Welcome to the stand! On the white desk you might just spot the Electrolux Aurora induction hob.

Up close and personal with the Electrolux Induction Hob.

The Electrolux RealLife Dishwasher proves a draw for all ages…

As did the Electrolux Design Lab concepts!

Previous finalists have included a portable solar cooker charged by its spray-on solar cells, a clothes washer where natural soap nuts replace detergents and a cooker that creates the night’s salmon dinner from a packet of genetically engineered muscle cells, oxygen, and nutrients.

The popularity of Electrolux Design Lab stems from a potential internship and learning opportunities awarded its finalists. For Electrolux, its dialogue and ideas are a springboard to thinking beyond current solutions to addressing challenges consumers face tomorrow.

In the short term, future generations of appliances will appear much the same as those found in our kitchens and laundry rooms today, however more intuitive, more energy-efficient and material-homogenous. Beyond individual appliances, we are thinking of the sustainable home, which is an integrated network where the waste from one product rejuvenates the function of another.

The leftovers from yesterday’s dinner composts into fuel for the gas stove, water for the washing machine is heated by the district heating system, and heat output from refrigerators and other electrical goods is captured and piped to a place where it keeps occupants warm on a chilly night. In mega-cities where space is tight, we see how individual needs can be served by shared appliances, like on-demand laundry services and compartment freezers for apartment buildings—resource savers that consume a fraction of the energy of today’s solutions.

Vac from the Sea

At Electrolux, we see sustainable design’s future as a culmination of the visual and interactive experience one enjoys when using a product, whilst simultaneously allowing us to make a change for the better. In the age of the conversation, designers are now better placed than ever to take this forward in tandem with consumers.

One particular conversation is also to be had with the suppliers of raw materials. Our foremost challenge in a world where population and economies are growing exponentially is to continually reduce the impacts of our products while guiding the consumer on how to make further sustainability choices.

In a push to Electrolux suppliers, we have highlighted the shortage of quality recycled plastic that can be used to manufacture products, whilst concurrently showing our concern with the amount of plastic that pollutes the environment. This is illustrated by our Vac from the Sea initiative which has seen Electrolux use plastic waste in the production of vacuum cleaners. Surely there is a permanent bridge that can be built to banish such discrepancies.

You can find out more about our ‘Vac from the Sea’ at:
www.electrolux.com/vacfromthesea

If you missed any of the Electrolux Design Lab final then you can watch all of the presentations by Electrolux Designers and the eight finalists on demand right here

The Snail is a portable heating and cooking device based on magnetic induction processes. Such is the size and versatility of the Snail, it can be stuck directly on to a pot, a pan, a mug etc. to heat the contents.This reduces the amount of space required for conventional cooking whilst adding portability to the process. Powered by a high density sugar crystal battery, the Snail converts the energy from the sugar, heating up a coil to conduct the magnetic induction process to the utensil. Integrated sensors detect the food type being heated so as to automatically adjust the time and temperature. A simple touch sensitive display with interface helps to monitor the process.

Jury motivation

The Snail is a well researched concept that even goes beyond the brief. In addition to being a solution for city dwellers, it offers a wider social potential for use in remote areas; just as the first mobile phone opened opportunities.

The organic design is polarizing and shows potential for differentiation and personalization as there would be many options for use of different colors and shapes.

“It is a great honour to win one of the best product design competitions running” said Peter Alwin. “However, this is about more than just the award. The Electrolux Design Lab has given me a great learning experience. Meeting my fellow finalists and seeing the different approach to design from around the world is very rewarding and especially receiving some great feedback from the jury. This is my first time travelling outside of India and something I’ll never forget. I’m now looking forward to starting my six month placement with Electrolux.”

The jury

The jury included Ineke Hans, founder of design office INEKEHANS/ARNHEM, Benjamin Hubert (Design of the year, British Design awards 2010), Jon Marshall, Studio Director at BarberOsgerby; and Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux.

The Award

The Electrolux Design Lab 2010 award is a prize of € 5000 and a six-month paid internship at one of Electrolux global design centers. The award for second place went to The Bio Robot Refrigerator, the Cool, Green, Food Preservation by Yuriy Dmitriev, CSU, Russia. Third place went to The Elements Modular Kitchen, All-In-One Kitchen Shelving by Matthew Gilbride, North Carolina State University, USA. The Bio Robot Refrigerator also received the People’s Choice Award—as voted for online.

The competition theme

For Electrolux Design Lab’s eight edition, undergraduate and graduate industrial design students were invited to create home appliances that consider how people prepare and store food, wash clothes, and do dishes in shrinking domestic spaces. Growing populations living in an urban environment dictate a need for greater space efficiency. The design ideas should address key consumer requirements; being green, adaptive to time and space, and allowing for individualization.

This year over 1,300 entries were submitted from students in more 50 countries.

The top eight finalists

FIRST PLACE: The Snail, Micro Induction Heating by Peter Alwin, National Institute of Design, India

SECOND PLACE: Bio Robot Refrigerator, Cool, Green, Food Preservation by Yuriy Dmitriev, CSU, Russia

THIRD PLACE: Elements Modular Kitchen, All-In-One Kitchen Shelving by Matthew Gilbride, North Carolina State University, USA

PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Bio Robot Refrigerator, Cool, Green, Food Preservation by Yuriy Dmitriev, CSU, Russia

• The Kitchen Hideaway, by Daniel Dobrogorsky, Monash University, Australia
• Clean Closet, All in One Laundry Concept by Michael Edenius, Umeå Institute of Design, Sweden
• Dismount Washer, Wash & Go Laundry by Lichen Guo, Zhejiang University of Technology, China
• External Refrigerator, External Cooling by Nicolas Hubert, L’Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique, France
• Eco Cleaner, the Portable, Compact Dishwasher by Ahi Andy Mohsen, Elm o Sanat University, Iran

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.

The competition has had different themes and culminates in a new city every year at an international press event. Previous themes and venues include: 90 years ahead, London, 2009; 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.

For more information, press materials, and on-demand videos visit www.electrolux.com/designlab. Media inquiries contact designlab@electrolux.se or Electrolux Press Hotline +46 8 657 6507.

The stand, designed by BarberOsgerby and Universal Design Studio, reflects Electrolux Scandinavian Design values – providing a sleek, functional and attractive space with minimal impact. The stand is recyclable (it is intended for use again at further exhibitions) and includes material such as cork flooring (which is enviornmentally friendlier, for instance, than a wooden floor) and is also fully recyclable. To see more images, then just scroll down this post.

The stand will showcase the 2010 Electrolux Design Lab concepts and also Electrolux products, including the Aurora Hob, RealLife Dishwasher (a working transparent version) and the intuitive Inspiro Oven.

You can see the Kitchen Hideaway concept featured on the alternative side of the bag below:

Jon was born in 1970 in Dorchester, Dorset and graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1996 with a masters degree in industrial design. He has previously worked at internationally acclaimed design studios Pentagram London and Ross Lovegrove.

What are some of your favourite product designs?

Growing up, I was inspired by products such as the Leica M4 camera, the Sony Walkman 2 and The Braun ET66 calculator. They are all logically assembled and have a rigorous attention to detail. Some more recent favourites include Konstantin Grcic’s ‘Mayday’ lamp for Flos and Naoto Fukasawa’s ‘Tray with Light’ for plus Minus Zero. They both have a functional elegance that is combined with a degree of wit, which I like very much. Finally, a true favourite, and something I use everyday, is the iconic octagonal Moka espresso maker. It was designed by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and is still in production almost unchanged today.

Describe your design style?

I work in a very considered, almost systematic way in order to produce and develop objects that are both functional and beautiful and fit a specific brief. I would say that at BarberOsgerby we produce enduring and functional design but, importantly, design that has a soul.

Give an example of your greatest design accomplishment so far?
I am very proud of the Tab Lamp for Flos, it is a very simple form but one which took five years of development to bring to market. Much of the time was spent actually paring down all the elements of the lamp and removing details in order to retain the simple charm of our first cardboard model. The end result has a strong character but is also a very functional, efficient design.

What kinds of projects are you working on now?

I’m currently working on an updated version of the Tab lamp, due to be launched later this year, which integrates LED technology as the light source. The LEDs have the same lighting quality and output as the current halogen version but with one fifth of the power consumption. Because they have a completely different form to the halogen lamps, we are redesigning several components to fit them into the same main body design.

What are the latest trends in colours, materials, patterns?

New developments in technology, manufacturing and materials often inform new design choices in colour, finish and pattern. Recently I have been particularly interested in the development of digital production using processes that are traditionally only used for prototyping. With these processes the raw material finish becomes more prevalent in the finished design. Our Iris tables, for example, are CNC machined from solid aluminium. The raw aluminium surface is then anodised in various colours, preserving its natural shine without coating or painting. For the Sony installation at the Milan Furniture Fair this year, we used stereolithography to make a large furniture piece. The slightly translucent colour of the resin is a feature of the design.

How important is sustainability to your work (both in term of design and choice of materials)?

Efficient design and careful use of materials not only helps the environment but reduces cost for manufacturers and end users. But there is a careful compromise to be made between reducing material use and creating good quality products that are long lasting. This adds considerable complexity to discussions about sustainability. When we designed the De La Warr Pavilion Chair, for example, we reduced weight by eliminating material in the frame castings. However, we ended up putting some material back in because our research showed that for coastal outdoor use, very lightweight chairs get easily damaged by blowing over in the wind and often need replacing.

Considering a move toward greater urbanisation, how do you think that will affect how we live our lives in the future?

It will lead to less personal space in cities, both in dwellings, public spaces and throughout the transportation infrastructure. It is important that designers and engineers come up with creative solutions to these issues. I do think, however, that there will be positives too: I hope that greater demands on cultural institutions and a more multi-cultural society will mean more choice and better quality in theatres, museums, galleries and music venues. You can already see this happening in London and it has great benefits for designers as both consumers and creators of culture.

Who or what has most inspired you as a designer?
I grew up by the sea and spent much of my childhood messing about in boats, so I would say the maritime world, both natural and man made, has been a huge inspiration. As for designers, I admire Dieter Rams and Achile Castiglioni. I spend a lot of time with Architects and draw inspiration from Architecture in general, but especially Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Peter Zumtor and Herzog de Muron. Aside from that, artists like Richard Wentworth and Tom Sachs have been a huge inspiration.

What advice would you give to young designers just starting their careers?

I always stress to young designers that their naivety and fresh way of thinking is often their greatest asset when they develop projects in a team. Energy and enthusiasm are really important and they should not get anxious about lack of knowledge. Be persistent, ask questions and try to meet and talk to as many people as possible in the design profession.

And what advice would you give this year’s Electrolux Design Lab finalists?

They have already all worked extremely hard to develop brilliant raw ideas so thoroughly and convincingly for presentation at this level. A great achievement! This is now their time to be in the spotlight so my advice would be to just relax and enjoy the moment, talk to as many people as possible, and make the most of this unique experience.

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