07 December 2011

red dot award: design concept 2011

The winners, including the top ‘luminary’ recipient, were announced last month in Singapore. The initiator of the award, Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, gives us his thoughts on this year’s entries.

On 25 November, the red dot design museum in Singapore rolled out its red carpet yet again as winners walked the stage to receive their red dot award – and in some cases, awards!

Out of the 3,536 concepts from 54 countries that were presented to the international jury this year, 252 were selected for the red dot award, while 43 bagged the red dot: best of the best. The top red dot: luminary prize went to Microbial Home by Philips Design, the Netherlands.

Red dot award: design concept

All in all, there was an increase in submissions compared to last year, according to Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, worldwide president of the red dot design award.

"There was a 17% growth in entries. Overall the quality had definitely improved. We saw more professional level entries, especially from institutions."

Red dot award: design concept

red dot: best of the best 2011 - The Cricket is Bigger than the Beef by Claire Lemarchand, ENSCI - Les Ateliers (France)

Amongst the long list of great concepts, there were a couple that stood out in Prof. Dr. Zec's mind for their solutions in addressing "a resource stretched earth".

One of them, "The Cricket is Bigger than the Beef" by Claire Lemarchand from ENSCI - Les Ateliers, offered a way of farming crickets and wheat worm in the city, and even offices, putting forward, for argument, that insects as a food source was more positive for the environment than our standard sources of protein like beef.

Red dot award: design concept

red dot: luminary 2011 - Microbial Home by Philips Design (the Netherlands)

While in their proposal of the Microbial Home, Prof. Dr. Zec says Philips Design has recognised that the idea of having a completely sustainable home is not new but "they have taken it further, not only making it aesthetically pleasing, but also thinking about what makes the heart of a sustainable home. Their methane digester efficiently makes use of all the waste produced in the home, to convert to energy."

Red dot award: design concept

Microbial Home

The red dot award: design concept sets itself apart as the only professional level design concept competition to accept ideas and prototypes from all over the world, including product companies and design studios.

Red dot award: design concept

red dot: best of the best 2011 - Wildfire Truck by Morita Holdings Corporation (Japan)

"From the first day the competition started, we knew we only wanted to focus on discovering the best design concepts. Thus, there is no differentiation in whether the concepts come from a student, a team, or company," explains Prof. Dr. Zec.

Red dot award: design concept

Clip-It by Arman Emami (Germany)

And while it may be difficult to track all the winning concepts, he points to successful winners whose ideas have gone to market, such as Clip-It by Arman Emami, which won a red dot: best of the best in 2009, and in 2010, received a red dot: best of the best in the red dot award: product design, as well as Mobile Tail, which won a red dot: best of the best in 2010, and is now being sold in the design museum shop in Singapore.

Red dot award: design concept