Three fifth-year Bachelor of Architecture students from the USC School of Architecture — Natalie Darakjian, Noelle Osborne, and Reed Wilson — have won first place in the 2025 Design for Freedom Student Competition in the category of Material Research. Their project, “Unmasking Greenwashing: Creating an Ethical Timber Supply Chain,” was recognized for its bold approach to addressing ethical sourcing and transparency in the global building materials supply chain.
The competition, sponsored by the Grace Farms Foundation and administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), challenged students to rethink how architecture can help eradicate forced and child labor embedded in the building materials supply chain. More than 300 students and faculty from around the world participated in this year’s event, submitting projects that combined design, research, and advocacy.