By Laurel Petriello

The three finalists witnessed the fabrication of their designs by Boston-based Sterling Surfaces.

As a young design student, the opportunity to showcase work internationally, network within the industry, and LG Surfaces Beyond Student Design Competitiongain exposure to top design professionals, media, and consumers sounds like a dream come true. For three young designers, the proverbial gods were smiling last April, as they were selected to attend the Salone Internazionale del Mobile after winning the inaugural North American leg of the LG Surfaces Beyond Student Design Challenge.

Students were tasked with developing a concept employing the manufacturer’s Hi-Macs, Eden, or Spectrum collections for use within commercial design applications such as retail, hospitality, office, healthcare, and institutional. Out of 39 entries, LG Surfaces chose three finalists from around the country who witnessed the fabrication of their designs by Boston-based Sterling Surfaces and were invited to showcase the concepts at the Milan Furniture Fair.

The winners included Michael Rall from North Carolina State University for his “Echo” side table, Soo Kang Lee from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign for her “Outdoor Chair X,” and Paul Vu from California State Polytechnic University of Pomona for his design, “The Jinza Table.”

Mike Tasch, director of commercial marketing for LG Surfaces, noted “The concepts presented by these student designers truly demonstrate the limitless possibilities of our highly-versatile solid surface products, both in terms of form and function.”