I was like a giddy teenager, flipping through the storyboards piled up on my table, ready for evaluation. Hard to believe that Stefan Diez (among other select jury members, including me) was on the next table, going through his batch of iF Student Design Award entries. The job at hand was to evaluate the final shortlisted entries for the 2015 submissions and pick prize-winning entries. EUR 30,000 was distributed equally amongst the Top 8 selected projects. For 2016, the agenda stays the same – a prize money purse of EUR 30,000 will be awarded to the jury-select iF Student Design Award 2016 winners.
You have exactly a week (plus some) to apply for the iF Student Design Award 2016! Seeking the most intelligent, most innovative concepts from all fields of design every year, students and recent graduates (graduated university within the last two years) can submit their creative entries.
Apply now! Categories and details can be found here.
iF currently has four more awards for students, including the HANSGROHE DESIGN PRIZE 2016 by iF ´Efficient Water Design: Digitalizing the Modern Bathroom´ and to the HAIER DESIGN PRIZE 2016 by iF ´Brand New Life: The Happiness of the New Generation´.
By the way, you can also create your own free profile on their new platform for design – iF WORLD DESIGN GUIDE.
I’m here in the beautiful city of Helsinki, gearing up for the final presentation of the 2015 Electrolux Design Lab competition, which will take place tomorrow (15th October, 18:30 CET). The six finalists are here, rehearsing for their final event and I’m watching them practice their best pitch. It’s not Shark Tank, but feels like it … I’m excited!
This year, the theme is “Healthy Happy Kids”, which means Electrolux is looking for ideas that cover safer environment and air quality, healthier eating habits and the everyday lives of families. The six finalists are from universities in Mexico, South Korea, Hungary, Lithuania, UK and Russia.
The livecast of the event will commence at 18:30 CET, you can watch it here. However, if you want to ask them a question during the presentation, Tweet your questions here with the #AskFinalist and #DesignLab2015 hashtags included.
Here are the six finalists:
Voris – a robot that teaches kids the importance of taking care of their clothes by Martha Fabiola García Bustos of Mexico.
Q.H [Quadruple H] – an air purifier and hula hoop in one by Jeongbeen Seo of South Korea.
Future Classroom – an interactive and self-sustaining kitchen for educational use by Tobias Tsamisis of Hungary/Germany.
Air Shield – a baby stroller that creates a pure and clean microclimate by Dominykas Budinas of Lithuania.
Bloom – bridges the gap between digital and practical education by encouraging good kitchen habits in a fun way by Jordan Lee Martin of the United Kingdom.
Plato – a robot toy that helps you take care of your child by Mary Pilyugina of Russia.
Prizes
First prize: € 10 000 and 6 months paid internship at Electrolux Second prize: € 6 000 Third prize: € 4 000 People’s Choice: € 2 000
I will be back with more coverage from the event live. Be sure to follow Yanko Design on the latest Tweets here.
Design Awards are like Apple iPhone – if you can afford them, then you love them, if not … then you love to hate them. Bottom line is that you can’t be indifferent or ignore their value and impact. I recently spoke to a past winner from India and asked him what value did winning the iF Design Awards bring to his product and he said that it not only added creditability and gave his company a valuable seal of approval. But also instantly put his design in a league where you could blindly buy it, because quality, craftsmanship and sustainability were assured.
In Fact, in countries like Europe, Japan and China, having won the iF Design may influence the buying decision, which is why you have companies like Apple, Samsung, LG etc. participate.
For now it’s your chance: Companies, designers, agencies, building owners, architects and interior designers are invited to participate in the iF Design Awards 2016 in categories that include Product, Packaging, Communication, Interior Architecture, Architecture, Service Design, Professional Concept.
15 October 2015: Last registration deadline 19 to 21 January 2016: Judging session 26 February 2016: Awards Ceremony (iF design award night)
In the heart of it all, if you have a project that is good and impacts your society for betterment then the new iF PUBLIC VALUE AWARD 2016 is all about this. Projects that help finding solutions to the most pressing questions of our time, developed by Designers, public administration bodies, companies and NGOs can apply for it.
It has eleven categories: Power Shifts Globally, Using Resources Smartly, Better Life in Cities, Living Together in the 21st Century, Internet, Media and Data, Climate Change, Vehicles and Mobility of the Future, Ageing Society, Labor Relations Changing, Unleashed Bioengineering and Empowering the Individual.
The evaluation process – Using a specially developed evaluation methodology – the Public Value Scorecard – each submission will be evaluated based on five standard criteria:
1. Does it solve a relevant problem? 2. Does it reflect or promote high moral/ethical standards? 3. Does it strengthen group relations? 4. Does it create a positive experience? 5. Does it balance effort and use value?
The award ceremony, the iF PUBLIC VALUE AWARD NIGHT 2016, will take place at 23 February 2016 at the Neue Sammlung – The International Design Museum Munich, Pinakothek der Moderne.
iF PUBLIC VALUE Student AWARD 2016 is aimed at empowering student projects focused on concepts that tackle the big issues of our time. Does the project solve an important social problem? Does it thus create a dimension of use that also considers ethical questions, that has outstanding aesthetic qualities and that might even lead to new political consequences?
Students and university/college graduates who have completed their studies a maximum of two years prior to their registration.
Registration deadline: 15 October 2015 Awards ceremony: 23 February 2016 in Munich Fees: Participation is free of charge
Further information on the awards and fees can be found here. Deadline for all the above three awards is 15 October 2015.
An intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. However, if you tap into the genius in you, I can lay a bet that with courage, you can move in the opposite direction and innovate something remarkable. Once you’re done with it, showcase it on platforms like the A’ Design Award, where your creative genius is honored and acknowledged by an eminent panel of jurist.
To make it the top-notch award for you beneficial, the A’ Design Award includes PR and Publicity, Exhibition, Yearbook, Gala-night for networking, World Design Rankings inclusion, Press release preparations, Feedback notes by jury, Award Trophy, Blogs and Magazine announcements, Good Design Mark amongst other services.
More than the award it’s the jury that makes it worth the appreciation: an international jury panel of academics, design professionals and press members will be commenting on the works submitted.
Deadline for regular submissions is September 30, 2015 and the results will be announced on April 15, 2016 on Yanko Design. Yes, the glory and fame begins right here! Learn more about the Awards here.
Summer’s just up and I’m sure your creative juices are flowing well. It’s time to take up yet another challenge aka the A’ Design Awards & Competition. This year’s call for entries is gives inspiration enough for you to know that you too can do it and be a winner! Some of the biggest rewards are the innumerable benefits and privileges that come your way, for example, free participation and exhibition space for winners, free sales listing at Salone Del Designer, free utilization of Design Mediator services and inclusion in BuySellDesign Network.
From about a hundred categories that you can apply to, Industrial Design, Automotive Design, Packaging, Product Design, Furniture Design and Lighting Design are what I can recommend. But hey, go through the entire list here before shortlisting your intent.
Once a winner, always a winner; this holds true for the A’ Design Awards & Competition. They take up the task of extensive PR, publicity and networking on behalf of the winners plus tools like exhibitions, yearbook, decorated certificates, world design rankings and elaborate gala night for networking, are also a part of the deal.
The entries are judged on a number of elements and an international jury panel of scholars, professionals and media members are appointed for the same. What I love about the judging process is that it’s very transparent and the feedback given to the participants is very valuable and authentic.
The deadline for regular submission is September 30, 2015 and the results will be announced on April 15, 2016 – right here on Yanko Design. Register here NOW!
Recap:
Call for Entries to A’ Design Award & Competition
Entries to the competition are peer-reviewed and anonymously judged by an influential jury panel of experienced academics, prominent press members and established professionals.
A’ Design Prize includes but not limited to: international design excellence certificate in metal frame, invitation to the exclusive gala-night in Italy, online + offline exhibition of awarded projects, A2 poster of awarded projects, hardcover printed best projects’ yearbook publication, special 3d printed metal award trophy in luxury black box, project translation to 20+ languages in order to truly reach international audiences, an exclusive interview with the winner, press release preparation and distribution, license to use “A’ Design Award Winner Logo” in your communication, promotion of awarded works to thousands of other publications, media appearances through our press partners, inclusion in World Design Rankings as well as access to further marketing and PR tools.
You can’t ignore the 2015 DiD Award (Dongguan Cup)! Why? It’s simple … you get to show off your talents, get acknowledged by peers, judged by some pretty heavy-duty stalwarts from the industry and at the end of it, take home a booty of cash prize! Call me vain, but that’s the beauty of it all. No Sugar coating the facts! Especially if the stakes are as high as $15,000 – approx 100,000 RMB for the top-slot in the Concept Category and $7,500 approx 50,000 RMB for Product Design Category at the 2015 DiD Award (Dongguan Cup) International Industrial Design Competition.
This decade old competition is an effort by the Dongguan Municipal people’s Government and China Industrial Design Association. For this year’s competition, the theme is “Manufacturing beauty comes from design”.
The competition is open for all, and the organizers will fly in the winners to a special event held at Dongguan. I see the perks already! Name, fame, talent hunt, prize money and travel enriching experience to China.
Get moving people, the registrations and submission period ends on the 20th of September 2015. For more details on categories, timelines and prizes, hit this link.
The creative inspirations seen in Part 1 and Part 2 of the 2015 Electrolux Design Lab showcase, leaves us beyond doubt that this year will see a tough competition for the top spot. Eventually, six shortlisted designers will make their way to Helsinki, to present their project in front of a live audience and eminent judges.
You can be a part of this party, simply vote and win a trip to Helsinki and catch the action live. Read through this final roundup of projects and interview with the semi-finalists below and then follow the instructions at the bottom of the page; make your choice and WIN!
YD – How are scents recreated? Are any special substances or elements required to achieve this?
Pierosan – Through a cartridge of synthetically created esters, EchoDream will mix them and, then, create a infinity of smells.
YD – If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and what would you do there?
Pierosan – I would visit the New Zealand, give Gandalf a high-five, and learn more about the incredible landscapes of there! Posted in Uncategorized | Taggedcompetition, Competitions, Electrolux-Design-Lab
The short of it is that The Good Design Award registrations are open and the deadline for entries is June 3, 2015 – So hurry and Apply Now! In case you need convincing … read the long of it … my trip to Japan and first hand experience of the Awards, the Jury and the Exhibition at Tokyo Midtown. The journey of the awards kicked off as a benchmark for the industrialized Japan, however, over the last decade or so, the focus has shifted to include consumer goods and everyday items. This opens doors for young companies and designers from the world over to participate.
September 29 – Announcement of the award recipients
October 30 – Announcement of the Special Award winners
October 30 to November 4 – Good Design Exhibition in Tokyo
November 4 – Grand Award selection and Award Ceremony
The Good Design Award is hosted by the Japan Institute for Design Promotion and roughly 1200 designs are recognized every year. “BEST 100” items and 9 Grand Award were presented last year and the winner – Denso Wave’s robot, “VS050 SII” was spectacularly displayed in an enclosed box, doing its swag and how!
YD was a part of a special tour that got a chance to take in the sights and sounds of the exhibition. Besides feasting my eyes on the amazingly designed products, I got a chance to ask a few questions to the Chairman of the Jury, Naoto Fukasawa along with Fumie Shibata and Gen Suzuki.
When asked what was more important … design or technology, Naoto Fukasawa said that earlier it was all about design, but now we have transitioned to a phase where technology is more important. “The change has happened naturally. The aim of design is to expose the technology.”
The way Good Design Award works is this, they have a theme each year and for 2014 it was ‘Kokochi’ or ‘Quality of Comfort’, and while screening the submissions, this aspect is most applied in the final leg and is critical for you to get into the “Top 100” bracket. Aligned with this mindset, Fukasawa said that successful Kokochi simply means, “The design builds a harmonious interaction between the users and technology.” The Good Design Best 100 Special Exhibition conveys this message effectively and is visited by both Japanese and International Design enthusiasts from across the globe.
For 2015, Good Design Award has introduced “Topical Issue” as a new system in order to enhance their role. If you are participating, then please get a better understanding of this here.
Topical Issue refers to “an area where design is considered to be especially required in a coming society”. In the screening, a special team (Topical Issue Directors) to deepen discussion on these issues is organized, and observes subject entries across screening units and discusses the “possibilities in the future society” and the “roles and meaning of design”.
Moving on, it was a visual treat to see how involved Japan is in the Awards, for example I walked into the Muji Store and they had a whole counter dedicated to their award-winning products from over the decades. Almost every retail store was showcasing the G-Mark products in a special nook and according to Gen Suzuki; about 90% of the Japanese people are aware of the Good Design Award and respect its value when it comes to making buying decisions.
The Great East Japan Earthquake has left a mark in the world of design, and while Gen remarked how some of his designer friends have actually gone back to agricultural roots, the other end of the spectrum saw us walk through a special curation of Japanese Furniture Selection that hoped to “convey values through designs that have a fundamental purpose through meaning beyond direction.” Many of the designs showcased traditional craftsmanship such as Japanese woodworking as well as new technologies.
Catch them young and watch them grow – this adage is true in Japan, where the Award exhibition engaged children aged between 7 and 12, in activities that married design and technology. I got a peek at a workshop where children were asked to draw a picture over an area of a map and then they had to walk the area on the map with GPS attached to them. The idea was to see how many of them would manage to walk as close to the initial picture drawn on the map. Pretty clever!
It was a treat to visit Jury Member Fumie Shibata’s Studio, where she showed me her creations and gifted me her signature Japanese knife. I asked her what changes in the judging process has she seen over the last decade as a jury member?
Shibata: “The selection process or screening process has not changed; the environment and the focus of choosing winners is different each year, so our perspective is to match the brief of the theme for the year and judge the entry based on that. I have been a jury for the last decade and we are no longer looking at the submitted entries as stand-alone objects. We factor in the entire context and impact of the object for its intended environment. Our entire outlook is based on the whole and not the singular.”
Shibata on trends: “As for the trends in design, earlier big manufacturing companies would submit their products and these dictated the tone of the entries. Over the last five years, smaller retailers and design companies are participating and their projects have added a new dimension to the trends in design, which is more refreshing and radical. Each year there is a theme for the competition and that dictates the entry selection only at the last stage of judging. The pre-screening takes into account the overall quality and then may lead to a G-Mark Award, but for it to make the cut for special categories or the Top 100, and then the design should conform to the theme of the year.”
Shibata on advice to young designer: “Designers need to network both vertical and horizontal – meet not only mentors but also their contemporaries. When designers are creating, they should focus on staying true to their origins and at the same time blend in an international approach towards their design. This holds true to both Japanese and International Designers.”
Wrapping up my visit, I spoke with Gen Suzuki and asked him elaborate more on modern Japanese Design, “The main characteristic of Japanese Design is craftsmanship, and blending that with modern mindset is what the modern Japanese product design is. The downside of craftsmanship is that the focus is too much on the process and the product that the bigger picture is sometimes lost.” Well Said!
To sum it up, seeing is believing … and the 2014 Exhibition was Top Notch! I have come back with a profound understanding of why people praise Japanese Design so much. It’s all about the character and the mindset; using basic skills like craftsmanship and marring it with the modern implements. I can lay a bet that 2015 will be a step better, because you’re inspired by the exhibition and will be participating and winning … and I will see you in Japan in November!
Someone rightly said that success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. This kind of consistent success is something I have witnessed first hand with Emami Design, headed by Arman Emami. Last year, at the Red Dot Awards Night in Singapore, I had the pleasure of speaking with him, and my only questions to him was … how do you manage to win these many accolades every year! The answers can be found in his latest book: 360° Industrial Design.
With the intention of answering questions like – What challenges are pace and complexity bringing for product design? Arman Emami has given us a book that encompasses short, clear and entertaining texts. The book comprises a comprehensive view of relevant matters relating to industrial design. Key takeaways include:
Development steps from idea to mass production, which are described gradually and supported by illustrated examples of good practices.
A working compendium not only for design students and young designers, but also a guide book for creative lateral thinkers, product and marketing managers and all those who are interested in intelligent design.
Complex processes are displayed in an entertaining and easily understandable way.
To be very honest, our world is developing in the fast lane, getting more complex by the second. Rapidly shrinking resources and ever-fiercer global competition are in any case forcing us to re-think the entire design process. The importance of form, function, feel and appearance has evolved over the years.
According to Arman, “Today’s product design needs to achieve a good deal more than merely being ‘beautiful’. Right from the start of the design process, a different approach is needed for a product to assert itself against the competition: form and function, look and feel – all have to harmonize with one another. Economic and marketing considerations cannot be ignored either, of course. The world of modern product design is a multi-disciplinary one. In order to satisfy all these requirements, it is necessary to take into account a large number of factors in the early stages of the design process. This descriptive book highlights key factors and analytically considers current requirements. Almost as if it were a textbook, it shows how different aspects can be integrated into the concept development process.”
Besides being a great addition to your coffee-table book collection, this book is educational work for readers interested in design. A must-have for every Design House too!
Use it as a reference work, as inspiration for your own design process, as a stimulating textbook or to dip into as reading matter that stimulates the imagination!
Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: Niggli; Edition: 1 (June 2014) Language: English
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” Steve Jobs is long gone, but his words echo true for all the winners of the A’ Design Award & Competition 2014 – 2015. Today, we recap select winners, who were hand picked from the entries. In all, 836 Winners from 83 countries in 89 different design disciplines were awarded the top honor! Take a look inside ….
