At a reception at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park, Ill., winners were announced for the Designers of Tomorrow contest, a design competition for students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) sponsored by Meredith Corp. and presented by the Delta brand.

Grand-prize winner Rebecca Midden will receive a $5,000 scholarship from Meredith. The two runners-up, Garrett EB Smith and Egla Tafesse, will each receive a $500 scholarship. The scholarships will be paid to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and applied toward the tuition of the winning students. Winning designs will also be published in several home magazines.

The Designers of Tomorrow contest invited current and continuing SAIC students to propose an original and innovative use of one or more Delta products in a residential environment beyond the traditional kitchen and bathroom applications. Students were also asked to create an original three-dimensional representation of the design. Entries were judged according to the innovative use of Delta products, overall creativity and innovation and prominence of Delta products in the design.

Midden’s winning submission — titled “Spout” — is a hydroponic watering system designed to cultivate gardens on balconies in Chicago or other urban areas. With the twist of one faucet handle, recycled rainwater flows from numerous Delta faucets to water hanging plants. A flowerbed below is maintained by water run off from the hanging plants, ensuring a beautiful, lush garden and happy neighbors downstairs.

“The Designers of Tomorrow contest provided a great occasion for Delta to engage with the next generation of designers,” said Judd Lord, director of industrial design, Delta Faucet Co. “In turn, it also offered the students a unique opportunity to interact with leading professionals, including their professors, highly-regarded designers and the editors whose words help shape the industry.”

Source: Delta