Uncorking Design: DWR's 2008 Champagne Chair Contest
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.26.07
With one big holiday squarely in our rear view (no, not that kind of rear view), we can turn our attention to recycling (or re-planting. Or, heck, just folding up) our Christmas trees and preparing to close the book on 2007. And you know what that means: almost time to break out the (organic) bubbly and celebrate with some green panache.
With that in mind, Design Within Reach has announced the call for entries for its 5th annual Champagne Chair Contest, challenging participants to create an original miniature chair from nothing more than the wire, cork, cage and foil of no more than two champagne bottles, glue being the only permitted adhesive. Pictured above (right) is last year's winner, entitled “Cantilever Block,” crafted by one Adam Weisgerber, from Seattle, Washington, from just two corks.
We already know that cork does it all, so the question that remains is: What can you create from your party leftovers? Hit the jump for all the details. ::DWR's Champagne Chair Contest
One notable change this year: rather than a repeat of past years, where DWR’s San Francisco offices were flooded each January with boxes containing the miniature chair entries, the submission process has been modified to reduce packaging waste, and DWR requires entrants to submit their creations digitally.
Entries for 2008 must be received by 5pm (PT) on Monday, January 7. Jennifer Morla, Chief Creative Officer of Design Within Reach, will review the submitted images and narrow the field to 50 chairs. The chosen 50 will be sent to San Francisco, photographed professionally, and posted on DWR’s website. Three awards will be given, for DWR Staff Selection, the Popular Vote, and the Grand Prize of a $1000 DWR gift card.
This year’s Grand Prize winner will be selected by a jury of five creative professionals, including SFMOMA architecture and design curator Henry Urbach, Dave Alhadeff, founder of The Future Perfect, and designers Tord Boontje and Chris Deam. These experts are tasked with judging the entries on the criteria of craftsmanship, creativity, character and the innovative use of materials.
The 50 chosen chairs for 2008 will set out on the DWR Champagne Chair Tour in February. The chairs will visit 21 DWR Studios across the country, starting in Brooklyn, New York, on February 12 and ending up in Tigard, Oregon, on May 17. More details, including submission requirements, judging criteria, and prizes, can be found at DWR's Champagne Chair Contest site. Cheers and good luck! ::Design Within Reach
Um... I hesitate to estimate the weight that thing can hold before breaking!