I guess August is the month of closing contests 🙂 While we just passed 500 World-Changing Dreams shared in our on-going IF WE Challenge ending on August 10, another global contest called “Age of Design” will end on August 20!
Age of Design is co-organized by AutoDesign&Styling magazine supported by the civic association Czechdesign, for the second consecutive year. The theme is very free, only restricted to the requirement that the idea should be in the form of a “scenario”. It is set in Prague as an important European city, an inspiring place with a rich history, and a potential seedbed of future trends.
The scenario asks the designers to step into the near future and challenges them, through the use of individual objects or products, to present their vision of a modern European city and its inhabitants. What do the cars and other vehicles on the streets of Prague look like? What clothes do people wear? What objects do they use every day, how do they spend their free time? Any single product can be successful. The award will go to those products that tend towards simplicity, uniqueness, utility and aesthetic quality. By the choice of theme,the organizers want to draw attention to the significant role of applied design in our everyday lives.
Anne Asensio, Vice President Design Experience, Dassault Systèmes and the chairwoman of last edition’s jury, said:
We’ve chosen to ‘open up’ the competition this year in order for the challenge to encourage a more ‘holistic’ design approach. We also expect a wider spectrum of designers from various industries to take part. The challenge for the designers will be far from easy but meaningful: to help people experience better and more sustainable lives. We will be happy to help these young designers in gaining experience and valuable counseling that will support their future work.
Three finalists will make it into a three-day final workshop that will be held in Prague, with participants being given an opportunity to improve their projects under the leadership of an experienced designer. They will have 3D design tool CATIA Natural Sketch at their disposal. The winners will be announced in the November issue of AutoDesign&Styling. The creator of the best project will be awarded a prize of EUR 1,000, the runner-up will receive EUR 500 and EUR 300 will go to the third placed entry.
All of the details of Dassault Systèmes Design Challenge 2012 can be found on the website of AutoDesign&Styling, where participants can register and enter their project. Last year’s edition, where participants were given the task of designing a new taxi for Prague, attracted entries from 80 designers based in 23 countries. Diego Garcia from Spain was the winner with his electric vehicle concept ‘Visitor’.
Watch below a video of last year’s edition jury:
