Berkeley College Interior Design Graduate Partners with Woodland Park Library on Renovation Project
Monday, June 1, 2020
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
973-200-1099
KME@BerkeleyCollege.edu
BERKELEY COLLEGE INTERIOR DESIGN GRADUATE PARTNERS
WITH WOODLAND PARK LIBRARY ON RENOVATION PROJECT
Photo Caption: Linda Hoffman, Library Director, and Reem Beck, a Berkeley College Interior Design graduate, pose in front of plans for a facilities upgrade that will allow the Alfred H. Baumann Free Public Library in Woodland Park to better serve the community. Beck, a Woodland Park resident, proposed an interior design plan to make the space beautiful and functional.
Reem Beck, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Berkeley College last month, is sharing her creative vision to help shape a local public library into an even more dynamic destination for the community.
Beck, a resident of Woodland Park, NJ, said she has always found comfort and enjoyment at the Borough’s Alfred H. Baumann Free Public Library. When she learned that New Jersey voters had approved a $125 million bond issue for upgrades to local libraries, Beck connected with Library Director Linda Hoffman, pitching a Capstone project to redesign the Library facility.
“Working on the library project was a very exciting experience from the beginning,” Beck said. “Linda Hoffman and the Library staff genuinely care for the needs of the local residents in the community. I feel honored to be a part of this project.”
Hoffman said the Library has outgrown its current footprint and needs upgrades for ADA compliance, technology infrastructure and more, to best serve its patrons. While an architectural firm has already been hired for the expansion, Beck offered a proposal for interior design in the new space. She met with the Library team, as well as Library Board Trustees, the Friends of the Library, and Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark, to understand the community’s vision and needs. The Library’s grant proposal was submitted this month.
Following a comprehensive analysis, surveys and case studies, Beck proposed a design that incorporated her interest in sustainable design practices, particularly biophilic design, which connects patrons closely to nature.
“Reem has an undeniable talent for design,” Hoffman said. “I was impressed with her professional manner and her enthusiasm for this project. It is clear that she cares about her community and its residents, and she understands the value of the public library in the community.”
Beck graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design in May 2020. She was recognized in 2019 as a semi-finalist in the American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) Student Portfolio Competition. She was also honored for her furniture design in the ASID Samuel and Rhoda Chalfin Memorial Student Design Competition.
Photo Captions: (Top) Linda Hoffman, Library Director, Alfred H. Baumann Free Public Library, shows plans for a facilities upgrade that will allow the Woodland Park resource to better serve the community. (Below left) Reem Beck, a Berkeley College Interior Design student and Woodland Park resident, proposed an interior design plan to make the space beautiful and functional. (Below right) Beck preliminary renderings combine form, function and elements of biophilic design, which connects patrons closely to nature.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College has campuses in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park, NJ, as well as in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains, NY, with more than 5,700 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for seven consecutive years. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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