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Buildner announces the results of The Architect’s Chair #5 competition, an international design challenge exploring the chair as a fusion of architecture, materiality, and human experience. The first prize was awarded to Oscar John Xavier Lahiff (Hong Kong) for Helical, an adjustable stool defined by a cork monolithic form and an innovative internal helical mechanism that enables height adjustment without conventional hardware, emphasizing simplicity, sustainability, and material honesty. The second prize went to Marcus Hannibal Sigvardt (USA) for Cantilever, a refined reinterpretation of the cantilever chair using two bent veneer shells that balance structural clarity, comfort, and efficient flat-pack construction. The third prize was awarded to Sunmin Kim (South Korea) for La Chair, which combines a timber frame with a suspended vegetable leather seat, drawing on traditional Korean architectural principles and highlighting repairability, modularity, and material contrast.
This year’s submissions demonstrated a wide range of approaches, from minimal structural systems to expressive material experimentation, reinforcing the chair as a key platform for innovation in contemporary design. Congratulations to all winners. Visit our website to see the student awards, sustainability awards, and honorable mentions.
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1st Prize
2nd Prize
3rd Prize
Buildner Student Award
Buildner Sustainability Award
