2024 Hospitality Design and West Elm Student Product Design Competition Official Rules
This page is to familiarize yourself with the rules of the competition prior to submitting your entry. After familiarizing yourself with the rules of the contest, you can begin the process to upload your entry by creating a login. Once you create a login, you will be presented with part 1 of the entry form to certify you have read the rules page. Once completed, submit your entry here. The deadline has been extended to March 22nd, 2024.
Overview
West Elm has partnered with Hospitality Design (HD) magazine for the sixth annual Student Product Design Competition. This year, West Elm is looking for a barstool intended for hospitality and commercial spaces.
The stool should be aesthetically neutral enough to go into multiple environments but should have a distinct design perspective while also fitting seamlessly into the West Elm vernacular. Additional design requirements include:
· Stool should incorporate a seat back
· Stool should make use of stretchers to ensure durability
· The seat must be upholstered, with optional upholstery on the seat back
· Can be designed as either armless or with arms
· Structurally sound enough to support 300 lbs. and 12 hours of continuous use
Materials should be considered for both aesthetics and durability given that these pieces may be used in high-traffic spaces like lobbies, restaurants, and guestroom in multiple types of commercial and residential locations.
All entries must be submitted online—we will not be accepting hard copies of entries.
To enter, each entrant must submit a completed entry form, including photos and a description, NOT to exceed 300 words.
No more than 6 images or drawings (3 are mandatory) may be uploaded that best represent the product.
The contest is open to U.S. and international students and those who have been out of school for up to a year.
The product must be done by an individual. Group projects will not be accepted.
Entries become the property of Hospitality Design magazine and will not be returned.
*Failure to fill required fields may result in disqualification.
These Official Rules describe the manner in which the Contest will be conducted. Please read these Official Rules carefully as they contain important information about how the Contest will be conducted, including eligibility to enter, deadline dates for entry, and rules regarding Contest submissions.
Term
The Contest begins January 12th, 2024, at 12:01 am Pacific Time ("PT") and ends March 15th, 2024, at 11:59 pm PT (the “Entry Deadline”). All entries must be received by the Entry Deadline.
Entry Requirements
Open to all global students and those who have been out of school for up to a year. Entries must be anonymous. Please click here to enter, upload your submission photos (and description), and pay the entry fees. Entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Employees of Sponsor and each of its affiliates, subsidiaries and agents, and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) or persons living in the same households of such individuals, whether or not related, are not eligible to enter. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age as of the date of entry.
CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Entry Fees
Entries are $40 each. No refunds of entry fees will be issued.
Each entry must be the work or property of the Contest entrant or submitted by a firm authorized to represent the student. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted images are the property of the submitter, that the images do not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim or interest in the images. The entrant agrees to indemnify Sponsor and its partners, affiliates, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors, and representatives from any and all third party claims arising from the entry and use of the photograph(s) in connection with the Contest.
Judges and Judging Criteria
Contest judging will take place in May 2024 and include Paul Galli, West Elm design director, furniture, and Josie Driscoll, West Elm's senior vice president, who will evaluate entries on the bases of creativity, practicality, and function.
Prizes
The winning designer will receive a $5,000 prize from West Elm and have their product produced by West Elm. In addition, they will be featured in the May/June issue of Hospitality Design magazine and honored at the HD Awards ceremony on April 30th, 2024 at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas during HD Expo + Conference.
Terms and Conditions
Where permitted by law, the winner grants (and agrees to confirm said grant in writing upon the request of the Sponsor) to Sponsor, and those acting pursuant to Sponsor’s direction or control, the right to print, publish, broadcast and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter developed, including but not limited to the Internet, at any time or times, the winner's entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and biographical information for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without additional consideration and without notice, review or approval. Further, winner will be required to complete, sign, and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release, a Publicity Release (where lawful), and provide evidence of identity and age with a valid state or federally issued identification (i.e. driver’s license or passport), all within fourteen (14) days of prize notification. If said documents are not returned timely, or if prize or prize notification is returned as non-deliverable, or if a winner is found not to have complied with these Official Rules, declines the prize for any reason, or is ineligible for any reason, the prize will be forfeited and may be awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, to an alternate winner. By participating, participants release and agree to hold harmless Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and all of their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents from any and all liability for any injury, loss or damage of any kind to persons (including, without limitation, death) or property, arising directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from or in connection with the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize, participation in this Contest, or any Contest-related activity.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, IN THE EVENT THAT THE PRECEDING RELEASE IS DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO BE INVALID OR VOID FOR ANY REASON, THE PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT, BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, (I) ANY CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS’ FEES; AND (II) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY PARTICIPANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN ANY AWARD FOR, AND PARTICIPANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, ANY OTHER DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
Entrant Licenses/Releases
If the entries contain any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the entries submitted, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the entry, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the entry in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation. If any person appearing in any photograph is under the age of majority in their state/province/territory of residence, the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required on each release.
By participating, entrants grant the Sponsor and its designees, licensees or affiliates a fully paid, worldwide license to use, distribute, display, reproduce, publish, republish and create derivative works of the entry in any media now or hereafter known, including but not limited to, print or digital publication in Hospitality Design magazine.
Conditions
Entrants agree (a) to be bound by these Official Rules; (b) that the decisions of the Judges are final on all matters relating to the Contest; and (c) all federal, state and local taxes, fees and surcharges on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winners.
Winner's List
For the names of the winners, please visit hospitalitydesign.com in March 2024. The winner and finalists’ names will be posted after the winners and finalists have been verified and notified. For more information, visit hospitalitydesignawards.com.
Governing Law
By entering, participants agree that all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrants and Sponsor in connection with the competition, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of New York without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. All participants hereby consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts located in New York, NY.
Sponsors
The sponsor of the HD Awards is Hospitality Design (HD) magazine, Emerald X, LLC, 100 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10005.