In partnership with the IIDA Foundation, Kimball International established the Makers of a Better Future fund. This initiative aims to support IIDA members who are integrating the spirit of foresight into design, fostering innovative solutions for tomorrow's challenges. The award recognizes individuals committed to advancing technology, sustainability, or social evolution through visionary design practices.
The program honors two winners annually, each receiving a $2,500 cash prize along with round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations in Chicago during Fulton Market Design Days. The winners are celebrated in person at the IIDA Annual Meeting.
For 2025, the distinguished recipients are Adelia Schleusz from IIDA’s Texas Oklahoma Chapter and Michael Krause from IIDA’s Southwest Chapter.
Adelia Schleusz
The Reworlding + Rewilding Project
The Reworlding + Rewilding Project reimagines the built environment as a co-creator of culture, community, and ecological restoration. By adaptively reusing a historic barn into a dance studio and artist’s guild, adding a culinary berm for gathering, and constructing a small, indigenous-informed eco-garden home, the project fuses artistic expression with regenerative design. This future-forward vision demonstrates how architecture can support both people and planet, creating spaces that are not just sustainable, but restorative and deeply rooted in place.
Adelia Schleusz, RID, IIDA, is the Founder of What If LAB, LLC, a creative consultancy that operates at the intersection of interior environments and experiences, foresight strategy, and science. With over 25 years of professional experience in commercial interior design, research, behavioral psychology, arts, and neurodesign, Adelia has established herself as a leader in the industry.
Recognized for her exceptional and award-winning design, Adelia has received numerous accolades, including the Interior Design 2023 HiP award, celebrating the “most innovative people in the commercial design industry.”
Adelia leads creative direction and strategy across multiple scales of thinking. Her positive, energetic, and humble spirit fosters a culture of curiosity, empowerment, and creative agility. She values the importance of bringing together multifaceted thinkers, expertise, and multidimensional team members to drive innovation.
What inspired you to focus on the future of design and long-term planning rather than just the present?
"I have always been drawn to possibilities. The question 'what if' has fascinated me throughout my life and career, providing the fuel I need to embrace a longevity mindset. This curiosity enables us to break down silos and challenge assumptions through systems and futures thinking in the design process. When it comes to creating a better future, I am deeply inspired by today's youth who are actively shaping it, as well as those who have forged their paths against all odds. We are surrounded by inspiration to shape a better future; we just need to pay attention to it."
Looking 5–10 years ahead, what excites you the most about the future of the industry?
“In this very moment, we are in a period of transformation and disruption, both positive and negative, where a focus on creative agility and foresight is required. What's truly exciting is witnessing the energy, buildup, and momentum of changemakers crossing industries and coming together in really unique and profound ways. I feel undoubtedly honored to have platforms like these to ignite and share this excitement."
How would you encourage other designers to adopt a more future-oriented mindset? What advice or insights would you share with them?
"I would start by saying that design is innately future-focused. In essence, you've already signed up! We are each accountable for the decisions we make today and the impact they will have on tomorrow.
My advice is to stay curious and proactive. Something so simple can lead to the right mindset needed for creative agility, honing your ability to think from macro to micro (and vice versa), and using your voice to share your unique perspective. One insight that has helped me throughout my career is periodically asking myself, 'What problems do I want to solve for tomorrow?' This question guides me to learn and add the new skills required to my toolkit. Lastly, never underestimate the power of your imagination."
Michael Krause
The Resource Innovation Campus
The Resource Innovation Campus is a visionary initiative that reimagines buildings as engines of circularity and regeneration. By transforming landfill-bound waste into energy, compost, and construction materials, the project demonstrates how built environments can actively participate in ecological recovery. Krause’s forward-thinking model reframes buildings not as end users of resources, but as critical infrastructure for reclaiming value and reducing environmental impact.
Michael Krause began his architectural journey in Shanghai with Woods Bagot, gaining international experience that shaped his design perspective and technical skills. After returning to the U.S., he contributed to major projects at Fentress Architects and later taught architectural technology as an adjunct professor in Denver. He continued refining his craft at Tryba Architects before joining Krause Architecture + Interiors in 2017, where he now serves as a Partner and Senior Designer. Krause is passionate about creating projects that blend creativity with practicality, serving both community and environment. His accolades include two Rethinking the Future Awards and the IIDA Design Excellence Award.
What inspired you to focus on the future of design and long-term planning rather than just the present?
"I've always viewed design as a form of responsibility—not just to clients, but to the communities, ecosystems, and people who will inherit what we create. While the present is important, the true impact of our choices as designers often plays out decades later. What inspired me most was recognizing how deeply connected design and the construction industry are with climate, resource cycles, and cultural resilience. If we’re not thinking long-term, we’re just solving symptoms, not systems. My goal is to shift from reactive design to regenerative design, creating work that anticipates future needs and contributes positively to what comes next."
Looking 5–10 years ahead, what excites you the most about the future of the industry?
"What excites me most is how quickly the boundaries between disciplines are dissolving. We're seeing architecture blend with systems thinking, biomaterials, data science, and social equity in ways that were previously unimaginable. Personally, I find circular design, carbon-negative materials, adaptive reuse, and distributed infrastructure to be the most promising concepts. These ideas are no longer just theoretical; they're evolving into viable business models. There's a new wave of firms and thinkers reimagining not just what design looks like, but what it can achieve. This convergence feels like the beginning of something truly transformational."
How would you encourage other designers to adopt a more future-oriented mindset? What advice or insights would you share with them?
"I try not to give advice unless there's genuine curiosity, as everyone is on their own path and what works for me might not work for someone else. That said, I'm happy to share a perspective: I believe the future belongs to those who stay curious and are comfortable being uncomfortable. The most meaningful design work I've seen comes from people and studios that step beyond traditional roles, ask better questions, and actively collaborate across industries. You don't need to have all the answers—I certainly don't—but there should be a willingness to think in systems, learn from others, and see design as a tool for long-term impact, not just short-term outcomes."
The Makers of a Better Future fund highlights the transformative power of visionary design. By honoring individuals like Adelia Schleusz and Michael Krause, who are pushing the boundaries of design, the initiative not only celebrates innovative ideas but also inspires the design community to continue exploring and implementing solutions that address the challenges of tomorrow.
About Kimball International
Kimball International is a leading commercial furnishings company with deep expertise in the Workplace, Health, and Hospitality markets. We combine our bold entrepreneurial spirit, a history of craftsmanship, and today’s design-driven thinking alongside a commitment to our culture of caring and lasting connections with our customers, employees, and communities. Since 1950, our brands have seized opportunities to customize solutions into personalized experiences, turning ordinary spaces into meaningful places. Our family of brands includes Kimball, National, Etc., Interwoven, David Edward, Kimball Hospitality, and D'Style. Kimball International, based in Jasper, Indiana, is a business unit of HNI Corporation.
For additional information contact:
Abby Troutman
Communications Manager