FORM 2024 Winner Cali Pitcher Shares Her Experience

We recently spoke with Cali Pitcher, the 2024 FORM Competition champion from Georgian College in Ontario, Canada, about her experience at NeoCon 2024.Cali discusses her experience, what she learned going through NeoCon, and tips for future contestants for FORM.

Formica Corporation: What were your expectations going into NeoCon?

Cali Pitcher: Once I found out I would be attending NeoCon, I began researching the event. My excitement only grew when I realized what an incredible event I would be attending. Leading up to NeoCon, I was most excited to explore The Merchandise Mart and see my design come to life. Neocon far surpassed any expectations I had. As a young designer, seeing so many innovative products and materials in one place was awe-inspiring.

Formica Corporation: What was your reaction seeing your design displayed at NeoCon? 

Cali Pitcher: Seeing my design, Notions, displayed at NeoCon was an unforgettable moment. To see my piece come to life and be in use at the show was incredibly rewarding, and such an amazing way to finish my degree studies. It truly felt like the culmination of four years of hard work completing my undergraduate degree, as I poured what I learned through my education into Notions. My favorite part of seeing my design displayed was to see how naturally people gravitated towards the piece. Throughout the show, I witnessed people using the table to sit, eat and work. It felt like the piece became a natural extension of the cafe and the NeoCon Talks stage. Seeing my design used as intended and embraced by NeoCon attendees made the experience more special.

Formica Corporation: How was your experience?

Cali Pitcher: My NeoCon experience was truly so monumental. Being able to network with design professionals while taking in the amazing NeoCon booths made the whole experience truly come together as not only a learning experience, but a professional opportunity as well. Working with the Formica Group team to bring my design into fruition was such a unique opportunity, and one that I am truly grateful for.

Formica Corporation: What was your favorite moment and why?

Cali Pitcher: My favorite moment from my Chicago trip was the moment I saw my design. Despite already seeing pictures of my design set up, seeing it in person and being able to interact with it was indescribable. It was incredibly rewarding to see something I poured so much energy and passion into come to life at such a huge professional event.

Formica Corporation: Can you share your biggest learning experience?

Cali Pitcher: My biggest learning experience from seeing my design come to life was truly how important it is to design for the end user, not just for aesthetics. As a designer, it can be tempting to want to create something that is trendy and eye-catching. I have learned throughout this experience that designing with intention and focusing on functionality is something that will resonate and better the lives of users of the piece. Something I considered throughout the whole design process was who I could imagine purchasing and utilizing Notions. I had always thought of Notions as a furniture piece designed for working professionals living in small spaces, like myself. This intention behind the design brought depth and functionality to my design, which attracted eventgoers to the piece and caused them to be drawn towards using it.

Formica Corporation: Any advice to future design students and FORM contestants?

Cali Pitcher: I would strongly encourage any design students to participate in the FORM competition. The FORM competition is such an exciting opportunity for anyone looking to kickstart their career in the design industry. The FORM competition offers the opportunity to create a portfolio piece that will catch the eye of employers and provide you with an amazing experience to discuss in interviews. Not only did I gain valuable design experience through the competition, but I was also afforded the opportunity to travel outside of Canada for the first time, and experience a new city filled with design inspiration. Most importantly, I gained confidence in myself as a designer, and was able to further develop my public speaking skills through my NeoCon Talks presentation. To anyone looking to enter this competition in the future, my advice would be to start thinking about the project requirements early on. Notions was developed through an extensive design process, where I built on several of my initial design ideas, bringing them together to create a multi-functional design. Creativity, intent to innovate and putting in the effort to continually refine your design can lead to incredibly rewarding results in the FORM competition.