Formica Corporation Recognizes Outstanding Talent in 2020 FORM Student Innovation Competition Winners
Formica Corporation Recognizes Outstanding Talent in 2020 FORM Student Innovation Competition Winners
Students from more than 40 universities participated in the annual competition
CINCINNATI (June 1, 2020) — Celebrating the next generation of design, Formica Corporation announced the winners of the 2020 FORM Student Innovation Competition today. Now in its third year, the competition invited interior design, architecture and furniture design students across the U.S. and Canada to create furniture using Formica® Brand products.
A record total of 150 entries from more than 40 universities across the U.S. and Canada were submitted under the theme of “Blurred Lines,” examining the intersection of nature and technology. The winning students will receive cash prizes and the grand prize winner will see their design come to life through fabrication.
The winning designs were chosen by influential industry professionals:
-Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA
-Leanne Ford, interior designer and television personality
-Tristan Butterfield, regional brand and retail lead at Gensler Chicago
-Vern Yip, award-winning HGTV designer and author
-Renee Hytry Derrington, international design lead at Formica Group
"What I love about Formica Corporation’s FORM competition is that it gives me a chance to see the work of rising stars! I get a glimpse into how the future generation of designers view creative furniture design,” Ford said. “All of the entries were truly impressive! The really showcased their creator’s unique personality, not to mention I loved seeing how they were able to push Formica’s boundaries in new and unexpected ways. Creatives after my own heart.”
Grand prize: Alexandra Clement of Sainte-Julie, Quebec received a $2,000 cash award for her “Origami” desk design, which encompasses modular art in its simplest form, epitomizing creativity without sacrificing functionality. Inspired by the ancestral art of Japan, the desk plays with various shapes and volumes to maximize its possible uses, including multiple built-in storage compartments. Featuring Layered Sand, White Birchply and Oiled Olivewood Formica® Laminate, this design creates subtle contrast through the different pattern layers. This design also nods to the raw material used in origami paper. Clement is a student at Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.
“Alexandra’s origami desk beautifully showcases the intersection of nature and technology through its use of nature-inspired patterns and functional features,” Hytry Derrington said. “Paying homage to the thoughtful, clean and functional design of many Japanese interiors, this desk encourages a variety of uses, from a space to work to a place to share a meal or converse with others, and even keeps clutter at bay with smart organizational features.”
Clement’s winning design will be fabricated into furniture and showcased at NeoCon, June 14-16, 2021, at the Mart in Chicago.
Second prize: Jacob Ethier of Montreal, Quebec received $1,000 for his “Post-Industrial Bookshelf” design, which employs laser-cutting technology to create a new type of panel to add texture and color, revealing a beautiful, organic form suited to a variety of spaces. The practical bookshelf is designed so objects stored inside can’t be seen, simplifying the surrounding environment and enhancing visual appeal. Inspired by rich colors and varied patterns, the Post-Industrial Bookshelf utilizes Solar Orange, Grenadine and Clementine Formica® Laminate. Ethier is a student at Quebec University in Montreal.
Third prize: Jessica Reid, from Oxford, New Jersey won $500 for her “G Table” design. Inspired by harmonic and fluid rhythm while emphasizing the aesthetically pleasing nature of negative space, the table uses contrasting Black Crystal Finish, White Washed Birchply and Light Hammer-Copper Antiqued patterns. Reid is a student at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Honorable mentions: Completing the top five entries are Matthew Lam and Benjamin Ma from the University of Waterloo in Ontario for their “Duality” design, and Allison Plunkett from Marywood University for her “Imagination Bench.”
More information about the winning students’ designs is available at www.formica.com/studentcompetition.