Next Stop, Milan! Industrial Design Grad Student to exhibit at Milan Design Week. Article by David Hunt t’s a networking opportunity to die for. Or, in the case of NC State graduate student Michael Rall, to design for. It’s the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, also known as IMilan Design Week, and it’s the most important international design event of the year. The 24-year-old Rall, who’s never been off the East Coast, is packing his bags for an all- expenses-paid trip to the design fair April 22-27 courtesy of LG Surfaces. “I can’t wait,” he says. “It’s going to be great.” Actually, it’s going to be a lot more than that. Rall, who graduates in December with a master’s degree in industrial design, gets to rub elbows in Milan with just about anybody who’s anybody in the world of product design – or at least the top couple of hundred thousand designers, manufacturers, buyers, distributors and salespeople in the industry. While he’s at it, he’ll have the opportunity to exhibit a design prototype of his own at Zona Tortona’s “That’s Design!” show, which draws more than 80,000 designers and exhibitors from around the globe every year. And he’ll round out the week by appearing at a press conference to present his design concepts to journalists from media outlets like Metropolitan magazine. Talk about real-world experience. Rall earned the trip by blowing away the competition in the LG Surfaces Beyond Student Design Challenge last month. The contest, which was open to students at five of the nation’s top design schools, required participants to come up with new product ideas using the company’s acrylic surface material. Today, LG Surfaces is a major producer of kitchen countertops. But to stay economically healthy, the manufacturer is looking for new ways to expand its product line. The contest guidelines were strict. Not only did the design concepts have to be interesting, they had to be easy and affordable to manufacture. And, with a nod to the Bulletin | April 9, 2009 2 Rall’s design incorporates a hidden bracket to give the illusion that the nightstand is balanced on a single leg. The prototype will be created using orange acrylic surface material. recession, they had to be products that After uploading people would want to buy. As an added his drawings and wrinkle, the company gave the contest a schematics to the theme: balance. contest Web site, Rall Rall was well prepared for the challenge; spent a few minutes he’s studied the design applications of a reviewing some of the wide range of materials, including wood, other entries that had metals and plastic. When he read the been uploaded. guidelines for the contest, he got excited. “There were 12 “Acrylic is easily thermoformable,” he entries just from NC says with enthusiasm. “You can heat it up State,” he says. “Some and it will bend however you want. And of them were so good, you can attach two pieces together and I really didn’t think I they look seamless.” had a chance.” Rall pulled out a design for a shelf that But in March, Rall he’d been working on for a metals class: and four other finalists a flat piece of wood with an aluminum were flown to Atlanta Michael Rall working on some new designs in Brooks Hall. strip across the top that could be attached to present their designs to a wall with a hidden metal bracket. to a panel of judges. By attaching the hidden bracket to a The next day, the company held a press be among the 12,000 products vying for bedroom nightstand, he decided, he could conference to present the three winning recognition as the hottest new design achieve the illusion that the nightstand design concepts and the students who had trends in the world. was balanced precariously and impossibly created them, including Rall. The trip to Milan is not only great on a single small leg. He designed the “I think I won because of ease of exposure for a promising young designer, nightstand to give it a smoothly flowing fabrication,” he says. “And I think I gave it’s also an opportunity for Rall to learn S-shaped curve, taking advantage of a good presentation and answered the about the industry and think about his the flexibility that acrylic has during the judges’ questions clearly. I showed a clear future. fabrication process. understanding of the project and how it “I want to design furniture or house When he showed his drawings to would fit into a home.” wares,” he says, “or kitchen stuff or small friends, they reacted just the way he LG Surfaces and its fabrication vendor, appliances. Actually, I haven’t narrowed it hoped: “They said, ‘Whoa, how is that Sterling Surfaces, will manufacture down to one thing. I want to do all sorts of standing up? It only has that one leg to the prototypes of each of the winning designs things. I want to touch everything.” side.’” and have them on display in Milan. They’ll He’s off to a great start. 3 Bulletin | April 9, 2009 Kim Paylor, Wolfline transit manager, Lake Raleigh Clean-up Bulletin Board [email protected]. As part of NC State’s sustainability efforts, Campus Recreation’s professional Holtzman Lecture Focuses on Obama staff takes the lead in helping to clean up The Oprah-fication of Obama Paul Light, Professor of Public Service at Lake Raleigh and the surrounding area. Katie Lofton of Yale University will NYU and author of 18 books, including the Come watch, support the action, help with present a talk titled, “The Oprah-fication award-winning “Thickening Government” “dry-land” clean-up efforts, and support of Obama” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, and “The Tides of Reform,” will look NC State and the Earth Team partners on in Daniels 218. Hosted by the Department at the transition to and performance campus. The clean-up takes place from of Philosophy and Religion under the of the Obama administration at 7 p.m. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at auspices of the Religious Studies Monday, April 13, in 216 Poe Hall. The Lake Raleigh on Centennial Campus. Colloquium Series. Holtzman lecture series, begun in 2005, honors Professor Abraham Holtzman E-File Your Taxes This Year Faculty/Staff Wolfline Service and his nearly 50 years of service to the E-filing is a quick, convenient and secure Wolfline will operate limited service on Department of Political Science and NC way to file your income taxes and receive Friday April 10. Rt. 6 Carter Finley will State University. This is the third Holtzman your refunds weeks ahead of paper filers. operate every 30 minutes, Rt. 7 Wolflink Lecture. You may qualify for free or low-cost e-filing shuttle will operate every 20 minutes, Rt. if you earn less than $40,000. Go to http:// 8 Southeast Loop will operate every 36 The Omega Man with Special Guest www.dornc.com to find a list of approved minutes. Routes with extended service Anthony Zerbe companies that offer e-filing and to check will end service at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Actor Anthony Zerbe will speak following the eligibility for free filing. April 9. Regular Wolfline service resumes a screening of The Omega Man (1971) at 7 You may also visit a Volunteer Income Monday, April 13. No Wolfprowl (downtown p.m. Monday, April 13, in the Witherspoon Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling site to take entertainment bus) Thursday, Friday or Campus Cinema. Zerbe played the glassy- advantage of free tax preparation and Saturday, April 9-11. Wolfprowl resumes eyed zombie-ringleader Matthias in this e-filing services for people with low-to- Thursday, April 16. No Werewolf (late sci-fi/horror thriller classic. Sponsored by moderate incomes. Go here to find the night) service April 9 or 10 (resumes April the Film Studies Program and the Union nearest VITA site. 13). Activities Board Films Committee. I.T. Littleton Seminar Stinson Drive Closure Find Out About New Tax Tables Kevin Cherry, senior program officer Stinson Drive from Boney Drive to Payrolls processed in April will be at the Institute of Museum and Library Current Drive will be closed for final calculated using new federal tax tables Services (IMLS), will address the librarian’s paving and striping on Friday, April 10, prompted by the Making Work Pay pivotal role in today’s economy as featured from approximately 6 a.m. until completion Credit in the American Recovery and speaker at the NCSU Libraries’ I. T. (probably 5 p.m.). Saturday, April 11, is Reinvestment Act, signed by President Littleton Seminar. Cherry coordinates the the back-up rain date in the event of bad Obama in February. Many employees IMLS’s largest discretionary initiative, the weather. To access north campus, the will realize lower federal income tax 21st Century Librarian Program, which Yarbrough Drive gate will be open for withholding as a result, but there are seeks to support the development of the entire day on Friday. Access will be some pitfalls to be aware of. For more the nation’s information workforce. The maintained to the Boney Drive Parking Lot information, please refer to the article, “The Seminar will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, (fomerly Riddick Lot) and the Poe Loading Economic Stimulus Package: What’s in April 15, in the auditorium in the West Dock and accessible parking spaces.