Unleashing Creative Mastery with HIMACS at the Latest Rycotewood College Student Competition

Following the resounding success of the 2022 edition, James Latham reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation and design excellence by once again supporting the Rycotewood College Student Competition. The renowned HIMACS distributor in the UK has generously donated a substantial quantity of HIMACS, spanning a diverse spectrum of colours, empowering students to showcase their skills when working with cutting-edge and unconventional materials to meet an intricate creative brief. This year, the challenge for Rycotewood's talented students was to explore the dynamic interplay of colour and curve within the overarching theme of storage.

This year's competition unfolded as a true spectacle, presenting a collection of extraordinary pieces that eloquently demonstrated the students' capacity to adapt, experiment, and transcend the boundaries of traditional furniture design.

Creative Mastery with HIMACS

HIMACS winner Joe Fortune emerged triumphant with a visually striking and artistically ingenious shelving unit designed for indoor plants. Fortune pushed the boundaries of HIMACS, showcasing the material's thermoformable nature through smooth, delicate twists seamlessly joined. Notably, CNC technology was employed to carve out intricate holes within the curved pieces, reminiscent of the cellular structure of a leaf. The judges were captivated by the technical prowess displayed, from seamless curvature and invisible joints to extensive cut-outs, showcasing HIMACS' ability to surpass initial expectations, creating visually stunning and functional features without compromising structural integrity.
Commenting on his experience working with HIMACS, Joe Fortune stated, "HIMACS's ability to be heated and twisted without visual or structural compromise proved the perfect material to achieve what was, from the outset, a very ambitious design. The results speak for themselves. Personally, I was pleased with the seamless joins I was able to achieve, creating an appealing visual continuity within the finished piece."

Raising the Bar

Emma Harris received commendation for her chic drinks cabinet, a sophisticated fusion of black HIMACS and solid oak resulting in a cool, contemporary piece of furniture. The addition of a mirrored interior added an extra touch of luxury, earning praise from the judges for its refinement, harmonious combination of textures and colours, and demonstration of Harris's adept understanding of HIMACS' versatility.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the competition's success, Josh Hudson, Furniture Lead at Rycotewood, stated, "We’re thrilled to witness the tremendous growth of the students in their ability to work with new materials, as demonstrated through the ambitious and captivating pieces submitted for this year's keenly-anticipated and hotly-contested competition. Partnering with James Latham and HIMACS has been fantastic, and our ongoing collaboration allows the students to push their creative boundaries and showcase their talent to the full."