From Project to Passion

For a sixth consecutive year, the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design has again achieved top honors in the annual Bienenstock Furniture and Interior Design Competition with a win by third-year industrial design student Valente Zambrano. His chair, Lunda, has brought unexpected encouragement and motivation, transforming Zambrano’s academic career and professional aspirations.

In fall 2023, professors Jeff Feng and Min Kang challenged students to design a chair reflecting a sense of calmness as part of their design studio curriculum. Encouraged not to overthink the task, Zambrano developed a mood board with natural elements, neutral tones, and soft textures. He sought to create a chair exuding comfort and luxury.

“I wanted to design something that felt like it was giving you a hug when you sat in it,” said Zambrano. “The low back and high armrests allow you to sit back and let the chair just envelop you.”

Zambrano fashioned Lunda to perform as a furniture piece dedicated to a specific purpose, serving as a place for relaxation and meditation on its own. Throughout the fabrication process, Zambrano focused on construction and detail, intentionally building the chair to function as a model for his studio project and as practical furniture.

Growing up in Mission, Texas, Zambrano always saw himself as an artist; however, he never imagined working in a structured environment or even an art gallery. Zambrano’s mother, who insisted that he pursue college, discovered the University of Houston’s industrial design program in hopes her son would leverage his artistic gifts in a new way.

Last year, Zambrano found himself at a turning point in his academic career. Challenged by his professors to up his game, Zambrano found inspiration in trying times and shifted his approach.

“The critical nature of being in a design program is something that I have turned into energy and inspired a drive in me,” explained Zambrano. “Even when I was in a difficult place in my education, I took the experience and put it all into my next project.”

Lunda has wholly turned around Zambrano’s mindset. Before designing the chair, he was interested in backpack design and working as an independent industrial designer. While he still seeks autonomy and freedom in his future professional career, Zambrano discovered a new passion for furniture design along the way.

“The Bienenstock award was nothing I saw coming, especially since I was up against some very well-designed chairs,” shared Zambrano. “The recognition has genuinely shifted the course of my life and encouraged me to dive deeper into furniture design.”