The Best Green Student Designs at ICFF 2011!

If you want a glimpse into the future of design, then there's no better place to look than the next generation of aspiring student designers. We saw plenty of standout student projects during <a href="http://inhabitat.com/new-york-design-week/">New York Design Week</a> that combined cutting-edge <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/materials">material applications</a> with exceptional sustainable design strategies. Check out our exclusive gallery ahead for our student design highlights from <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/new-york-design-week">New York Design Week 2011</a> -- from <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/pratt">Pratt</a> to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-best-green-designs-from-the-nyu-itp-2011-spring-student-show/">NYU</a>, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/risd">RISD</a> and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-best-green-designs-from-model-citizens-2011/">beyond</a>!

<strong><big>PRATT:</big></strong> David Kim and Mike Seto, from the design collaborative <a href="http://www.clickboompow.com/" target="_blank">ClickBoomPow</a> created a line of colorful <a href="http://inhabitat.com/click-boom-pow-delivers-designer-furniture-to-the-people-with-new-role-models-project/">"New Role Models" chairs</a>, which are designed to offer public seating with a pop of art. These customized chairs are designed as part of a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/green-map-system-uses-open-source-model-to-foster-sustainable-communities/" target="_blank">community-empowering initiative</a> to activate abandoned or overlooked public urban spaces by providing a purpose to these locales.

<strong><big>PRATT:</big></strong> <a href="http://francesranno.daportfolio.com/" target="_blank">Frances Ranno</a>‘s fun and funky <a href="http://inhabitat.com/cheeky-sneaker-shaped-lamp-by-frances-ranno-lightens-up-ny-design-week/" target="_blank">“Sneaks” lamp</a> meshes a symbol of urban culture with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/google-unveils-brilliant-android-controlled-led-light-bulb/" target="_blank">energy-efficient lighting</a>. The fixture incorporates a compact fluorescent bulb to create a long-lasting source of energy-efficient light.

<strong><big>PRATT:</big></strong> This Folded Felt Stool is the result of <a href="http://www.lirongliao.com/">Li-Rong Liao's</a> thesis experiments with different folding profiles, which sought to find a balance between structure and aesthetics. With mathematical formula, Liao is able to apply the folding concept in a large range of design aspects including furniture, <a href="http://www.ecouterre.com">fashion</a>, and medical devices. The Stool is folded in one sheet of cardboard with a layer of felt finishing.

These Chipboard Stools by Dana Oxiles are made from sheets of sturdy paper that are treated and folded into structural origami forms.

<strong><big>RISD: </big></strong> Students from the department of furniture design at RISD unveiled their "Recyclable Composites" exhibit on the show floor at ICFF. The designers were instructed to use Twintex, a recyclable glass and thermoplastic polypropylene fiber filament to create their pieces. These "Shadow Lamps" offer a dynamic new take on LED lighting.

<strong><big>RISD: </big></strong>One student's Perm Chair proved to be quite the hair-raising piece, garnering looks from numerous passing by.

<strong><big>RISD:</big></strong> These explorations push the boundaries of both design and the customary use for this product. Twintex gave students an interesting base material that gave way to mind-bending forms.

<strong><big>MODEL CITIZENS:</big></strong> <a href="http://ashleyjeanlandon.4ormat.com/">Ashley Jean Landon</a> salvages off-cuts from wood shops and transforms them into miniature trees! Her Reforestation "forest" is a response to the tremendous amount of waste in the lumber industry.

<strong><big>MODEL CITIZENS:</big></strong><a href="http://www.reclaimingbrooklyn.com/">Reclaiming Brooklyn</a> exhibited a stool made from salvaged wood that pops atop a brightly-colored metal frame.

<strong><big>MODEL CITIZENS:</big></strong> <a href="http://www.reclaimingbrooklyn.com/">Reclaiming Brooklyn</a> designer Harris Hine showcased an arching floor lamp made from a found tree branch that beautifully merges rustic and modern design elements.

<strong><big>NYU ITP: </big></strong><a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-best-green-designs-from-the-nyu-itp-2011-spring-student-show/">One of the most </a>aesthetically intriguing pieces in this year's ITP show was "<a href="http://crudelandscapes.com/">In the Future, Gardens Will Grow on Motors</a>," an eerie landscape of black rocks and light bulbs filled with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrofluid">ferrofluid</a>, a dark magnetic liquid. The system used solar power to charge batteries, which created electromagnetic pulses that made the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrofluid">ferrofluid</a> take on different shapes.

<strong><big>NYU ITP: </big></strong> Becky Kazansky and Alexander Kozovski's <a href="http://itp.nyu.edu/~rk1365/myblog/">Re-cyclelight</a> is powered by kinetic energy salvaged from braking the bike -- perfect for alerting drivers that you are slowing down.

<strong><big>NYU ITP:</big></strong> There were several wearable green designs at the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-best-green-designs-from-the-nyu-itp-2011-spring-student-show/">show</a>, but our favorite was <a href="http://hanamarienewman.com/some-pics-and-info">Eight</a> by <a href="http://hanamarienewman.com/">Hana Marie Newman</a>. This plastic dress serves as a personal air purification system complete with an oxygen tank.