MJ Johnson recognized with AIA Iowa Student Impact Award

MJ Johnson, design team member of BNIM’s Des Moines studio was recently recognized with an AIA Iowa Student Impact Award for her Store Floor project completed in ‘Design for Disaster Relief’ at the Iowa State University College of Design, alongside project partners Nicole Becker, Marissa Engel, Ashton Knepper, and Professor Rob Whitehead.  The project received Merit award recognition.

The team’s project abstract is below:

“There are currently 3.5 million people living in tents worldwide. These tents are purposed for emergency housing, with an intended 6-month lifespan. Therefore, the tents do not include any floor. In most cases, emergency housing situations last much longer than their intended impact and 6-months turns to 6-years of living in the tents. This becomes problematic for the average person who spends 16-20 hours a day on their shelter floor. Living on the bare earth causes higher risk for parasitic infection, anemia, diarrhea, lower development rates, suicide and depression, flash flooding risks and hypothermia. Currently, one flooring solution exists but cannot accommodate for any uneven or un-level ground. Store Floor provides a solution that is an adjustable elevated floor that doubles as a storage space within the floor itself. Store Floor is a modular system that is adaptable to tent size and is easy to assemble. It is fabricated out of recycled structural plastic with a metal frame to ensure that the floor is stable and supportive of the appropriate weight. The space within the floor provides a secure space for storing personal belongings. Store Floor brings sense of security, prevents diseases, increases overall quality of life, and creates more resilient living environments.”

Read the team’s full report on Iowa State University College of Design website.