Interior design students, university construction team partner with local nonprofit for annual Parade of Playhouses

Liberty University students recently showcased their creativity and talent by designing a children’s playhouse that will be donated and raffled off at an upcoming fundraiser for Rush Homes, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of families in the Lynchburg area by providing safe, affordable housing for those in need.

The project started as a competition within the interior design department in February, where students were challenged to design playhouses inspired by children’s literature. Five student groups participated, each creating designs based on beloved children’s books and media, with the chance to have their design built by a crew from Liberty’s Department of Planning and Construction and displayed at River Ridge Mall before being part of Rush Homes’ second annual Parade of Playhouses event.

Once the designs were submitted, students had the chance to vote on their favorite creations; the top three were sent to Liberty President Dondi E. Costin and Chancellor Jonathan Falwell, who both selected the final winner. After much deliberation, they chose the “Tangled” themed playhouse, created by seniors Sydney Bohlmann, Taylor Garran, and Gabriella Pace.

The competition provided students a unique opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to a real-world project.

“Having a design of ours featured in the Parade of Playhouses is an amazing experience, and I am so glad to be a part of something that gives back to the community,” Bohlmann said. “The theme was children’s literature, so we decided on the story of Rapunzel and the tower from the movie ‘Tangled.’ We all love Rapunzel, and the color scheme of ‘Tangled’ is very visually appealing.”

After the design was selected, it was turned into blueprints and handed over to the university’s Department of Planning & Construction to be built.

Robert Wutka, a carpenter on the construction team, recalled his initial reaction to the project.

“It seemed like an odd request when it was first brought up in our team meeting, but once they explained the details and told us about Rush Homes, we were happy to help,” he said. “It was a nice break from our normal work, and we all enjoyed coming together to do something fun.”

The construction team worked hard to bring the “Tangled”-themed design to life, carefully crafting each element to reflect the magical world of the Disney movie based on the fairy tale of Rapunzel. The playhouse features bright colors, whimsical details, and an imaginative design that captured the essence of the film’s enchanted setting. Once construction was complete, the playhouse was displayed outside River Ridge Mall for public viewing and will remain there through April 24, when it will be moved to City Stadium for the Parade of Playhouses on April 26. In addition to Liberty’s playhouse, three other playhouses — each designed and donated by companies across Central Virginia with the same theme of children’s literature — will also be on display.

Proceeds from the raffle of the playhouses will go directly to Rush Homes. The event is free and open to the public and promises to be a fun and meaningful way for families to support a great cause while also taking home a one-of-a-kind playhouse to enjoy for years to come.

“Rush Homes is proud of the work we do, and every time we gain a partner like Liberty University, it expands both our visibility and our impact in the community,” said Kate Goodman, director of development and marketing for Rush Homes. “(Liberty’s) partnership not only amplifies our mission, it also reinforces our credibility when others in the Liberty community see that LU values our work enough to stand with us in such a meaningful way.”

The family-friendly gathering will feature face painting, bounce houses, games, a prize wheel, raffled door prizes, food trucks, a balloon artist, and more. Liberty students will be volunteering to set up the event as part of the university’s Serve Lynchburg initiative.