MONTAGE AND ARCLINEA BOSTON ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF 2006 CONTEMPORARY DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
Students at Northeastern University, Boston Architectural College win prizes of $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000

BOSTON [August 8, 2006] — Montage, Boston’s leading contemporary furniture retailer, and Arclinea Boston, the award-wining Italian kitchen design firm, are pleased to announce the winner of the first annual Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition, established to encourage local architecture and design students to find innovative ways of incorporating contemporary design within the region’s traditional architecture. 

Boston resident Christine Rankin, a student at Northeastern University, has been awarded first place for her entry and will receive $5,000 toward her tuition from competition organizers.

“We were very excited by the hard work and creativity demonstrated by this year’s entries, and quality was high across the board,” says Montage co-owner Chris Bates, who first conceived the idea of the competition.  “But after a careful review of all entries by our judges, and some spirited discussion, Christine’s entry was deemed the clear winner.”

Brad Walker, principal at Ruhl-Walker Architects, was a member of the judging panel.  “This entrant demonstrated a clear understanding of the design philosophies of Antonio Citterio and the Arclinea and Montage lines to create a unified, creative, and warm space,” he says.  “Some of the outstanding features of Christine’s design include differentiated ceiling heights, distinguishing functions and activities without creating separate rooms, a flexible furniture layout allowing enjoyment of the living space in a variety of ways, and a unique presentation of the Arclinea Convivium kitchen concept.  We were very impressed.”

Entries from Boston Architectural College students Tagore Hernandez of Somerville and Mark Rego of New Bedford were selected as second and third place winners.  Hernandez will receive $3,000 and Rego will be awarded $2,000 from competition organizers.  “These entries also demonstrated well-considered designs,” says Walker.  “Mark used contemporary design to clearly organize space and function within a traditional Boston row house.  Tagore’s entry was compelling for its organized and thorough presentation, smartly taking advantage of the entirety of the available space.  He used materials in interesting and unexpected ways, and was conscious of creating a clean, modern, unifying design.”

All three winning entries will remain on display at the Montage and Arclinea showrooms throughout August.

Entrants were asked to design a contemporary kitchen/living area within either a Back Bay brownstone or a suburban Victorian, and were encouraged to review the design philosophy of Italian architect Antonio Citterio (designer of kitchens for Arclinea and furniture for B&B Italia, sold at Montage) for inspiration.  (For further details, including floor plans provided to all entrants, please visit www.montagearclineascholarship.com.)

More than seventy students registered for the competition, 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.

Due on Friday, July 21, entries were reviewed by a panel of area architects and designers including Alex Anmahian, Anmahian Winton Architects, Stephen Chung, Urbanica, Mercedes Farrando, Arclinea Boston, Gary Marotta, Elkus-Manfredi, Kelly Monnahan, Sasaki Associates, Inc., Meichi Peng, ADD Inc., Maryann Thompson, Maryann Thompson Architects, and Brad Walker, Ruhl-Walker Architects.  Kim Atkinson, editor of Boston Common, and Meaghan O’Neill, acting managing editor of Boston magazine, also joined the judging panel.

The scholarship competition, which will be an annual event, was inspired by Montage owner Chris Bates’s desire to give back to Boston’s architecture and design communities.  “For many years, these professionals have acted as ambassadors for contemporary design to Boston homeowners.  For a long time, I’ve been looking for a way to thank them for that support, and this competition, which nurtures the city’s next generation of visionaries, is the result.”

Arclinea Boston owner Philip Guarino was happy to join Bates as a co-sponsor.  “The way we live in Boston is changing, and I think that this competition demonstrates that,” says Guarino.  “The designs submitted by area students show innovation and forward thinking, and bode well for the future.”

Montage is Boston’s premier contemporary home furnishings showroom.  Founded in 1959 by Howell A. Bates, the showroom, at 75 Arlington Street in Boston’s Design District, is co-owned by Christopher Bates and Liz Cingari. Montage has been named “Best in Contemporary Furniture” by Improper Bostonian, “Best Contemporary Furniture” by Boston Magazine, and “Best Furniture Store” by Boston Tab.

For more information about Montage, please call 617/451-9400 or visit the Montage web site, www.montageweb.com.  Montage: Lifestyle Less Ordinary.

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.  Arclinea kitchens are differentiated by their innovative design, creative technology and exquisite materials.  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 the Arclinea Boston web site, www.arclineaboston.com.