Rehau Group announced the launch of its first student-focused furniture design competition, called the “Leading Edge Design Challenge: Thinking Forward.”

Targeted toward undergraduate college and university students in the U.S. and Canada, the competition invites participants to create furniture concepts for commercial, residential, kitchen or office applications that feature Rehau edgeband and tambour door products.

“The Leading Edge Design Challenge offers a compelling opportunity for students in architecture as well as interior and furniture design to extend their creative ideas into real-world settings,” Thomas Troeger, North American director for Rehau’s furniture business unit, said in a statement.

The challenge is sponsored by the Interior Designers of Canada, Canada’s national advocacy association for the interior design profession.

Registration is open to all students currently enrolled in an undergraduate architecture or design program in the U.S. or Canada, and will begin on Sept. 13. Students may enter the competition by completing the registration form at www.na.rehau.com/leadingedge until the registration deadline of Jan. 17, 2014.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of industry jurors. The winning student will receive a $1,000 prize, and the winning design will be posted to the Rehau North America website. In addition, the design will be built by Rehau and displayed at industry design shows throughout 2014, including NeoCon and IWF.