Industrial Design Students Win Museum Competition

Four Jefferson Industrial Design sophomores were recently honored by the Philadelphia Museum of Art as winners of the COLLAB Student Design Competition.

The students submitted projects that they created in this semester’s Sophomore Design Studio class taught by Lyn Godley and Rob Melville. Students began by learning how to create three-dimensional tessellations (arrangements of shapes closely fitted together). Using this concept, they developed patterns, repeats, and expansion/contraction capabilities that they utilized to create their entries for COLLAB. The competition required use of a single element that, through repetition, was transformed into an installation or furniture with an artistic expression.

First Place was awarded to Cariah London for her modular outdoor seating system. It transforms open public areas into intimate private space while providing shade from the sun and protection from rain. The system consists of flexible panels that can fold flat or stretch as they glide along arched metal poles. The panels are made of a chemically-coated composite fabric that consists of thermoplastic polyurethane fibers, rendering the material 100% waterproof, and resistant to mold and mildew. These panels connect horizontally via magnets located on both ends, which allow them to snap together.

Third Place was awarded to Joseph Belardo for his modular shelving system for office and retail environments. Inspired by the Bouroullec Brothers 2001 “Brick” project, the form evokes a feeling of fluid natural motion within a static functional design. Manufacturing requires a repeat bend of 3mm aluminum sheet by 115 degrees in a cascading “staircase” pattern, and powder coating. The system is assembled layer by layer; essentially being stacked and bolted together with cast aluminum brackets to match.

In addition to Jefferson, the competition included students from Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, MICA, RISD, Drexel University, and The University of the Arts.

Congratulations to all of the Jefferson ID students who were recognized:
First Place – Cariah London
Third Place – Joseph Belardo
First Honorable Mention – Ben Lentz
Second Honorable Mention – Ryan Beenders