Dallas native Matt Gray collaborates with C.H. Briggs on furniture design project at SCAD

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Dallas native Matt Gray collaborates with C.H. Briggs on furniture design project at SCAD. Image courtesy of SCAD.

SAVANNAH, GA (08/09/2011)(readMedia)-- The Savannah College of Art and Design's furniture design department has teamed up with C.H. Briggs, one of the largest independently-owned distributors of specialty building materials on the east coast, to create product designs that explore the unique material qualities of Corian®. SCAD M.F.A. furniture design student Matt Gray of Dallas, Texas, created the Bench Rack, a bench and bicycle rack in one that implements the use of DuPont™ Corian® Solid Surface in the transportation industry. The Bench Rack made its debut at NeoCon 2011, June 13-15, in the SCAD booth.

In the collaboration between SCAD and C.H. Briggs, students worked on designs that could incorporate Corian® into furniture objects geared to specific industries and capitalizing on the material's unique thermoformable and renewable qualities-the material can be shaped, bent and formed, unlike polyester-based solid surfaces, and it can be brought back to its original beauty if scratches or marks occur. For Bench Rack, Matt Gray looked to create a design that brings convenience, comfort, and safety to today's commuter and envisioned the use of Corian® as a way to redefine the public transportation experience. The result is an innovative multi-use product that addresses the need of public transportation systems to accommodate the growing trend of bicycle commuters. The design was fabricated locally in the Savannah area for the NeoCon debut by Surface Solutions in Garden City, Georgia.

C.H. Briggs markets and distributes specialty building materials. Founded in 1969 and operating in North America, C.H. Briggs offers a wide range of innovative products and services in hardware, board and surfacing materials. The company is the preferred partner for creators and users of commercial and residential interior building spaces. For more information, visit the company's website at chbriggs.com.

At SCAD, furniture design students master the fundamentals and learn the design processes through which products are conceived, developed, fabricated and marketed. Student designs are evaluated for style, comfort, utility and durability through the creation of computer renderings, scale models or prototypes. Opportunities for industry collaboration and domestic and international exhibitions of student work form a valuable aspect of the program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

For more information and interview or image requests, media may contact Emily Belford at 912.525.5210 or ebelford@scad.edu.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in more than 40 majors. Visit scad.edu.