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KPFLab Hosts 2020 Maker Competition: Snow Globe Edition

Earlier this month, the KPFLab team announced its second annual global competition, tasking staff with designing virtual 3D snow globes.

Following the success of last year’s Maker Competition, which asked employees to design and 3D print a holiday ornament, KPFLab challenged designers to submit virtual entries this year using Rhino and Modelo.io to explore the bounds of creativity and spread holiday cheer. The 3D snow globes were then presented to the firm for a global vote.

The three winners shared the inspiration behind their designs:

In first place, Solomon Oh, Architectural Designer, titled his piece “Club Conglobulation.” His design “focuses on maximizing the sphere into a shared experience rather than as hardened isolation.” This piece is an optimistic ode to collecting as a group, “I hope we can soon get back in line to the party.”

In second place, Weining Zhong, Architectural Designer, created a design that references an iconic scene from “King Kong,” with the gorilla wearing a face covering atop KPF-designed One Vanderbilt. Weining Zhong said “The brooch-pin snow globe contains the top scenic view and brings best wishes to everyone.”

In third place, Jokin Cai, Architectural Designer, used the competition as a way to “explore and express the connection between technology/human hierarchical thinking and natural elements.” The whimsical design blends illusion with familiar aesthetics and natural elements with algorithmic forces.

Thank you to Emily Gruendel, Paul Renner, Wei Meng, Barrie Levy, and the entire KPFLab Committee for making this year’s competition possible.