Design Emphasis Awards

IWF Design Emphasis is widely acclaimed as a foremost furniture design competition for U.S. college students. Sponsored by IWF and its owners WMIA and WMMA, the Design Emphasis competition affords students a platform to demonstrate design skills and talent in an independent adjudication conducted by furniture industry designers, manufacturing and retail executives, and representatives from the design media community.

From a field of 75 entries, 48 finalist projects were named in July. On Tuesday, August 23, the opening day of IWF 2022, six winners were selected by the judges.

The 2022 IWF Design Emphasis winners are:

Best in Show: Rebecca Juliette-Duex, Haywood Community College – Tea Towel Cart

Accent Tables

Winner: Cam McGookey, Herron School of Art and Design – Pattern Ply Sofa Table

Merit: Duncan MacLeslie, Hennepin Technical College – Kinetic Motion

Honorable Mention: Allen Audette Jr, Vermont Wood Working School – Walnut Live Edge Trout Coffee Table

Case Goods

Winner: Seth Lawrence, Appalachian State University – Holly Cabinet

Merit: Liam Glynn, Buffalo State College – Tambour Cabinet

Honorable Mention: Nicole Wong, California College of the Arts – Essentials Cabinet

Commercial/Office Furniture

Winner: Soojung Yoo, Artcenter College of Design – Nest Lounge Chair

Merit: Nicole Wong, California College of the Arts – Convergence Coffee Table

Honorable Mention: John Kannapell, Appalachian State University – Wunce Coffee Table

Design Creativity

Winner: Banner Knowles, Appalachian State University – Crawling Chair

Merit: Tyler Cook, Appalachian State University – Climbing Gear Hallway

Honorable Mention: Seth Lawrence, Appalachian State University – Judy Chair

Seating

Winner: Xiaorui Yin, Artcenter College of Design – Dining Chair

Merit: Johannes (Shengyuan) Lu, Artcenter College of Design – “Find Me” Dining Chair

Honorable Mention: Tomoki Nomura, Artcenter College of Design – On-bin