NYCxDESIGN and Caesarstone Announce IMPACTxDESIGN Winners in the Midst of NYCxDESIGN’s Design Days

NYCxDESIGN and Caesarstone announced the winners of the inaugural IMPACTxDESIGN competition today, honoring installation concepts by Kickie Chudikova and Karim Rashid, shortly after NYCxDESIGN’s Design Days programming got underway, which runs from May 13-18. Selected from more than 50 applicants, winners Chudikova, who opened her Brooklyn-based studio last year, and Rashid, whose work spans a vast spectrum of design, offer innovative solutions for fostering engagement in public spaces in New York City using Caesarstone’s Outdoor Collection as the primary material.
Chudikova’s adaptive installation, Spiral of Life, selected for a site in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood, draws inspiration from the waves of the Hudson River and the sculptures of Isamu Noguchi. The modular bench consists of waterjet-cut stone pieces connected by a single metal structure with generously-sized individual seats. Chudikova also designed side tables fabricated out of leftover materials cutout from the bench seating. “Thanks to its modularity, Spiral of Life can be adjusted in size and shape,” notes Chudikova. “It can work as a singular element, a pair of seats, a circle, or a continuous undulating wave, creating the ideal place to gather safely with friends and enjoy the fresh air outdoors.
Turn Out by Karim Rashid, selected for a site in Downtown Manhattan, makes creative use of negative space by turning Caesarstone slabs horizontally. Abstract shapes cut from the slabs are then repurposed to form a series of connected benches and tables. Inspired as a zero waste design concept, Turn Out consists of three elements cut from a single sheet of quartz to minimize excess material, creating reconfigurable benches that enable the installation to evolve. “At the moment, we are collectively experiencing a wake-up call from mother nature, urging us to think about slowing down, communicating honestly, consuming less, enjoying and appreciating our existence,” says Rashid. “The Turn Out concept creates a space that engages curiosity and delight.”
Next, the winners will work closely with NYCxDESIGN, Caesarstone, the Design Trust for Public Space, Dumbo Improvement District, and Downtown Alliance to refine their design concepts and bring them to life. The final IMPACTxDESIGN installations will be unveiled this fall, coinciding with several city-wide activations and happenings by NYCxDESIGN, including its annual festival, scheduled alongside ICFF and WantedDesign, November 11-18.
NYCxDESIGN’s ongoing Design Days feature a packed schedule of live and virtual events throughout New York City from May 13–18, including activations at the Emerging Designer Residency space in Hudson Yards. The events “highlight the depth, breadth, resilience and immense creative capacity of the design scene in New York City,” Elissa Black, executive director of NYCxDESIGN, asserted during a recent press event. She also noted that the Design Days programming not only celebrates the city’s design community, but also succeeds in creating more equitable opportunities in the industry, and engaging the next generation of designers. For a full list of events, go here.
