A LOOK AT THE 2024 MATERIAL LAB PRIZE EXHIBITION
As we gear up for the launch of this year’s Material Lab Prize competition, we’re revisiting highlights from last year’s exciting exhibition. Held at the Juliana Curran Terian Design Center Gallery, the 2024 reception marked the fifth year of the Material Lab Prize, an award celebrating interdisciplinary student work that showcases innovative and unconventional material use. The opening event brought together students, faculty, and design professionals to celebrate exceptional student achievements in sustainable design.
The 2024 Material Lab Prize was awarded to Cameron Brentlinger for Community Gravestone, a biodegradable memorial made from local clay that honors communal memory and the natural life cycle of burial spaces. Brentlinger’s project explored the intersection of sustainability and remembrance, using clay bricks embedded with seeds to symbolize renewal. Honorable mention went to Thanat Somwong for BioShell, a ready-to-use biomaterial kit designed to help designers reduce reliance on hard plastics in prototyping. Made from gelatin and natural dyes, BioShell offers a vibrant, eco-friendly alternative for design experimentation.
A highlight of the evening was the live jury evaluation of shortlisted projects. The jury included Pratt alumni Chen Chen, BID ’07; Emily Gordon, MID ’22; Sean Kim, MID ’21, as well as designer Nifemi Ogunro; and ceramicist Ellen Pong. This panel of design professionals offered expert insights to select the most thought provoking projects that best demonstrated cutting edge material explorations and commitments to innovative thinking in design.
The evening was a testament to the research-driven spirit of Pratt’s design community. In addition to the winners, projects on display included a bag made from recycled tires by Olivia Julich, BFA Communication Design ’25, and a 3D-printed evaporative cooling structure designed by Vatsal Patel, MArch ’24, which was displayed at the 2024 Building the Future Summit for New York Climate Week.
Take a look back at some of our favorite moments from the 2024 Material Lab Prize exhibition, as we eagerly look forward to seeing what this year’s student designers have in store!
