ISABEL SCATES
SUMMER 2022 CORGAN DALLAS
In the summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to intern at Corgan as an Interior Design Intern in the Education Studio. During my time there, I actively participated in client meetings, collaborated with architects, designers, and manufacturer reps, and joined multiple site visits. My primary focus was on two projects: an early college high school and a middle school. For these, I contributed by developing preliminary furniture cost projections, sourcing material and furniture finish samples for client presentations, documenting client feedback, updating Revit models based on redlines, and creating multiple furniture layout options in Revit. Throughout the experience, I worked closely with my team and took pride in supporting every phase of the design process.
HUGO DESIGN SPRINT
For the first two weeks of my Corgan Internship, I participated in the Hugo Design Sprint. The focus was to create something using sustainable energy to better our world. Working with other intern designers and architects, we created a solution to the plastic waste found in our oceans.
DRIFT: Plastic to Power is a system of smart aquatic trash skimmers designed to clean the Pacific Garbage Patch while generating renewable energy. Each “Drifter” pumps surface water through a catch bin, trapping debris while returning clean water to the ocean. Using the K-Nearest Neighbor algorithm, Drifters coordinate within a half-mile radius, sharing fullness data to move toward the most polluted areas. They operate in hourly cycles, have 18 hours of battery life, and can hold 2 tons of trash.
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Once full, Drifters offload waste to an on-site power hub, where it's gasified—converting trash into hydrogen fuel with 60–70% efficiency. This fuel powers generators to recharge the Drifters and sustain the gasification process. One ton of waste yields 1,000 kilowatts of energy. Solar panel arrays provide the remaining energy needed. The entire system is self-powered and renewable.
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A byproduct of gasification, fly ash, is repurposed for sustainable construction—used in low-carbon concrete, paving, soil stabilization, and waste treatment—further extending DRIFT’s environmental benefits.
SUMMER 2023 STUDIO 11 DESIGN
I had the opportunity to intern at Studio 11 Design as an Interior Design Intern, where I contributed to a variety of hospitality projects. My work included developing design concepts, mood boards, furniture layouts, and material trays. I primarily focused on concept development for an Autograph Collection Hotel in Fort Worth. My responsibilities included crafting and presenting the design concept to clients, updating AutoCAD files, sourcing materials, assembling material trays for client presentations, and collaborating closely with the team to support project goals.
AUTOGRAPH HOTEL CONCEPT
OTHER PROJECT MOOD BOARDS
SUMMER 2024 CORGAN DUBLIN
In the summer of 2024, I returned to Corgan for a second internship—this time in their Dublin office—where I gained an incredible experience working on a range of workplace projects, many of which involved the renovation and adaptive reuse of stunning historic buildings. Immersing myself in a new cultural and professional environment challenged me to grow both personally and as a designer. I deepened my understanding of thoughtful design within existing architectural contexts, while also refining my skills in space planning, material selection, and client communication. This experience was not only creatively inspiring, but also pivotal in shaping my design perspective and professional confidence.