Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) alum, Natalie Schaake (B.F.A, industrial design, 2022) was recently honored as the only recipient of Fast Company’s 2023 Innovation by Design Awards in the student category for her creation of the “Hug” chair. This chair was designed to relieve stress during the assembly process and once complete, the various upholstery and fabric options allow the user to pick the material and feel that they consider most comforting and soothing to them.  

Hug also offers a sustainable solution for furniture given the variations in materials that are available. For example, if you decided to change the aesthetic of a room, you can simply apply one of the other upholstery or cushion options to the chair creating an entirely new look.  

Natalie graduated from SCAD in the spring of 2022 and now works as an industrial designer in Cincinnati. 

“I feel so honored, proud, and excited to be this year's Fast Company student winner”, said Schaake. “With Hug, I wanted to design something that would help ease the anxieties that I and so many others face every day, by providing a pathway to comfort through product design. My professors at SCAD provided endless encouragement and guidance throughout the process, which greatly contributed to Hug's success.”

SCAD also had two students who were finalists for the student award including: 

• Reda Raubaite (B.F.A., industrial design, 2023), created Circa Lamp, a bedside table lamp for people who enjoy falling asleep next to a light – the lamp can move down by itself while the light slowly dims. 

• Jan Hernandez (M.F.A., industrial design, 2022), developed Moray, a new type of electric all-terrain wheelchair that is designed to provide greater independence for those with physical limitations. The design allows the user an easy transition between various outdoor environments. 

SCAD industrial design students have worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the world — including Lenovo, BMW, AT&T, Clayco, The Coca-Cola Company, Dynacraft, Fisher-Price, Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard, inventing practical solutions to real-world challenges.  

Fast Company is a leading industry publication that focuses on technology, business, and design. Their annual awards, Innovation by Design, was created to highlight people who are problem solvers, developing products, buildings, tools, and ideas that push their respective fields forward.

To read the full article, visit: https://www.fastcompany.com/90939377/hug-chair-is-designed-to-reduce-stress