Formica Corp. has announced the opening of the 2026 FORM Student Innovation Competition. Now in its ninth year, the annual furniture design competition invites students studying architecture, industrial design and interior design in the United States, Canada and Mexico to design original furniture pieces using Formica Brand and FENIX products reflecting this year’s theme of “Mood-Boosting Design.”
A natural extension of the ongoing focus on designing for well-being, “Mood-Boosting Design” reflects the pursuit of joy at the heart of recent design trends. Formica Corp. encourages students to play with expressive elements like color and texture to create pieces that inspire, spark joy in and emotionally uplift both themselves and the end user. Students entering the competition will provide a project statement and color rendering of their furniture design. Each entry must include at least three Formica Brand and/or FENIX products.
“We know that design isn’t just about looking good but also feeling good, and who doesn’t want to feel better every time they walk into a space?” said Meghan Howell, North American design and creative director at Formica Corp. “We’re all uplifted in different ways, so we’re excited to see how students express themselves and what brings them joy in their designs.”
Each entrant will have the chance to win cash prizes and national recognition, including the opportunity to have their design showcased at NeoCon 2026, the leading design event for commercial interiors. The competition is open from Sept. 10, 2025, through Feb. 27, 2026, with winners announced in early May. A distinguished panel of industry leaders will judge the students’ entries.
The grand prizewinner will receive a $2,000 cash prize and their design will be fabricated and displayed during NeoCon 2026 in Chicago. The second-place winner will be awarded $1,000 and the third-place winner will receive $500. The top three winners will be invited to attend NeoCon as guests of Formica Corp. for the opportunity to network with industry professionals and gain exposure to the design community.
Inspired by Design Industry Legends
The current iteration of FORM is inspired by a challenge Formica Corp. held in 2008, when the company invited design greats — including Jaime Velez, Zaha Hadid, Michael Graves, Bernard Tschumi and Massimo Vignelli, among others — to create works of art from Formica Brand products. Their designs, which ranged from domestic pieces to conceptual sculptures, were then exhibited at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati. The 2026 FORM Student Innovation Competition has evolved over the years to engage students by challenging them to create original furniture designs and spotlight their unique design perspectives as the next generation of the industry.
Entries Now Open
Entries will be accepted through Feb. 27, 2026. This year, students will enter the competition at formica.com/studentcompetition, where they can also find additional information including complete competition details, resources and rules.
