Tiny Houses Exhibit Showcases Student Professionalism, Design Excellence

LOGAN, Utah — The recently concluded annual Tiny Houses exhibition at Utah State University showcased the professionalism and design excellence of the sophomore class in the interior architecture and design (IAD) program.

At the beginning of their second year, students embark on a yearlong journey of designing and creating tiny homes to be displayed at the Tippetts & Eccles Galleries at the beginning of the following school year. Each tiny home was required to be a three-dimensional, multi-level design that adhered to all Utah residential building codes.

The project spans four classes over two semesters: Architectural Graphics I and II and Computer-Aided Drafting and Design I and II. Susie Tibbitts, IAD professor and associate dean for undergraduate studies, said she has students start with abstraction design.

“Students begin with an abstract object or a concept, and they sketch,” Tibbitts said. “The sketches kind of become architecture, and then we keep critiquing the architecture and pushing the designs along.”

For the 2025 gallery, student Mya Lindsay drew inspiration from the form of a bowtie pasta noodle.

“I took the initial shape of the bowtie, which is two triangular shapes connected by a point, and folded them over on top of themselves,” Lindsay said. “I sketched the two shapes overlapping in many ways and finally picked an abstraction I liked. After that it was a matter of simplifying that shape; through trial and error I finally nailed down the shape of my house.”

Tibbitts, alongside IAD Professor Steven Mansfield, mentors students through their projects by providing hands-on experience and guiding them in applying classroom learning to professional practice, reflecting USU’s mission that “academics come first” through educational excellence.

“We aren’t authoritative,” Tibbitts said. “We try to be helpful. In the real world, people are listening to their ideas, and it helps them to be taken seriously at such a beginning phase.”

Lindsay said the project and the mentorship she received developed the way she thinks about design and problem solving.

“Design is a process. It doesn’t just happen overnight,” Lindsay said. “My main takeaway is to avoid getting set on an idea. Be willing to try new things and be willing to constantly change things.”

Included in this experiential learning process is the opportunity for students to display their work in a professional gallery setting, complete with a reception.

“There’s a certain amount of pressure that comes with an exhibit,” Tibbitts said. “During the reception, students get to stand by their work and talk to people about their projects. It feels very realistic for their first time sharing about the things they have learned."

Lindsay said getting to display her work in an exhibition was a very fulfilling experience.

“All the hard work I had put in for the past year was finally being seen and admired,” Lindsay said. “It was unlike anything I had ever felt before; it gave me the reassurance that I was doing what I was meant to do.”

Demand for the program continues to grow, driven in part by experiential projects like the Tiny Houses exhibition, which equips students with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Tibbitts said the program can currently only accommodate up to 23 students per studio, accepting only 32% of applicants through the competitive first-year student portfolio review.

“We’ve had to turn many students away simply because we don’t have room,” Tibbitts said. “With all the new changes coming, we know we’ll need to expand. We may begin accepting larger freshman classes in the near future to meet the high demand for the program.”

Through projects like the Tiny Houses exhibition, USU provides students with transformative, hands-on learning experiences that demonstrate educational quality, faculty expertise, and showcase the tangible advantages of higher education.

To learn more about the IAD program, visit the website.