Bienenstock Furniture Library Announces 2015 Interior Design Competition Winners

Furniture World News Desk on 3/10/2015

  


Last week the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library Board of Directors announced the winners of Interior Design Competition. First place was awarded to Erica Brooks of Virginia Tech who will receive a $5,000 scholarship to continue her studies in interior design. The second place winner, Tung Nguyen from Winthrop University, will receive a $1,500 scholarship. In addition to the awards, each has been given memberships in the ASFD and ASID professional associations and their schools will receive $1,000 to use in their academic programs. The Bienenstock scholarships are open to any junior, senior or graduate student enrolled in an accredited college design program.

Finalists in the Interior Design competition included: Angela Tournay, Forsyth Technical Community College; Hazel Chang, Appalachian State University; Luke Marot, Forsyth Technical Community College; Adrienne Rogers, Brenau University; and Abigail Uhrich, The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham.

"Our founder, Sandy Bienenstock, advanced his long-standing desire to invest in the education and future of the furniture industry by establishing the Library itself and by initiating the Bienenstock Scholarships," said Russell Bienenstock, president of the Library Board. "The intention of these scholarships is to encourage and inspire the best and most creative minds and help them to develop their talents. To that end, this is the third year we added a scholarship for interior design to our long-standing award in furniture design, creating two substantial national scholarships."

These competitions are a collaborative effort between the ASID and the Furniture Library. The ASID sponsors the interior design completion by providing actual projects, and is judged by a jury of design professionals in the home furnishings industry. The library hosts the competition and funds the scholarships. This is an annual competition and a new contest will be announced in May of 2015.

INTERIOR DESIGN COMPETITION
Entrants were asked to design a project to create an art gallery that encompassed two floors with a third floor being a residential space and to create a design plan for the entire complex. There were 23 entries from 10 different colleges.

The winning entry was designed by Erica Brooks, a Senior studying Interior Design at Virginia Tech. She named the project "LineUp". According to Brooks, "LineUp is a play on words that references the linear movement, both through and up the space."

The fictional couple who resides here wants a cutting-edge, connected space that reflects both the inspiration of artists and the comfort of home. The residence is cohesive with the display space, using strong movement, distinctive textures, and an edgy appearance."





The space is inspired by the artwork. Each division's atmosphere is illustrated through texture. In this way, natural lines divide the space and textures define the purpose.

The gallery displays modern artwork, including the work of Julien Bouillon. Brooks explained "Bouillon uses a large variety of media to include 2D drawings, 3D sculpture, and electronic videos, making him a good candidate for this versatile gallery. This artwork is distinctive in its powerful line movement that divides unique and varied textured spaces."

The building is an older row-house and the industrial ambiance reflects the raw style and medium of the pieces displayed in the gallery. To maintain the integrity of the building's history, the industrial textures of the original building will be exposed to create the atmospheres of specific functions.





These materials contrast the clean lines that divide the space to emphasize the division and purpose of spaces. Although each space is defined by texture, it is open and connected. Brooks opined "By allowing visual linear elements to separate the space, it actually encourages fewer walls and more integrated forms of division."

The building incorporates a sustainable outlook, using energy-star appliances, recycled materials, and an efficient lighting plan. It educates by example the concepts of sustainability with interactive experiences and a raw interior to emphasize the minimalist space. An open plan allows for more interior lighting despite the minimal windows.





Judges in the interior design category included: Christi Spangle, ASID Barbour Spangle Design; Marilyn Russell, Allied ASID Design Magnifique; Brianne Verstat, ASID Barbour Spangle Design; and June Anderson, ASID.

June Anderson, one of the judges commented: "It is very imaginative and smart to use a live existing artist in the presentation. This design produced a sales and marketing environment for the art." Brianne Verstat commented, "This plan is technically and aesthetically pleasing. It has a great mix of materials, while allowing the art work to be the main focus. Open, airy and modern."

Lisa Tucker, Brooks' professor at Virginia Tech reflected: "We are so proud of Erica. She is an outstanding and talented student. For this project, she did an excellent job of inserting a fresh new interior into a historic building using the edgy work of a contemporary artist as a source of inspiration for the first and second floor gallery spaces and the third floor apartment. The project used consistent colors, materials, and contemporary built-in detailing to successfully coordinate the residential and public spaces in the building."


ABOUT THE BIENENSTOCK SCHOLARSHIPS:  Students from 18 colleges and universities submitted qualifying entries to the Library's 2015 design scholarship competition. All judging was unbiased-with no name or college shown with the submission. A distinguished panel of industry experts juried each competition.

The 2015 winners will be awarded their $5,000 scholarships, along with respective one-year student membership in ASFD or ASID, during High Point Market in April. Second place winners each receive a $1500 scholarship and the colleges representing the first place winners each get $1,000 towards their programs.

The annual Bienenstock Scholarship competitions are open to any junior, senior or graduate student enrolled in an accredited college program of furniture design or interior design. Since 1984, the Library has awarded more than $390,000 in scholarships to students in hundreds of colleges and universities.

About Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library: The Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library is a worldwide center for research, design, and collaboration. It holds the world's largest collection of rare and significant books on the history and design of furniture. It is open and free to the public. Founded in 1970 and endowed by the Bienenstock family, and supported by a board of directors from nearly every facet of the home furnishings industry, the Library is devoted the advancement of knowledge about design, furniture, interiors, architecture, textiles, finishes, and constructions.

The rare book collection contains volumes published since 1640. With the exception
of Yale, it is the only library in America that houses the original works of 18th century furniture masters Chippendale, Sheraton and Hepplewhite, as well as a complete set of Diderot's Encyclopedia. (26 volumes published in the 18th Century.) Unlike Yale, the Bienenstock Furniture Library is open to the public. A special climate controlled room houses these rare volumes. An appointment with the curator is required to examine these books, and you must wear white gloves, but they are available to the public. The library also contains rare drawings and furniture details. It is a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone interested in design.

The Library operates a specialty bookstore selling significant contemporary works, out-of-print, and hard-to-find volumes. Most Library services are free. Bienenstock Furniture Library, located in High Point NC, is open to the public and welcomes professionals and scholars for research, collaboration, meetings, seminars, lectures, and events. Visit www.furniturelibrary.com.

Like us on Facebook: The easiest way to stay up to date on the developments of the library is to "like" its Facebook page.

Become A Friend Of The Library:  You are cordially invited to join the only library dedicated to supporting the furnishings and design industry.  As a member, at donation levels from $15 to $10,000 you will be able to participate in a diverse series of programs, get free acess to Library facilities to hold meetings and events, and take part in behind-the-scenes activities, while helping to build the most comprehensive library of its kind. Your generous donations will fund ongoing preservation efforts and scholarships that will ensure the best minds are still attracted to our industry. To receive more information or get a pledge card and membership pin, please email Library Director Karla Webb at info@furniturelibrary.com.


About the ASID: ASID is a community of people driven by a common love for design and committed to the belief that interior design, as a service to people, is a powerful, multi-faceted profession that can positively change people's lives. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people's lives. Its more than 30,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Founded in 1975, the American Society of Interior Designers is the oldest, largest and leading professional organization for interior designers. The Society's membership also includes more than 10,500 students of interior design. http://www.asid.org