Vellum 22 Exhibition: Celebrating Sustainable Design at Cal Poly

Flyer for Cal Poly’s 22nd annual Vellum Furniture Competition.

We love seeing design that makes a difference, and that’s why studio 2G is proud to sponsor the Cradle to Cradle Award at Cal Poly’s annual Vellum Furniture Design Exhibition, recognizing the most environmentally sustainable piece in the show. The award highlights projects that go beyond aesthetics by creating beautiful, functional furniture rooted in thoughtful, planet-minded design.

At its core, Cradle to Cradle thinking is about keeping materials in continuous use. Rather than following a “cradle to grave” path where products end up as waste, this approach encourages designers to reuse, repurpose, or safely return materials to the environment. It’s a circular mindset that proves sustainability and creativity can strengthen each other.

Vellum 22’s Cradle to Cradle award-winning design by Ethan Sanders, Lily Hanna, and Samhita Vallamreddy.

This year’s Cradle to Cradle Award went to Ethan Sanders, Lily Hanna, and Samhita Vallamreddy, who quite literally went dumpster diving for their materials. After finding a discarded Cal Poly architecture desk that had been carved up and tossed aside, they salvaged the usable pieces and, with just a few bolts, transformed them into a clean, minimalist chair in the tradition of Donald Judd. Their work stood out for its creative reuse of materials and commitment to sustainable design principles: a reminder of how inventive thinking can turn waste into something truly meaningful. Congrats team!

Now in its 22nd year, the Vellum Exhibition showcases hundreds of inventive pieces from Cal Poly’s architecture and design students. From reimagined materials to innovative craftsmanship, each project reflects the program’s “Learn by Doing” spirit and reinforces why we’re so proud to support emerging designers.

Supporting the next generation of designers is central to our mission at studio 2G. Through this award, we hope to keep encouraging students to explore new ways of designing responsibly and imaginatively.

Here’s to another year of creativity, innovation, and mindful design at Cal Poly!