Students Win Big at Prestigious National Design Competition

Clockwise from left: Silvia Terhedebrugge's first-prize cape design; Elisa Boell's second-prize travel bundle design; Jeannie Wu's first runner-up comfort accessory Three students from Pratt Industrial Design Professor Katrin Mueller-Russo's Senior Product Design Studio "From Technique to Product" won prizes at the 2011 Collab Student Design Competition, an annual design competition held in conjunction with the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Pratt's German exchange students Silvia Terhedebrugge and Elisa Boell took home first and second prize respectively, and Jeannie Wu (Class of 2012) received first honorable mention, all for their innovative overnight bag designs. The winners, accompanied by Mueller-Russo, received their awards at an event attended by famed architect Zaha Hadid.

There were 115 projects submitted from seven different design schools, the largest number in the competition's 18-year history. This year's theme, based on the museum's exhibition “Zaha Hadid: Form In Motion,” required students to design an overnight bag that inspired fun and functional travel. A jury composed of design-industry leaders from around the world chose the winning designs.  

First-prize winner Terhedebrugge of Germany was recognized for her fashion-forward piece of luggage, titled UnderCover OverNight, which is designed as a cape with visible pockets on the outside and secret pockets on the inside.

Second-prize winner Boell of Germany was recognized for Urban Bundle, a modern version of the travel bundle. The design features a tube with three separate containers for personal belongings; it can be rolled up with the user’s clothing and closed with an elastic band. The design (sans tube) can also be transformed into a pillow.

First runner-up Wu of San Francisco was recognized for a crocheted comfort accessory for traveling, titled Amethyst, which is embedded with a neck and back support system for holding hot and cold packs for pain relief. A shawl that functions as both a garment and a blanket accompanies the design.

The Collab Student Design Competition is sponsored by a collaboration of design professionals and enthusiasts supporting the Modern and Contemporary Design Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Text: Amy Aronoff
Photos from left: Courtesy of Silvia Terhedebrugge, Elisa Boell, and Jeannie Wu

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