MONTAGE AND ARCLINEA ANNOUNCE SECOND ANNUAL DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
New England students to receive cash prizes for contemporary designs Entry form and details at montagearclineascholarship.com

BOSTBOSTON [March 14, 2007] — Montage, Boston’s leading contemporary furniture showroom, and Arclinea Boston, the award-wining Italian kitchen design firm, have announced the continuation of the Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition.  Established in 2006, the scholarship competition was greeted with over-whelming response from students, the design community and design enthusiasts. 

For the second year in a row, students studying architecture or design at New England-based universities or colleges are eligible for first, second, and third prizes of $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000 respectively. Entry forms and details are posted at montagearclineascholarship.com.

“Last year’s enthusiastic response proves that contemporary design is thriving in Boston,” explains Christopher Bates, co-owner of Montage and the vision behind the scholarship.  “Arclinea and Montage are delighted to offer the Scholarship Competition again and we anticipate making it an annual event.  We want to nurture and support the next generation of design visionaries.”

Students will be asked to design a contemporary kitchen/living area within the traditional, historic architecture of New England.  Students will be encouraged to incorporate the philosophy presented by Italian architect Antonio Citterio’s kitchen designs for Arclinea and his furniture designs for B&B Italia, offered exclusively at the Montage showroom. 

“Citterio has a distinctive point of view on interior design which can be applied to every element of how we live our lives,” says Arclinea Boston president Philip Guarino. “His presentation is elegant and his materials exquisite, but the driving force for his design, whether it’s a sofa or a kitchen, is always functionality.  How does the product help improve the quality of our lives?”

More than seventy students registered for the competition in 2006, including students from Pakistan, Korea, New Zealand, Italy, India, and Russia.  Ultimately, 52 entrants were deemed eligible and 22 submitted entries, representing Boston Architectural College, Endicott College, Mount Ida College, New England School of Art and Design at Suffolk University, Northeastern University and Rhode Island School of Design.

Last year’s first place winner, Christine Rankin, will be a judge for this year’s competition, as part of a panel featuring New England-based architects, designers and journalists specializing in innovative contemporary design.  Christine is finishing her final semester at Northeastern University and is also working as a designer for Boston-based architects Hacin + Associates.   As Christine explains, “the Montage/Arclinea Design Scholarship Competition raises the bar for design education because it allows for a broad range of design opportunities which integrate architecture, interior, product and furniture design.  I am hopeful that with an increased demand for "good design", competitions such as this will inspire students to compare their work on a global scale and to create thorough and innovative spaces both inside and out.”

Montage and Arclinea Boston are each recognized nationally for their innovative design concepts and product, and work regularly with area architects, interior designers and individual homeowners to create innovative contemporary design solutions.  Both showrooms are also leaders in bringing the best design elements directly to the consumer.

Entries are due by Tuesday, July 31, 2007 and winners will be announced
in September. 

Montage is Boston’s premier contemporary home furnishings showroom and was   founded in 1959 by Howell A. Bates.  Current co-owners Christopher Bates and Liz Cingari led the way in bringing award-winning furniture design directly to the consumer when they opened a showroom at 75 Arlington Street in Boston.  Montage’s influence on raising the visibility of contemporary design is consistently recognized with “Best of” awards for its showroom, furniture collections and service.  In summer 2007, Montage will expand its existing 10,500 square foot showroom, making it the largest contemporary furniture showroom in New England.  For more information about Montage, please call 617-451-9400 or visit www.montageweb.com

Arclinea Boston is the first flagship showroom in the United States for Arclinea—an industry leader in the manufacturing of luxury, contemporary kitchens, designed and coordinated by the acclaimed Italian architect Antonio Citterio.  Their innovative design, creative technology and exquisite materials differentiate Arclinea kitchens.  The Boston showroom showcases examples of the entire Arclinea Collection, and offers consumers a full-service, turnkey solution to their kitchen design process.  For more information about Arclinea Boston, please call 617-357-9777 or visit www.arclineaboston.com.