Finalists from North American Architecture and Design Schools May Have the Chance to Exhibit Work in New York City

Peoria, Ariz. (March 19, 2010) LG Hausys Surfaces and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) on Monday announced the top five student finalists in the 2010 LG Hausys Surfaces Student Design Challenge with Aloft® Hotels:

• Benjamin Fullerton from University of Wisconsin - Stout, with ".ARI" 
• Mallory McGaughy from Interior Designers Institute, with "The Hourglass Barstool"
• Sergio Mondragon from California State University - Sacramento, with "Layer"
• James Petras from University of Cincinnati, with "Drip Coffee Table"
• Lily Zhang from University of California - Berkeley, with "Twisted Chair"

The finalists – coming from some of North America’s leading architecture and design schools – will now move forward in the 2010 Student Design Challenge to compete for the grand prize. The students will travel to Boston, Ma. for the LG Hausys Surfaces Student Design Challenge press conference on March 31, hosted at Aloft Lexington.

During the conference, the students will present their concepts to a judging panel comprised of hospitality media, industry leading commercial architects, interior designers and representatives from LG Hausys and Aloft Hotels. The three grand prize winners, selected by the panel of judges, win a trip to New York City to exhibit their fabricated concepts made of HI-MACS® Acrylic Solid Surface by LG Hausys during the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), and an opportunity to display their concepts at one of the 40 plus global Aloft locations!

“We are pleased with the creativity and range of submissions by this year’s student contestants.  All of the concepts – from tables to lamps and chairs to frames – take HI-MACS® solid surface to another level, showcasing the limitless possibilities of our product for applications in the hospitality industry,” said Michael Tasch, Director of Commercial Marketing, LG Hausys Surfaces North America.

“It’s exciting to see such inspired ideas come to life through the eyes of the next generation of talented designers,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood.  “The Aloft brand is all about innovative design for today’s savvy travelers and we look forward to installing the winning concepts at one of our 40 hotels.”

The finalists, along with the 79 other contestants, have fully conceptualized their submissions, which can be viewed in the online Design Showcase.  Each has specified material and color from among the LG Hausys HI-MACS® product categories and identified the appropriate placement in Aloft Hotels for their design.

Visit www.lgsurfaceschallenge.com for more information and competition rules.

Created to shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, open and vibrant design and a social guest experience at an affordable price point. In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena a decade ago, Aloft is shaking up the industry for the next generation of traveler. Starwood recognized opportunity in the select serve market for reinvention and innovation and selected world renowned design and architecture firm Rockwell Group to collaborate on the new hotel concept. Aloft hotels are geared toward savvy, design-conscious consumers who grew up with the democratization of design. Aloft hotels are wired for the future and an aggressive growth plan is in place with 40 properties already open from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between.

 

Surfacing Leader and Aloft Hotels Seek Solid Surface Concepts to Enhance the Guest Experience

Peoria, Ariz. (January 28, 2010)—Attention all Design and Architecture Students! LG Hausys Surfaces and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) are now announcing the official call for entries for the 2010 LG Hausys Surfaces Student Design Challenge with Aloft℠ Hotels. The contest challenges students throughout North America to design solid surface innovations for the hospitality industry, capturing the theme “where life happens.“ Contestants are encouraged to utilize bold, modern design techniques that embody elements of Starwood’s style at a steal Aloft Hotels brand.

Five student finalists will be invited to Boston, MA to present their designs to a panel of judges comprised of leading architects, designers and media from the hospitality industry. The panel will announce the three grand prize winners of the challenge, who will move on to see their concepts come to life at the 22nd annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City. The final designs will be displayed in one of the 40 plus global Aloft locations now open and arriving soon!

Student designers are asked to enter their fully conceptualized submission, specifying material and color from among the solid surface product lines by LG Hausys Surfaces: HI-MACS®, Spectrum™, Lucent™ or Eden™. The design must address the needs of today’s forward-thinking travelers, making the Aloft Hotels experience easy, fun, and social while demonstrating the evidence of understanding solid surface fabrication and design.

“This program is completely inclusive—allowing students to take their personalized design and work with our world class fabrication partners, meet representatives from the Aloft design team and LG Hausys Surfaces. Each student finalist will get a chance to see their idea turn into a stunning, fashion-forward design suitable for one of the hottest emerging hotel brands,” said Michael Tasch, Director of Commercial Marketing, LG Hausys Surfaces North America.

“The Aloft brand is all about innovative design for today’s savvy travelers. Public spaces are inviting, engaging and vibrant, and we’re wired for the future so guests will always be able to access the latest in technology to keep them connected while on the road,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood Hotels. “We are pleased to partner with LG Hausys Surfaces to encourage the integration of these ideas with their products and to discover how the travelers of tomorrow will bring their travel-enhancing ideas to life.”

Design submissions will be accepted from January 2010 - March 5, 2010. Find complete details and submit your design at www.lgsurfaceschallenge.com!

 

Equilibrium, a design concept by Arizona State student Tim Norris will debut at the Greenbuild show, November 10-12, 2009.  Now being produced by Sterling Surfaces, our award winning fabrication partner for the 2009 Student Design Challenge, Equilibrium was inspired by the Yin-Yang, representing a balance in harmony and nature.

The pair of identical curvilinear rocking chairs that when put together will form a coffee table, also capture the essence of the Yin-Yang symbol.  The multi-functional piece will be constructed out of Eden Solid Surface by LG Surfaces, a 100% acrylic solid surface material featuring 12% pre-consumer recycled content.

“Equilibrium is a multi-functional piece that is ideal for hotels, resorts, spas, waiting rooms and residential rooms balancing aesthetics, function and environmental responsibility,” says Norris.

Updates to the fabrication of Equilibrium will be posted here.  Be the first to see it before it debuts at Greenbuild at the LG Surfaces booth #363.

For more information on the LG Surfaces Student Design Challenge, visit www.lgbeyond.com.  For more information on Sterling Surfaces, visit www.sterlingsurfaces.com

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Balance_In_Form_and_Function.zip (10.41 MB)

Sterling Surfaces, an award-winning fabrication and advanced thermoforming facility located in the Boston area was selected as the fabrication partner for the 2009 LG Surfaces Student Design Challenge.  Challenged once again with another cutting-edge design specified using solid surface by LG Surfaces, Sterling has started the initial production of Nubicle, the modern day cubicle, designed by Scott Terrel of Auburn University.

The pre-fabrication process has involved accurate renderings, engineering expertise, and plywood routing for the mold.   

This just the beginning. Stay in touch to be the first to see the Nubicle come to life by Sterling Surfaces before it debuts at Greenbuild in Phoenix, November 10-12, 2009.

For more information on Sterling Surfaces, visit www.sterlingsurfaces.com

Introducing Nubicle. Designed by Auburn Student Scott Terrel, the Nubicle's
design addresses the spatial quality of the office experience. With
Nubicle's curves, more personal space is created for the employee and
presents an interlocking possibility of modules within a defined work area.

 
"The Nubicle will consist of two components, the first is the initial mass
made of Solid Surface by LG Surfaces. The second refers to the plates that
interock into ports. It's a combination of solid surface design integrated
with technology, providing users a space to unwind in privacy while staying
plugged-in," says Terrell.

Terrell was selected as a student finalist in the 2009 LG Surfaces Student
Design Challenge. As a finalist, his concept is being brought to life by LG
Surfaces and Sterling Surfaces, an award winning fabrication company located
in Boston, MA.

Stay tuned to watch the concept unfold in time to debut at the Greenbuild
Show in Phoenix, November 10-12, 2009. For more information on the contest,
visit www.lgbeyond.com

The owner of this private residence wanted a surrounding where natural light could flourish.  Using Lucent Solid Surface, a translucent solid surface material by LG Surfaces allowed the natural sun light to make the room glow on all sides.

Sterling Surfaces, an industry leader in thermoforming is fabricating some
new food serving stations for Syracuse University using HI-MACS Solid Surface by LG
Surfaces. Stay tuned to see the project come to life.

 

28 sheets of Volcanics Solid Surface by LG Surfaces was used to construct this massive conference room table. Fabricator: Counter Advice
Products Used: Volcanics Solid Surface by LG Surfaces
Colors Used: Merapi, Zaffre, Powder