Electrolux Design Lab’s 10th Anniversary challenge to international design students is tied to Electrolux professional knowledge and exprience in a theme that stimulates all senses.

Electrolux Design Lab is a global annual design competition inviting students and recent graduates of industrial design to compete for a six-month paid internship and prize money by submitting ideas that develop the sensory experience of home appliances. This year the jury will also take special note of the aesthetic qualities of the concept and the way textures and surface materials have been used.

Brief: Design Experience
As demonstrated in the Cube by Electrolux, the world of professional cooking is all about the experience. It’s not about achieving the perfect inner temperature of a steak for the sake of science or performance. It’s about designing the best possible experience for your guests. The creative force behind the experience is the merger of intuitive and innovative appliances with the creativity of the chef and carefully selected high quality ingredients.

The brief for Electrolux Design Lab 2012 challenges design students to draw inspiration from professional experience creators (chefs, architects, interior designers, hotel designers etc.) to design home appliances that will provide a fuller sensory experience. It might be through state of the art technology or it might be through a clever blend of textures and surfaces

Entrants will also need to consider the heritage of Electrolux. Submissions should reflect Scandinavian Design values by being sensitive to the environment, providing intuitive ease of use and aesthetic appeal.

“I believe the importance of our sensory perception is underestimated in a lot of today’s design. Too much importance is accorded to the visual. What if we could incorporate our other senses into design? Could we smell who’s calling? Or feel what’s on TV?” says Henrik Otto SVP of Global Design at Electrolux.

Autumn finals in Europe
Eight finalists will each be invited to participate in a final event in the autumn of 2012 held within a European city (to be announced) to present their individual concept to a jury of expert designers. The jury will consider entries based on intuitive design, innovation, aesthetic qualities and consumer insight when awarding the first prize of a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre and 5,000 Euros. A second prize of 3,000 Euros and third prize of 2,000 Euros are also on offer.

Deadline for entry is 23:59 CET June 1, 2012

For more detailed information please see the Competition section where you can read the full brief presentation, read up on the rules and register.

To see more of the event and hear the students present their concepts, the jury’s questions and the speakers, click here. ]]> http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2011/11/electrolux-design-lab-2011-final-review/feed/ 1 http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2011/09/electrolux-design-lab-2011-finals-on-demand/ http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2011/09/electrolux-design-lab-2011-finals-on-demand/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:55:42 +0000 admin http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/?p=3419 If you missed any of the 2011 Electrolx Design Lab final or simply want to watch a specific presentation again, then you can do so through our intuitive video tool. Simply follow the link or click the image below 2011 Electrolux Design Lab On-demand

You can see the event schedule here: Electrolux Design Lab 2011 Presentation Schedule or by clicking on the image below:

Watch the 2011 Electrolux Design Lab Live

The winner of the 2011 Electrolux Design Lab competition will need to impress a jury consisting of leading architects and product designers at a live event in London on 7th September at the Room Home Intelligence Conference. Danish designer Cecilie Manz; award winning architects Hayes and James Slade; and Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux, will assess eight finalists as they present ‘Intelligent Mobility’ themed domestic appliances.

Introducing The Electrolux Design Lab 2011 Jury Panel:

Cecilie Manz:
Born in 1972, Cecile Manz is an award winning designer who lives and works in Copenhagen. Educated at the Danish Design School Copenhagen and University of Art and Design Helsinki, Finland, Manz has exhibited at a number of prestigious locations including MoMA New York, Vitra Design Museum Basel, and ‘The Third Design for Architecture Symposium’ Alvar Aalto Academy, Finland. Manz has previously worked with Fritz Hansen, Fredericia Furniture, Nils Holger Moormann, LightYears, Holmegaard, PP Møbler, Muuto, Mooment, Georg Jensen Damask and others. www.ceciliemanz.com

Hayes & James Slade
In 2002, Hayes and James Slade founded Slade Architecture seeking to focus on architecture and design across scales and program types. Their work has been widely recognized in more than 200 publications. Their awards include Progressive Architecture (PA) Awards, Interior Design Best of Year Awards, AIA awards and NYC Public Design Commission Award for Design Excellence. They were part of the Ordos 100 and were recognized by the New York Architecture League for their Emerging Voices Lecture series in 2010. Their work has been exhibited internationally including the Venice Bienale (Italy), the Museum of Modern Art (US), The National Building Museum (US), The Deutsches Architektur Museum (Germany), and O Gallery (China). www.sladearch.com

Henrik Otto

Henrik Otto

Henrik Otto joined Electrolux in 2004 and heads up a team of some 150 design professionals working at the company’s design centres in Australia, Brazil, Italy, Singapore, Sweden, and the USA. Otto’s approach focuses on the company’s “Thoughtful Design” strategy, which is based on developing and applying consumer insights into all aspects of product design: its functionality, usability and visual appearance. Electrolux has won numerous awards, including several red dot and iF design awards. www.electrolux.com

Electrolux Design Lab 2011 Global Finalists

The theme of the 2011 Electrolux Design Lab contest challenged students to create innovate solutions that consider Intelligent Mobility within appliance design for use both within and beyond the home. 1,300+ entries from more than 50 countries were received. The final eight designers will be announced 12th July. The jury will consider intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight when awarding the first prize of a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre and 5,000 Euros. A second prize of 3,000 Euros and third prize of 2,000 Euros are also on offer.

Electrolux will present the eight finalists, representing Australia; Canada; Finland; Hungary; New Zealand; Slovakia and the USA, in a programme that also features insights from Electrolux product specialists and leading designers, including Electrolux global head of Design, Henrik Otto.

“The Eight finalists have shown insight and innovation to make it this far in the 2011 Electrolux Design Lab challenge” say’s Henrik Otto, SVP of Global Design at Electrolux. ”In what was a particularly challenging brief, the top eight are to be congratulated for their lateral thinking and creativity but they will now need to demonstrate why their concept should be crowned absolute winner.”

September finals at Room Home Intelligence Conference, London
The Eight finalists will each present their concept at the Business Design Centre, London on September 7th 2011. The jury will consider entries based on intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight when awarding the first prize of a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre and 5,000 Euros. A second prize of 3,000 Euros and third prize of 2,000 Euros are also on offer.

More on the eight finalists can be seen below:

1: Robo TAP Cleaner

Country: South Korea
Designer: Gyu Ha Choi
School: Handong Global University

The Robo TAP is a smart evolution of the robotic vacuum cleaner used to target an exact area for cleaning. An IPS system aligned with a simple remote control is attached to the shoe or slipper of the user. Two taps on a dirty spot directs the Robo TAP to the precise area for cleaning. Two more taps will cancel the order and three taps returns the vacuum cleaner to its automatic programme. Now you can dance your way to a clean home!

2: Mobile Induction Heat Plate

Country: Finland
Designer: Tommi Moilanen
School: Aalto University School of Art and Design

This smart induction hot plate is a compact solution for those on the go. Place the heat plate wherever you want and pair it with your smart-phone to gain a child safe remote control. The smart-phone app is designed to be used with intelligent food packaging where NFC-tags provide instructions on how to heat the food properly. The smart-phone app also comes with a memory that intuitively remembers how you previously cooked. The induction plate is a glossy black and white design with a wooden handle that makes it easy to carry and store and can be hung on a wall when charging the battery. This heating plate is hot in every sense!

3: Onda Portable Microwave

Country: USA
Designer: Matthew Schwartz
School: California State University Long Beach

The Onda portable microwave oven is a very clever twist on an appliance that was first introduced to homes in 1955. Pre-prepared meals are placed in compatible food packages and warmed with microwaves. Specifically, the Onda is slid on to the packaging and the aluminum contained within the interior of the handheld device creates a circuit connection when the seal of the packaging is broken. Paper batteries are used to produce energy, making the Onda both smart and eco-friendly. The Onda also comes in a range of different colors for personal preference.

4: Portable Spot Cleaner

Country: Slovakia
Designer: Adrian Mankovecky
School: Academy of Fine Arts and Design Bratislava

Whether you’re a back packer or a business traveler you will love this small portable cleaner
Separate the two components, place on either side of the garment and choose the suitable cleaning program. Negative Ions and steam refresh clothing and remove stains. Powered with a sugar crystal battery, you can use it practically anywhere in the world.

5: Ribbon

Country: Australia
Designer: Enzo Kocak
School: Monash University

The Ribbon is a multi-purpose heater and cooler for portable use. Its unique shape and flexibility allows for wrapping around a vessel containing food or drink for heating or chilling. The black side provides heat, whereas the white cools. You can curl it up, take it with you, fold out and even puzzle together to use as a hotplate. Controls placed on the side facilitate easy use. The chargeable thermoelectric cell battery can also reverse the charging process – whilst not in use the cells convert excess heat back in to electricity.

6: Salvé Bagel Toaster

Country: Canada
Designer: Kent Madden
School: Carleton University
This portable bagel toaster is especially convenient for those who can’t find time to eat breakfast. Place a bagel in the toaster and it will automatically start rotating. When happy with the color of the freshly toasted bagel, simply remove and enjoy. The toaster is very energy efficient being run on sugar crystal batteries or recharged on a ceramic dock using induction. Now there are no excuses for missing the most important meal of the day!

7: Smoobo Blender

Country: New Zealand
Designer: Roseanne de Bruin
School: Massey University

The Smoobo blender is enjoyable and easy to use. Simply open the blender, put the ingredients inside and bounce. Each bounce activates the kinetic batteries, which in turn power the rotary blades to create a perfectly blended smoothie that can be enjoyed by opening the pouring cap. The Smoobo’s nodular exterior makes bouncing unpredictably fun!

8: Sous-vide Cell Cooker

Country: Hungary
Designer: Adam Miklosi
School: University of West Hungary – Institute of Applied Arts

The Sous-vide Cell Cooker is inspired by the professional trend of slow food cooking. The Sous-vide helps you cook delicious healthy food at pre-indicated times. Personalised internet and smart-phone software helps you plan your food menu a week ahead (saving time) and aids you in buying the necessary ingredients. Ingredients are sealed in airtight plastic bags and held within a water bath (72 hours is not unusual as a cooking time)—at an accurately determined temperature and much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 60 °C or 140 °F. The intention is to maintain the integrity of ingredients and achieve very precise control of cooking.

The written brief and confirmation of what we are looking for is given below by Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux.

Solutions that Inspire, Support and Guide
“Now in its ninth year, Electrolux Design Lab allows young designers to test themselves and gain valuable insight in to the world of commercial product design” says Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux. “In particular, the 2011 brief seeks design concepts that will inspire users whilst utilising existing technology to offer support and guidance.” Otto continued “This challenge is not just about making appliances that are physically more portable, rather it is about providing flexible control to liberate time and support creative expression.”

Entrants will also need to consider the heritage of Electrolux. Submissions should reflect Scandinavian Design values by being sensitive to the environment, providing intuitive ease of use and aesthetic appeal.

Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux.

Autumn finals in Europe
Eight finalists will each be invited to participate in a final event in the autumn of 2011 held within a European city (to be announced) to present their individual concept to a jury of expert designers. The jury will consider entries based on intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight when awarding the first prize of a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre and 5,000 Euros. A second prize of 3,000 Euros and third prize of 2,000 Euros are also on offer.

Deadline for entry is 23:59 Sunday May 1 2011 (Central European Time), here on the Electrolux Design Lab website.

Brief in full:
Electrolux Design Lab 2011 invites industrial design students to create home appliances that consider intelligent mobility. Your ideas will shape how people prepare and store food, clean and do their dishes, both within and beyond the home. In particular we seek a design concept that will offer personalisation and inspires users whilst utilising existing technology to offer support and guidance. Additionally, and in keeping with the heritage of Electrolux, your concept should reflect Scandinavian Design values – being sensitive to the environment, providing intuitive ease of use and aesthetic appeal.

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

Read Henrik’s posts and visit Despoke design.