La-Z-Boy Young Designer Contest 2024 : Thoughts and Feelings of the Top 3 Winners

The La-Z-Boy Young Designer Contest 2024, under the theme “Comfort Function and Space Design Creativity: Inspired by La-Z-Boy” has successfully concluded. The event was organized by Globiz Venture Co., Ltd., the official distributor of La-Z-Boy reclining sofas from the United States, in collaboration with the Thailand Interior Designers’ Association (TIDA). The competition offered prizes, including La-Z-Boy recliners and cash rewards, with a total value of over 170,000 baht. The application period started on August 13, 2024, with the results announced on October 5, 2024.

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This contest attracted participation from students at various institutions, with nearly 200 entries submitted. A total of 30 entries were shortlisted for the final round, and eventually, the top 8 entries were selected for awards on October 5, 2024. Many of the submitted designs, both shortlisted and non-shortlisted, were impressive and creative. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, only 8 designs made it to the final presentation round, where students explained their design concepts and provided detailed insights, helping the judges and La-Z-Boy executives better understand their creative processes. The panel of judges, with decades of experience in design and many awards to their credit, provided valuable feedback to all 30 finalists, offering insights beneficial to their future careers.

Here are the interviews of the top three winners who brought pride to their families and academic institutions:

♦ Mr. Piyapat Sukdee, with his design "LA-Z EXPRESS" from Chulalongkorn University, won first place.
♦ Ms. Natthaporn Tanseang, with her design "Sloth: Slow Life On The Hill" from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, won second place.
♦ Ms. Natthita Khanawatthanaichai, with her design "THE CAVE" from Chulalongkorn University, won third place.

 Thoughts from the winners: 

Piyapat: "I’m very happy. It feels great that the work I put my heart into has been appreciated and recognized, just as I intended."

Natthaporn: "I’m extremely happy to have won. I didn’t expect it at all, and I’m glad I made it this far."

Natthita: "I’m very happy that the judges appreciated my work. It was worth all the effort I put into submitting this project."

 Inspiration behind their designs: 

Natthaporn: "I personally work in one place for long periods, so I feel that the La-Z-Boy recliner perfectly fits my needs. I thought of the concept of a sloth, so I interpreted it as 'Slow Life On The Hill' and designed my concept to link with that idea."

Natthita: "I drew inspiration from the idea of peace and comfort, which made me think of caves. I used this element to create a parametric design in the space, leading to my final work."

Piyapat: "As I told the judges, when I tried sitting in a La-Z-Boy recliner, it felt incredibly comfortable. I thought, if we could enjoy that level of comfort during long journeys, sitting in a recliner like that would be wonderful."

 How did they incorporate the La-Z-Boy chair into their designs? 

Natthita: "I interpreted comfort and created elements that enhance the comfort of the recliner. I also chose a color scheme that complements it."

Piyapat: "The concept came from the ideas of 'Journey of Comfort' and 'Classic Never Die.' I think La-Z-Boy recliners are very classic in design and suitable for various spaces. The ideas of comfort and classic style became my two key elements in controlling the mood and tone of my design."

Natthaporn: "I used the cover of the La-Z-Boy recliner, which resembles leaves, to symbolize the user as a sloth sitting on a tree branch, surrounded by leaves and wood, evoking a sense of relaxation and a connection with nature, encouraging the user to enjoy slow living with the La-Z-Boy."

 What are their dreams in the field of design? 

Natthaporn: "I want to gain real-world experience, and I hope to see my designs enter the market or win more awards. That’s my dream."

Natthita: "I’ve always been interested in interior design, creating rooms where people can sit, live, and feel comfortable. I’d like to include furniture like La-Z-Boy in the rooms I design."

Piyapat: "I’m passionate about being a designer or an architect. I feel this competition allowed me to showcase my skills. I’ll take the judges’ and La-Z-Boy’s feedback to improve my future projects."

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