Student Lola Ara Wins an International Glass design Contest

Lola Ara Pérez, a design student design the School of Architecture, has won first place in group Masterglass Design Contest, an annual competition for students that recognizes sustainable, innovative, and commercially viable glass packaging. Her project —an olive oil bottle inspired by her childhood memories of shaking olive branches in Tarazona—prevailed over entries from 190 other students at universities and design schools design Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.

Its design mimics the silhouette of an olive leaf, allowing you to adjust the flow rate with a simple hand gesture: a slit in the neck regulates the entrance , precisely controlling entrance when seasoning or allowing a generous flow for cooking—all without any mechanisms or moving parts. It is also refillable, extending its useful life.

The jury recognized its design visual impact, as well as its ability to showcase Spanish olive oil as a luxury item. It highlighted the prominent role of glass, “which not only contains but also enhances the product and allows for an exploration of the material’s formal limits.” After winning the competition award , Lola will be able to participate in the upcoming Salone del Mobile, the furniture fair held annually in Milan.

In addition, the jury awarded three honorable mentions, including one to Valentina Rosero, also a design student, who was recognized for her project Sancho”: a saffron container that, like Sancho Panza, safeguards saffron from La Mancha with a Protected Designation of Origin.

Both projects are part of the laboratory II laboratory subject , taught by Víctor Manzanal, a sculptor and professor of design the University's Higher Technical School of Architecture.