CINCINNATI, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Formica Corporation is thrilled to announce the winners of its annual student design competition, which celebrates the creativity and talent of up-and-coming interior designers and architects. The 2026 FORM Student Innovation Competition, now in its ninth year, invited interior design, architecture or furniture design students in the United States, Canada and Mexico to create furniture pieces using Formica® Brand products.
Students were challenged to design a furniture piece interpreting the theme of “Mood-Boosting Design.” The 303 submitted designs demonstrated how bold colors, unexpected color combinations and layered textures can bring meaningful, mood-boosting spaces to life. The designs were required to incorporate three or more Formica® Brand, FENIX® Innovative Materials or other products from the Formica® Portfolio of Surfacing Solutions and could be used in residential or commercial settings.
All first-, second- and third-place winners will receive cash prizes and be invited to attend NeoCon 2026, the leading event of the commercial interior design industry as guests of Formica Corporation. The company also will fabricate and display the winning design at NeoCon 2026 as part of its presence at the show. This year, two designs tied for second place.
“This year’s submissions reflect a thoughtful balance of function and emotion,” said Meghan Howell, North American Design and Creative Director of Formica Corporation. “It’s inspiring to see how students used our products in unexpected ways to create uplifting, purposeful spaces that ‘spark joy.’ The level of creativity students bring to this competition every year gives us real confidence in the future of design and this year was no exception.”
In addition to attending NeoCon 2026, the winning students also will take part as featured speakers as part of the official show program.
First-place prize: Kassandra Avila from Cégep de Trois-Rivières in Quebec, Canada, is the grand prizewinner for her entry “VIVO,” a versatile furniture piece primarily designed for children that supports a range of activities, encouraging creativity, play and self-expression while fostering independence and exploration. Thoughtfully designed for children of varying sizes, its components can be arranged to suit different needs and engage users in multiple ways. With its rounded forms and soft blue and white palette, VIVO creates a calming, luminous atmosphere that inspires joy.
“VIVO stood out for its sophisticated and thoughtful use of Formica® Laminate, both in its form and use of color. Each piece works beautifully on its own while also contributing to a cohesive system,” said Ayse Birsel, competition judge and industrial designer. “The subtle progression in scale and color reflects careful consideration for children of different ages.”
Second-place prize: Vania Lau from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Émile Tessier from Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, Canada, tied for the second-place prize. Lau’s “Lumine” is an all-in-one bedside table designed to create a calm, clutter-free nighttime experience with a built-in lamp emitting a gentle glow and features a pull-out lap desk with integrated storage. Tessier’s “The Foam” draws inspiration from the light, fleeting quality of soap suds to create a playful, practical furniture piece designed to spark wonder, encourage creativity and support short-term activities in educational and child-focused spaces.
Third-place prize: Nicholas Luter from Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida, received the third-place prize for “The Pylon Pets,” a versatile seating system featuring stylized dog and cat silhouettes inspired by Art Deco geometry. Blending whimsical sculpture with everyday function, the stackable chairs are designed to make seating a playful experience and bring joy to kid-centric public spaces.
Honorable mentions: The other top 10 finishers – in no particular order – include:
- Fátima Cervantes from Universidad de Monterrey
- Maryssa Baril from Dawson College
- Faith Schneider from Ohio State University
- Miguel Angel Aguilera Saenz from Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez
- Natalie Darbonne from Middle Tennessee State University
- Grace McCoy from Ohio State University
For more information about the winning students’ designs, please visit www.formica.com/studentcompetition.
About Formica Corporation
Founded in 1913, Formica Corporation, part of the Formica Group of companies, is a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative surfacing products for commercial and residential applications. For more information about Formica Corporation, its products, special programs and promotions, visit www.formica.com or call 1-800-FORMICA™.
About Formica Group
Formica Group is a global group of companies consisting of Formica Canada Inc., Formica Corporation, Formica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Formica IKI Oy, Formica Skandinavien AB, Formica Limited, Formica S.A., Formica S.A.S., Formica Taiwan Corporation, Formica (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Formica (Asia) Ltd., Formica Decorative Materials (China) Co., Ltd. and Homapal GmbH, among others. Formica Group is owned by Broadview Materials.
Please Note:
Formica® and Formica® Laminate are registered trademarks of The Diller Corporation. 1-800-FORMICA™ is a trademark of The Diller Corporation. All rights reserved. ©2026 The Diller Corporation.
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About Broadview Materials:
Headquartered in Den Bosch (‘s-Hertogenbosch) in the Netherlands, Broadview is a holding company that pursues long-term growth and value creation through active support of its operating companies. Broadview’s family of companies covers two industry clusters: energy and materials technology. Broadview’s materials technology businesses include Arpa, Trespa, Formica Group, Westag, Homapal and Direct Online Services. With combined sales of €1.2 billion and 6,000 employees, Broadview is a world leader in the surface materials market.
- Formica Corporation 2026 FORM Student Innovation Competition Winner