Formica Corp. announced the opening of the 2027 FORM Student Innovation Competition. Now in its 10th 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 “Color as the Main Character.”
Inspired by increasingly bold and memorable color stories told in modern designs, “Color as the Main Character” reflects a shift toward color as a defining design strategy rather than merely an accent. To celebrate this, Formica Corp. encourages students to make color shine as the main character of their design and explore how color can transform a space. 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.
“Color is a powerful force in design, one that has the ability to influence emotion, guide interaction and shape the way people experience spaces around them,” said Meghan Howell, North American design and creative director at Formica Corp. “We’re excited to see how students embrace color by putting it at the center of their designs, using thoughtful, bold and unexpected choices to create pieces that are both meaningful and memorable.”
Each entrant will have the chance to win a cash prize and national recognition, including the opportunity to have their design showcased at NeoCon 2027, a leading design event for commercial interiors. The competition is open from through Feb. 19, 2027, with winners announced in mid-May. A distinguished panel of industry leaders will judge the students’ entries.
The grand prize winner will receive a $2,000 cash prize, and their design will be fabricated and displayed during NeoCon 2027 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 2027 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.
