The Material Lab Prize is a $1000 award granted by the Production Labs at Pratt Institute’s School of Design, and announced at a gallery exhibition in the Fall. Now in its 6th year, the award honors excellence and ingenuity in material-driven design, with a focus on material innovation and craft.
We are seeking student work that displays an understanding of, and sensitivity to, material life cycles, to be used as a springboard for thoughtful design across a variety of creative disciplines. We encourage students to explore innovative approaches to design and making—through elevating reclaimed materials, developing new material languages, or recontextualizing existing approaches to craft and fabrication. Students from all departments are invited to submit work, including but not limited to apparel, architectural models, furnishings, household goods, or interdisciplinary projects.
Submissions will be reviewed by the School of Design Production Labs team. Top contenders will have their work featured in the Fall exhibition, where a panel of design professionals will evaluate the work and award the recipient at the opening reception.