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The 2008 Surface Fabrication Achievement in Design Contest was judged in Las Vegas at the Surface Fabrication and Design Expo held in February. The newly combined contest of Surface Fabrication magazine's annual contest and the annual contest of the Surface Fabrication & Design Expo was a successful display of 30 uniquely innovative entries, covering a spectrum of design and functionality.

One winner was selected in each of seven categories, which were broken down into two classes — small applications and large applications. Additionally, a Best in Show winner was chosen from each of the classes.

Grifform Innovations, once again, created the award trophies for the contest. In addition, the large applications best in show winner took home an Omni Cubed Seam Setter donated by Federal Saw and Tool, and the small applications best in show winner took home a Festool OF2000 router donated by Festool.

The following is a list of all the entrants and descriptions of their projects.

Judging

The entries were judged according to the following criteria:

• Creativity
• Beauty of Design
• Execution
• Innovative Use of Material

Small Application - Freestyle/ Art Small Entries

Winner Small Application Freestyle/Art

Artist: Tom Pinske
Company/Sponsor: The Pinske Edge
Title: Domino Effect
Fabricated from solid surface materials, these dominos topple in a chain reaction and then rise up again. Is it magic? No — this trick is accomplished with fish line and actuators!

Artist: Paul Bingham
Company/Sponsor: Hummingbird Hollow Surfaces
Title: Serving Platter
Serving platter crafted from Formica solid surface with 3-D carving. Produced using an AXYZ Router and designed with ENROUTE3 Software.

Artist: Paul Robinson
Company/Sponsor: Hummingbird Hollow Surfaces
Title: Solid Surface Lavatory Faucets
Fully functional lavatory faucets created with translucent Formica solid surface.

Artist: Andy Graves
Company/Sponsor: Olive Mill
Title: Adirondack Chair
Adirondack Chair

Artist: LaVerne Theis
Title: Boomerang Triptych
Retro in form, the boomerang was once popular for its modern look. The artist has revived the shape and applied the motif to metropolitan design. In this series, the undulating curve is blended with the grid. Color and texture is used in a way to give continuity to the triptych with depth and figure|ground interest.

Small Application - Integral Sink / Drain board Entries

Winner Small Application Integral Sink/Drain board

Artist: Alex Vitet
Company/Sponsor: Sterling Surfaces
Title: Antelope Bath
"Antelope" is a bathroom furniture and accessory program made in Corian, which has been developed to offer a wide variety of compositions around four washbasin forms. The collection offers new ways to manage space. You can "plug and play" washbasins, countertops, shelves and boxes in accordance with your personal needs.

Artist: Kurt Bonk
Company/Sponsor: Navigater Construction LLC
Title: Fossil Drain Board
This is a cool, updated drain board that features light up fish fossil in stone-look solid surface. Back lighting drain board could be optional.

Small Application - Inlay Entries

Winner Small Application Inlay and Best in Show

Artist: David Rockwell
Company/Sponsor: Sterling Surfaces
Title: Gold Grain Table Set
"Gold-Grain" table set in Corian consists of a large serving platter and salad server which double as decorative tabletop display pieces. The sinuous, metallic gold-grain pattern is embedded into the solid surface. Due to the material and organic feel of the design, the set evokes both glamour and wit, mimicking nature with subtly glittering manmade materials. The set comes complete with a gold-leafed apple in Corian.

Company/Sponsor: Prometheus
Title: The Almighty Dollar
An inlay of a one dollar bill. It is a two color inlay into a piece of solid surface material with an edge treatment.

Large Application - Freestyle/ Art Entries

Winner Large Application Freestyle/Art and Best in Show

Artist: Martin Funck
Company/Sponsor: Rosskopf & Partner
Title: Leonardo Glass Cube
The genetics involves 2- and 3-D freely warped sculptures in the interior and the exterior. The flush-mounted and jointlessly honed genetics partly stretch out through openings of the building and connect its separated zones as well as floor and ceiling areas in an integrative way.

Artist: Freya Bardell & Brian Howe
Company/Sponsor: Greenmeme
Title: My Pod Life & Living Wall
A living wall panel. This surface, or screen, integrates computer-aided technology with living materials and lighting. The panels function as an air filter, cleaning and improving indoor air quality.

Artist: Donald Watson III
Company/Sponsor: Art-Tech Surfacing Inc.
Title: Rocking Horse
The Rocking Horse is the meeting place of beauty and function, and showcases the flexibility of solid surface. The Rocking Horse is made of Corian, specifically in Glacier White (both ¼- and ½-in.) and ½-in. Sandstone and shadow.

Artist: Murray Christensen
Company/Sponsor: Inform.Au Pty Ltd
Title: Icestation
The Interior fit-out of an Apartment using DuPont Corian in Auckland, New Zealand. The result is "the creation of a tranquil cocoon that allows personal refuge from the conflict of 'chaos vs. order' whilst addressing the public 'voyeurism' of modern metropolis habitation and to take reasonable steps in an attempt to ensure that our physical footprint on earth ecology is a gentle one."

Artist: Michael Morris & Yoshiko Sato
Company/Sponsor: Sterling Surfaces
Title: Lightshowers
This installation merges architecture and video light, sculpture to create an exhibit that explores how environment shapes our psychology and mood created from Glacier White Corian. This exhibit has traveled to Delaware, New York, International Contemporary Furnishings Fair '07, Korea, China, Miami and has won numerous awards.

Artist: Christopher Whitelaw
Company/Sponsor: Evans & Paul Unlimited Corp.
Title: Tete-a-Tete Rocker
A two-seater indoor/outdoor rocker, the Tete-a-Tete Rocker is a very modern take on a the old-fashioned kissing chair. Developed for Laurie Beckerman Design, two rockers rock in tandem on two comma-shaped bases that make us think of easy conversation.

Artist: Design Center Keramag AG
Company/Sponsor: Spectra, a division of Keramag AG
Title: Varicor is liquid
Art object of solid surface material Varicor in color arctic (light white), existing of two casted boots and a pedestal agglutinate out of sheets. The boots were fixed on the pedestal with a special Varicor glue, allowing seamless joints.

Large Application - Kitchen Entries

Winner Large Application Residential Kitchen

Artist: Dave Drees & Danielle Martin
Company/Sponsor: Fabricators Unlimited Inc.
Title: Spring Fever
A two-level island fabricated using two Corian colors: the Private Collection's Sagebrush and Moss. Willow glue was used on the lower level to enhance the look of a flower. A functional three-level shelf features the backside of the material.

Artist: Tama King
Company/Sponsor: Applaus Creative Solid Surface
Title: Poff Granite
This unique kitchen design incorporates very specific homeowner design requirements such as matching green paint to the room and ceramic bowls, requiring more black in the island and having a backsplash behind the stove as a focal point.

Artist: Paul Mauss
Company/Sponsor: Solid Surface Specialist Inc.
Title: Mullenbach Kitchen
Description: This was a countertop replacement project. To create more interest, the peninsula area was designed with a curve. Glass block was used for the half wall. Corian Tumbleweed with integral sink was used for the standard height tops. Whole Zodiaq Smokey Toper was chosen for the raised area.

Artist: Tom Theobald & Ben Hammond
Company/Sponsor: Stone Technics
Title: Rifenberg Kitchen
Description: This kitchen features unique 3-cm granite countertops, full height backsplashes and massive floor thresholds. This granite shows unusual crystal and mineral deposits that resemble the fossilized skeleton of a prehistoric animal. This structure is prominently featured on the island and the backsplash.

Large Application - Bath Entries

Winner Large Application Residential Bath

Artist: Tom Theobald & Ben Hammond
Company/Sponsor: Stone Technics
Title: Rifenberg Master Bath
This stunning bathroom features a single slab tub deck, hand carved door casings and backsplashes that reach the ceiling, all made of 3-cm granite. The granite is bookmatched and the door casings are fabricated to match the curved and angled design of the travertine cove moulding.

Artist: Mary (Julie) Fawley
Company/Sponsor: Atwood & Thompson Inc.
Title: Residential Bath
On one wall there is an undermount tub deck with front skirt connected to a surround shower, shower pan, seat and caddy. On the opposite wall there are His & Hers vanities with integrated bowls connected to a lower level multi-purpose top. All tops are bullnosed and coved together.

Artist: Tama King
Company/Sponsor: Applaus Creative Solid Surface
Title: Accessible Beauty
Using Flowstone material (a composite of ATH and modified polymer resin by Applaus Creative Solid Surface) and a variety of casting and fabrication methods, the custom shapes and faux stone pieces were designed to create a feeling of an enlarged shower through the use of color, texture and style.

Artist: Jeffrey Evans
Company/Sponsor: Evans & Paul Unlimited Corp.
Title: 40 Bond Street Condominiums
These bathrooms consist of seamless walls, floors, tubs and showers embossed with patterns inspired by graffiti, all custom fabricated from Corian with multiple intersecting complex curves. The fabricators utilized 3-D parametric manufacturing software in order to engineer and build 28 wetrooms in 17 different configurations. The wetrooms were fully assembled in a facility prior to being broken down, shipped and reassembled on-site.

Large Application - Commercial/Institutional Entries

Winner Large Application Commercial/Institutional

Artist: Amy Tasch
Company/Sponsor: Innovative Surfaces Inc.
Title: Mayo 16 Pediatrics, Rochester, Minn.
The focal of this project includes Corian Cirrus White trees as part of a total renovation of a serious illness pediatrics ward. The project involved four general contractors and interior design work by HGA Architecture. The "Minnesota Nature-themed" renovation included Corian trees, full glass panel walls, special effects flooring and wall cladding.

Artist: David Hammons
Company/Sponsor: Simply Granite Inc.
Title: Skyview Spa & Fitness
Stone & Amazon Black with gold 3-cm were used to design the pedestals by laminating a thickness of 3cm slabs. This was done by hand, not CNC. The material was purchased at G & L Marble.

Artist: Gene McDonald
Company/Sponsor: Refresh Interiors Inc.
Title: "Fire and Ice" Hilton Texas
The 30-ft. U-Shaped Bar is made with Avonite surfaces Amber Glass series — the design name of the top can be called "Fire & Ice." Along side is a chill-rite frost freezer for Martini's to be chilled and easy to be grabbed by the clientele. Acrylic substrate is clear and the light box cover is milk white.

Artist: Michael Taglienti
Company/Sponsor: Evans & Paul Unlimited Corp.
Title: 2007 ICFF: Corian Trade Booth
DuPont Corian celebrated its 40th anniversary with an innovative, multi-sensorial exhibition at ICFF featuring new aesthetics and expanded translucency. The installations are a study of lighting and space that merges art, architecture and fabrication. Execution required the combination of thermoforming with 3-D milling to produce the translucent double-curved panels with integral concealed hardware mounts.

Artist: Jeffrey Evans
Company/Sponsor: Evans & Paul Unlimited Corp.
Title: Elie Tahari: Beverly Hills
A 74-ft. long backlit wall carved from translucent Corian evokes a series of larger-than-life floral vines. The solid surface experience with the latest computer hardware and software to smoothly manufacture and install with 600 sq. ft. of non-repeating CNC routed patterning. The 60-in. panels were perfectly match allowing a finished product with no visible seams.