2015-2016 FURNITURE DESIGN INSTRUCTIONS
FURNITURE DESIGN: Sponsored by the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library and the American
Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD); this national competition is open to all design schools in the United States.
The 2015-2016 competition challenge will be to design a chair. Students are to design products that are visually
stunning, appropriate for manufacturing, fiscally feasible, and suitable within the constraints of mass production.
The design goal will be to create an offering that can be marketed to the residential and/or contract trade. The
first place winner of the furniture category will be mentored by the Bienenstock Furniture Library and ASFD. The
winner will receive national publicity for themselves and their school, as well as attend and participate in the April
2016 High Point Market. Along with the $5,000.00 first place award and $1,500.00 second place award, ASFD will
award both students a complimentary one-year student membership to their organization. The first place winner’s
design school/department will receive a check for $1000.00.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
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Completed Entry Form due by September 18, 2015. This entry form will include biographical information,
student contact information, and contact information of a professor or department head. Entry forms
should be emailed to: info@furniturelibrary.com
Completed competition projects are due by January 4, 2016.
Submissions should include a Design Brief consisting of a few short paragraphs explaining the design
process from your inspiration through the final design.
Furniture Design competitors will need to attach ideation thumbnails; scale drawings, preferably in AutoCad or 3D Modeling software; and final renderings, either computer or marker. Entries should be in pdf
format. The students name and school should NOT appear on this file. Label your saved PDF file as
Bienenstock Furniture Design Competition 2015-2016. All parts of your entry should be saved as ONE
file. Entries should be sent to info@furniturelibrary.com
DESIGN CHALLENGE
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A chair of original design
Chair must be aesthetically pleasing
Any material or combination of materials will be acceptable
Chair should be visually stunning, appropriate for manufacturing, fiscally feasible, and suitable within the
constraints of mass production.
SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS
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Schools who want their students to enter competition must assign a faculty member to supervise the
student.
The school can offer the student class credit through studio or individual participation OR allow this
competition to meet independent study requirements supervised by a faculty member; and understand
that if their student wins the award money goes directly to the student, not the school.
A grading rubric that will be used by the judges for the competition is attached for your review.
Judges for Furniture Design: Paul Brayton, Paul Brayton Designs; Richard Frinier, Frinier Atelier;
Danny Davis, Davis Furniture Industries, Inc.; Dudley Moore, ASFD, Otto & Moore Inc.; Rick
Schroeder, Stanley Furniture; Royale Wiggin, Thayer Coggin Inc.; Scott Coley, D. Scott Coley
Designs, LLC;
FURNITURE DESIGN COMPETITION 2015-2016
RUBRIC
Score each category on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest score. The percentages noted represent the
weight of each category.
ENTRY NUMBER: ____________
DESIGN BRIEF – Is this well written, interesting, and indicative of the designer’s goal? Is it compelling and
persuasive? Does it indicate the project was well researched? (10%) SCORE ____________
IDEATION THUMBNAILS – Do these convey the evolution of the design process? Do they indicate design
inspiration? Do they show a natural progression? (10%) SCORE ____________
DESIGN AESTHETIC – Is the chair visually appealing and are the materials chosen appropriate for the design?
Do you get the impression of a serious and professional design? (30%) SCORE ____________
ORIGINALITY – How fresh and original is the design? Is it innovative or ‘inspired’? (10%) SCORE___________
FUNCTIONAL ASPECT – Will the chair suit the purpose outlined in the design brief? Do scale and proportions
seem right? (20%) SCORE _____________
FEASIBILITY- Is the chair appropriate for manufacturing, fiscally feasible, and suitable for mass production?
(10%) SCORE _____________
PRESENTATION – Is the designer’s presentation attractive, well presented, and visually interesting? (10%)
SCORE______________