Red Dot Design winners announced

The results of the prestigious Red Dot Design Award were announced last month. This year over 6,000 entrants from countries all over the world entered the awards to be judged by a panel of internationally renowned designers and design experts.

Entries were placed in three categories: ‘Communication design'; ‘Design concept' and ‘Product design' with only 43 products being awarded the ultimate prize, the ‘Best of the Best' for outstanding and innovative design. Winners included Kohler, Hansgrohe, Duravit and Samsung Electronics as well lesser known companies, many of who entered for the first time.

Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator of the award and president of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design told CID he was impressed with the quality of design of this year's entrants: "The overall standard of the products was incredibly high. Companies seem to be doing their own internal judging to determine whether or not a product has a chance of winning. On one hand this is good, on the other, it makes the jury's work even more difficult."

Zec also noted that there were patterns of design trends in the entries: "The designs showed that the standard of modern living is particularly high. In general, current living room design is characterised by elegance and the use of high-quality materials manufactured with high-grade workmanship. Pieces of furniture have become decorative objects. Emotions are the core statement of modern furniture design."

Two such examples of furniture being viewed as decorative objects are the Challenge and No Limit chairs designed by Wiege Entwicklungsgesellschaft for Italian company, Tonon and the aluminium Origami bench by van Esch.

Sandra Biasutti of Tonon described the design of the Challenge Chair as being: "Represented by an uninterrupted, fluent form which is emphasised by the flowing of the different veneered components. The heart of the chair is an aluminium bar which harmonises with the veneered layers. This detail creates an aesthetic contrast with the wood."

Lighting and lamps also played an important role in the awards. The 14 Series pendant lights designed by Omer Arbel for Bocci were also awarded a Red Dot. The family of lights, designed to be hung together in clusters, feature a cut glass sphere with a frosted cylindrical space containing a halogen light.

Erin Challoner, sales director of Bocci said: "This is our first win and I believe the 14 Series won because of its ability to easily translate into many different applications from dining rooms to atriums to retail areas."

International bathroom supplier, Hansgrohe won four awards out of the six products it entered, including the Pharo Shower Panel, Axor Citterio mixer, the Raindance Connect showerpipe and the shower head, Rainfall. Richard Grohe of Hansgrohe said: "These awards demonstrate that we are on the right path with our innovations." Other winners in the bathroom category included Grohe, Laufen Bathrooms and RIWISA AG.

Atlantique, the outdoor carpet by Carpet Sign is of particular interest to commercial interior designers seeking a flooring solution for areas of heavy traffic. The carpet which is available in either a cut-pile or loop-pile style is water and UV resistant, easy to clean and anti-bacterial. Lilianne Dieudonné, general manager of Carpet Sign said: "The inspiration for the carpet was the desire of the designer, Feico Dieudonné, to cocoon and lounge intimately with friends in an outdoor environment."

Winners of the ‘Best of the Best' award include the Andoo chair by Walter Knoll; the Sundeck bathtub by Duravit and the new Siedle door phone. On why Siedle thought the phone won, Peter Strobel said: "Because it is outstanding and independent. It is also different from its competitors as well as its predecessors."

The winning products will be on display in the exhibition ‘Design on Stage - Winners Red Dot Award; Product Design 2007' at the Essen Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany from June 26th to July 23rd for members of the public to view. For a complete list of winners visit www.reddot.org.