Formica Corporation announced the winners of its 2024 FORM Student Innovation Competition. Now in its seventh year, the competition invited students from the U.S., Mexico, and Canada to showcase their creativity by designing a furniture piece interpreting the theme “Newstalgia."

The top three winning students will receive a cash prize and a trip to attend NeoCon 2024 in Chicago to experience the show, network with industry professionals and speak to their creative vision on the NeoCon Talks stage. During their trip, they will get to experience nearly 1 million square feet of exhibition space featuring more than 400 leading companies, emerging players, and industry partners. The grand prize winner will also see their design fabricated and on-display at NeoCon.

The Grand Prize Winner of the 2024 FORM Student Innovation Competition is:

Notions by Cali Pitcher from Georgian College in Ontario, Canada

Design Statement: Inspired by Mid-century modern design, Notions encapsulates the mantra of the design movement: form follows function. Focused on maximizing functionality in a small footprint, Notions creates Newstalgia by drawing inspiration from Mid-century modern sewing boxes, bringing that practicality and streamlined design into a piece made for modern living. Notions fills the need for a storage unit, two desks, and a dining table all in one compact piece.

2nd Prize Winner:

Novaro by Audrey Weiss from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana

Design Statement: Novaro evokes a sense of ‘newstalgia,’ offering a timeless piece that resonates with both the past and the present. It invites users to reminisce while embracing modern comfort.

3rd Prize Winner:

Saturno Cabinet by Juarez Zacatel and Monica Arrezola from Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla in Puebla, Mexico.

Design Statement: Saturno Cabinet is a furniture piece inspired by the 80s colors and the outer space which was an important point in design during that time, representing the timeless nature of both this furniture style and its materials in a straightforward manner. It is designed for enthusiasts of Mid-Century style with a casual touch, not neglecting elegance and utility in each component.