The Electrolux Design Lab 2009 global design competition invites undergraduate and graduate industrial design students around the world to submit their innovative home appliance ideas for the next 90 years, deadline May 31.
Electrolux, a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, this year celebrates its 90-year anniversary with its Design Lab theme: “Designs for the next 90 years”.
The brief for the competition’s 7th edition is to create thoughtfully-designed home appliances that will shape how people prepare and store food, wash clothes, and do dishes over the next nine decades.
The design ideas should address key consumer insights such as being adaptive to time and space, provide learning and allow for individualization.
“We’re looking for really daring ideas and solutions,” says Henrik Otto, Sr VP of Global Design at Electrolux who explains more about the competition in his “Call for entries” video.
A limited number of finalists will be invited to participate in the final event in London September 24, 2009, to present their entries to a jury of high-level designers and experts. The jury will review the entries based on intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight and then select a winner.
The Electrolux Design Lab 2009 has a First Prize of 5,000 Euro and a six-month paid internship at one of the Electrolux global design centers. The second prize is 3,000 Euro and third prize 2,000 Euro.
“Working with young, talented designers provides inspiration for future products and solutions,” adds Otto. “It also helps Electrolux spot the hottest, new talent out there.”
Entry deadline is May 31, 2009. Students may enter one entry via the Electrolux Design Lab website at www.electrolux.com/designlab
About Electrolux Design Lab
Established in 2003, Electrolux Design Lab is an annual global design competition open to undergraduate and graduate industrial design students who are invited to present innovative ideas for household appliances of the future. Over the years, Design Lab has received thousands of entries from students in more than 100 countries.
Electrolux Design Lab has led directly to jobs and business opportunities in the design field for many of the contestants. Three finalists are currently employed in one of the Electrolux Global Design centers and last year’s winner is doing his 6-month internship. Others have gone on to found successful design businesses.
The competition has had different themes and culminates in a new city every year at an international press event. Previous themes and venues include: Designs for the Internet generation, Zurich, 2008; Green designs, Paris, 2007; Designs for healthy eating, Barcelona, 2006; Designs of the future, Stockholm, 2005; Designs of the future, New York, 2004; User-driven solutions, Budapest, 2003.
Last year’s competition “Designs for the Internet generation” was won by Stefan Buchberger from Vienna University of Applied Arts Austria with Flatshare, a modular fridge solution for shared living spaces.
For more information and press materials visit www.electrolux.com/designlab. Media inquiries contact: Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07, designlab@electrolux.se
