• Students Create Award-winning Designs With Laminate

    In this episode, the winners of the 2020 and 2021 Formica FORM Student Innovation Competition sat down with Chief Content Director Robert Nieminen to talk about what inspired their winning designs and using laminate as a medium. Formica's Group VP of Design, Renee Hytry Derrington, also shares the company's passion for supporting design education and how the competition has evolved over the years.

    Oct. 22, 2021
    2 min read
    1652361012360 I Hear Design Logo

    In this episode, the winners of the 2020 and 2021 Formica FORM Student Innovation Competition sat down with Chief Content Director Robert Nieminen to talk about what inspired their winning designs and the challenges and benefits of using laminate as a medium. Formica's Group VP of Design, Renee Hytry Derrington, also shares the company's passion for supporting design education and how the competition has evolved over the years.

    Call for entries to the 2022 FORM Student Innovation Competition is open now until March 4, 2022.

    Meet our guests:

    Renee Hytry Derrington, Group VP Design, Formica Corp.

    With more than 35 years in the international design industry, Renee Hytry Derrington has worked for Kohler Co. in product design and spent the last 30 years designing products for the world’s largest hard surfacing brands. She currently leads the international design team representing Asia, Europe, India and North America at Formica Group. Blending a practical approach with an acute understanding of market trends, Hytry Derrington designs products that solve industry challenges to match a full range of design aesthetics. A brand zealot, she creates corporate trend forecasts and speaks internationally on residential and commercial trends. She has collaborated with other design experts in the field, including Abbott Miller, Jonathan Adler and Laurinda Spear to create unique laminate collections and worked with Zaha Hadid, Michael Graves and Massimo Vignelli (to name just a few) on a bespoke furniture exhibition. Notably, Renee recently developed the award-winning Reclaimed Denim Fiber and Paper Terrazzo designs, which incorporate waste from blue jeans and Formica Group’s own paper to produce laminates with a new purpose. With a degree in Architecture from UW-Milwaukee and Masters in Industrial Design at The Ohio State University, Renee lives her brands in an “all Formica and Kohler home” on Lake Michigan.

    Martin Gonzalez Godoy and Bénédicte Laurent

    Martin Gonzalez Godoy and Bénédicte Laurent are second-year students at the University of Montréal in Québec, Canada, and are the grand prize winners of the 2021 Formica FORM Student Innovation Competition for their joint entry “Toboom,” a multiuse children’s design.

    Alexandra Clement

    Alexandra Clement is a student at Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, and the grand prize winner of the 2020 Formica FORM Student Innovation Competition for her “Origami” desk design. 

    Listen to more I Hear Design Podcasts

    About the Author

    Email

    Robert Nieminen

    Chief Content Director

    Chief Content Director, Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources

    Robert Nieminen is the Chief Content Director of three leading B2B publications serving the commercial architecture and design industries: Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources. With a career rooted in editorial excellence and a passion for storytelling, Robert oversees a diverse content portfolio that spans award-winning feature articles, strategic podcast programming, and digital media initiatives aimed at empowering design professionals, facility managers, and commercial building stakeholders.

    He is the host of the I Hear Design podcast and curates the Smart Buildings Technology Report, bringing thought leadership to the forefront of innovation in built environments. Robert leads editorial and creative direction for multiple industry award programs—including the Elev8 Design Awards and Product Innovation Awards—and is a recognized voice in sustainability, smart technology integration, and forward-thinking design.

    Known for his sharp editorial vision and data-informed strategies, Robert focuses on audience growth, engagement, and content monetization, leveraging AI tools and SEO-driven insights to future-proof B2B publishing.

    Sign up for our Newsletter
    Get the latest news and updates.

    Related

    What Does a Healthy Showroom Look Like?
    INSPIRATION | Crafting Timeless Interiors With VCT

    Voice Your Opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of I+S Design, create an account today!