The Las Vegas Market presented "gold" awards to two chairs during the third annual âOne Good Chairâ competition, sponsored by World Market Center Las Vegas and the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
Eric Tongâs Zpine chair, left, received the grand prize and Juan Mercadoâs RE_Flex chair won in the Peopleâs Choice category.
Sustainable Furnishings Council members, including The Phillips Collection and Handy Living, created prototypes of some of the finalistsâ designs.
The two winners were selected from more than 360 entries, representing both professional and amateur designers.
The grand prize winner, Tong, who hails from London, England, created the winning Zpine chair using a honeycomb core (also known as âcellular structureâ). The piece converts between a chair and a chaise. Tong said he chose honeycomb for its strength-to-weight ratio and because it is inexpensive, sustainable and biodegradable. He said he plans to invest his $4,500 cash prize toward manufacturing and marketing the chair.
Mercado of Jackson, MI, won the Peopleâs Choice award by more than a 30 percent margin. His RE_Flex chair can be used as a sleek modern desk chair or a comfortable reading/rocking chair, depending on the ownerâs mood. Its design is simple yet sophisticated, and requires minimal packaging and space for shipping.
Read more about Las Vegas Market's One Good Chair competition.
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