emerged as winners of the inaugural Projeto Ideas and Design Competition: Interior Designers Edition 2025 on March 15, 2025, at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

Their project, Neuro-Inclusive Harmony: A Sensory-Smart and Adaptive Learning Environment, bested over 60 national submissions. Specifically designed for Special Education (SPED), this visionary concept will be realized as the WORLDBEX Passion Project, benefiting a SPED center in Manila. The initiative aims to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students with special needs.

Guided by IDr. Hermie Ray Oplado, Team JST crafted a design that exemplifies USC’s dedication to social responsibility and transformative spaces. Breaking away from traditional, clinical SPED environments, they introduced a dynamic yet calming design rooted in meticulous research and sustainability. 

Their innovative approach includes modular furniture fostering interaction, acoustic solutions accommodating sensory sensitivities, and thoughtfully curated lighting and color schemes to create a serene atmosphere.This evidence-based and sustainably crafted design promises to enrich the educational experience for SPED students in Manila. 

Team JST’s achievement not only highlights their extraordinary creativity but also reinforces USC’s mission to deliver community-driven, life-changing designs that leave a lasting impact on special needs education.

With reporting from IDr. Hermie Ray Oplado, Department of Architecture