PROJECT FEATURE
Designing with Durability:
Wilsonart® Surfaces Help Student Take First Place
Mairen Manning, a Florida State University student, has taken first place in Material Bank’s 2025 Student Design Competition — highlighting Field Elm from Wilsonart Woodgrains® on the reception desk of her winning design. For her project, Acadia Visitor Center, Mairen imagined a retail space at the edge of Acadia National Park that blends naturally into its surroundings.
Discover the conceptual Center, a place that feels timeless, enduring, and inspired by a legendary national park.
Durability and accessibility are especially important to Mairen, who sees firsthand as a resident assistant how community spaces get used seven days a week. That experience shaped her approach to material selection: “With Wilsonart laminates, I know the product will stand up to constant use, making life easier for the people who work in and care for the space.”
While the competition was a conceptual exercise, it gave Mairen the chance to design the way she hopes to in her career — thoughtful, sustainable, and rooted in place. Looking ahead, she’s considering paths in exhibition and themed entertainment design, pursuing a master’s degree in architecture, or designing spaces for healthcare and education where accessibility is critical.
Wilsonart is proud to empower future designers by providing surfaces that balance creativity and performance. Mairen’s winning project is an early reflection of that vision: timeless inspiration, personal perspective, and the trusted performance of Wilsonart surfaces coming together to create spaces that are both durable and inspiring.
“In Maine, eastern white pine is common, and Field Elm offered a close visual match while also delivering the durability needed for a space that’s open nearly every day of the year.”
– MAIREN MANNING
“At Wilsonart, we believe great design should be both beautiful and practical. Seeing students like Mairen embrace that balance — and bring their own creativity and perspective to it—is exactly why we’re committed to supporting the next generation of designers.”
– KATE GROSSMAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND DESIGN AT WILSONART
To see more project features, visit our Inspiration page.
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