News Article

17th September 2012

Caesarstone Student Design 2012 Competition

On Thursday 6 September the fifth, prestigious Caesarstone Student Design 2012 competition awards evening was held at The Venue at Melrose Arch, where nine competition finalists were honoured for their inspired entries to the competition, and the winner and runner up announced live.

Johannesburg and Pretoria’s finest architects, interior designers, industry leaders, lecturers and students from the country’s leading academic institutions and the media were present to witness the announcement of the winner from a record number of entries to the competition. The panel of illustrious judges was also on hand to personally congratulate the finalists and entrants on their high standard of designs and proposals. The judging panel included: Jonathan Anstey of Stauch Vorster Architects, Janina Masojada of design workshop:sa, Dorothy Van’T Riet of DVR, Greg Wright of Greg Wright Architects and Lisa Younger of Activate Space.

The competition brief The Good Food Arena stipulated the following: that the design be for “an existing (previously unhealthy) building that is renovated and revitalised through your design. It can be made up out of single or multi dwellings, interior and exterior spaces, with no height restrictions, located upon a larger section of land / existing development if required. It must be located in South Africa.” According to the detailed brief, designs had to include the imaginative and innovative use of the Caesarstone product, an ample colour palette, as well as scope for the following activities: grow, cook, taste, recycle. Students were required to have the oversight of one of their lecturers to provide guidance and oversight of each project.

Verona Ramkumar, from Tshwane University of Technology’s interior design department, submitted a design that won her the title of Caesarstone Student Designer of the Year and an enviable design software hamper. Together with her lecturer, she will be flown to Israel to see Tel Aviv and Caesarea, the home of Caesarstone. Carri Lurie, also an interior design student, and from BHC School of Design, was the brilliant runner up and received R5,000. Two entrants got special mention from the judges and R2,500 each from Caesarstone: Leago Mahlase from the interior design department and Tessa Dodds from the architecture department both hail from Tshwane University of Technology.

Caesarstone’s marketing director, Trevor King, extended congratulations to all those who entered, thanking the judges for their expertise and valuable contribution to the competition, “This competition is a highlight of the year for Caesarstone and the lecturer-student pairs that enter. The integrity and credibility of the competition is underwritten by the illustrious reputations of the judges that so generously availed themselves to oversee the adjudication process.”

Celebrations continued long into the night, while guests were entertained by famed South African magician, Stan Susman. After the awards, the Caesarstone Student Design 2013 competition brief was presented to those present in order to whet appetites for next year’s competition. The 2013 brief is available for download at www.caesarstonedesign.co.za.

For more information regarding the competition, please contact Naidene Andersson: emporiocomm@mweb.co.za
078 035 2586
011 485 2680
For more information regarding Caesarstone, please contact Lisa Aspeling:
lisa@interslab.co.za
073 185 0399