Collab 2008: 1st Place

The Philadelphia Museum of Art's Collab gallery has a student design competition every year. This year the topic was "Processing Frank Gehry," to coincide with the gallery opening of architectural models at the Museum.

My entry is the Lewis Bench, a set of two laminated plywood benches. I'm pleased to say that I was awarded first place! The former organizer of the competition said that it was the first time in the sixteen year history of the student competition that a project has been unanimously chosen for first place by all the judges.

There were murmurs among my classmates that the winning bench would be made by the museum. Unfortunately that never happened, and the bench still remains a quarter scale model.

One of the judges was Lewis Wexler of the Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia. Talking with him after the competition, he mentioned that if I build the bench, he will put it in his gallery. So, if you love the bench, and would like a one of a kind piece of furniture from an up and comming designer, than by all means please get in touch with me.

The PMA website has a very official looking posting of all the Collab Student Competition: 2008 winners. Click the links to see the poster, more photos, and information about the bench.