Durkan, the hospitality flooring brand of Mohawk Group, is now accepting artwork submissions for the dscvr Student Design Competition, its annual hospitality design contest.
Student Design
Sponsored each year by Durkan and NEWH, a leading networking organization for hospitality industry professionals, the dscvr program exhibits the talent of designers in the hospitality field and contributes toward the education of future designers.
“The dscvr competition is a wonderful collaboration with NEWH where we get to discover and mentor the next generation of hospitality design talent,” said Elizabeth Bonner, creative design director for Durkan. “Through this program, we hope to show students the breadth of opportunities available, especially as they relate to flooring design and space planning.”
The contest is open to college and university students who are members of NEWH, which offers student membership free of charge. College faculty within interior design programs are encouraged to implement the competition as part of their curriculum.
“dscvr keeps the industry moving with a fresh, young twist on design. It also makes students think about the continuity of flooring design throughout a project,” said Shelia Lohmiller, executive director of NEWH. “The Durkan and NEWH partnership is key because it molds together what students need most: opportunity, networking, experience and funds for college.”
dscvr Student Design Contest Criteria and Prizes
Students may submit concepts for flooring in standard ballroom and pre-function settings that are created as separate components but that coordinate, with 12 or fewer colors. Entrants are encouraged to view the floor spaces as blank canvases that become one large design. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of Durkan associates; designs will be judged based on concept, presentation and market feasibility.
For example, Utah State University senior Brianne Brooks was 2018’s grand prize winner for her concept “Cosmos.” Inspired by space exploration and the drama of the contrast between bright colorful nebulae and the dark void of the universe, her winning design blends shades of gray with vibrant greens to emulate the unexpected bolts of color. Brooks will graduate in May 2019 with a degree in interior design and is now considering a career in hospitality design.
The top two winners will be awarded trips to Las Vegas to attend HD Expo, May 15–17, where one grand prize winner will be announced during the show. First place will win a $2,500 NEWH scholarship from Durkan. The second-place winner will receive an award and $1,000. Designs from the top three finalists will be on display in the Durkan booth at the hospitality design trade show. Durkan will promote and catalog all winning designs. Entries for dscvr may be submitted through Friday, March 15, 2019.
For rules, eligibility, specific design requirements and terms and conditions, please visit the dscvr website.
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