A chair designed for a class at UW-Stout has earned Ben Fullerton first place in a national competition and an all-expense-paid trip to New York. The chair, made of bent plywood so that no two pieces of wood actually touch, was inspired by a sprouting seed and ergonomics, intended to cradle the human form. Dubbed “.ari,” Fullerton’s creation was one of the three grand prize winners in the Boston semifinals for the LG Hausys Surfaces Student Design Challenge. Judges included leading architects, designers, and media from the hospitality industry. Fullerton, alongside winners from University of Cincinnati and University of California-Berkeley, will have prototypes of their concepts produced and displayed at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair May 15-18 in New York.