Furniture made in America? Yes, please. Furniture made in our own backyard? Even better! Earlier this month, three Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) interior design students tied for first place in the 2011 MADE: In America Washington, DC Furniture Design Competition, capturing the BEST: Made in America Award.
Susan Wasilewski, Nadia D. Vemuri Cataldi, and Brandon P. King were showcased July 4 at the “Take Pride in America Celebration and Awards Ceremony” in the U.S. Capitol. Wasilewski’s award-winning PHI chair design was fabricated by Bielecky Brothers Inc. of New York.
In accordance with the competition rules, the top scorer was eligible to have their design executed by the 2010 BEST: Made in America award winner Bielecky Brothers. The prototype of the chair epitomizes Wasilewski’s design philosophy: good design + craftsmanship = happiness.
“This is a historic moment in her [Wasilewski’s] career,” Dimi Tangires, the students’ instructor, said. “Few interior design students have the honor of working with a prestigious manufacturer and seeing their own design become reality.”
The chair and the three first-place entries are on display now through August at “The All American Room” showcase at the Washington Design Center. The trio competed with peers from two- and four-year public and private universities in the competition. Cataldi created an elegant Hyannis Rocking Chaise and King crafted a space-saving Sky Box table outdoor table and chair series.
MADE: In America chairman and CEO James DeLorbe described the students’ designs as “simply incredible.” The five AACC classmates who saw their competition design entries on display at the event are Taylor E. Beck, Kershell L. Ford, Ana Laura Gonzalez, Rose M. Hilgartner, and Tracy A. McGuinness.
MADE: In America is a not-for-profit educational organization based in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit dcdesigncenter.com/MADEUSA.
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