New generation of designers think outside the white box
Stockholm · November 19, 2007 – Young people today are more concerned about the environment than ever before. So when home appliance maker Electrolux asked industrial design students from around the world to create sustainable household appliances for the year 2020, they came up with some creative, unconventional solutions.
Electrolux Design Lab is an annual global competition, which this year seeks green solutions for the home of the future. Hundreds of entries were submitted and eight finalists have been invited to the final judging event and award ceremony in Paris, where the winner will be announced on November 28.
The finalists are:
Circompo by Thanat Tengamnuay from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand. Circompo is a composter and garbage bin that decomposes organic waste-especially food-using microorganisms that are kept under ideal conditions of air, moisture and heat to speed the process.
e-Wash by Levente Szabó from Moholy-Nagy University of Art & Design, Hungary. E-Wash is a compact washing machine with a regular wash load capacity that uses soap nuts instead of regular detergents.
Fog Shower by Joăo Diego Schimansky from Pontificia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brazil. Fog Shower is a shower that uses a fog of microscopic water droplets and only two liters of water for a five-minute shower, compared to 26 liters for today's most efficient water-saving showerheads.
Go Fresh by He Cheng Fei from Jiangnan University, China. Go Fresh is an energy-saving fridge with 12 individual, honeycomb-shaped compartments that are temperature-controlled and automatically close the air inlet when the correct temperature is reached.
Nature Wind by Bae Won-Ho from Dong-A University, South Korea. Nature Wind is a solar-powered aircleaner mounted to a window that uses a series of filters to refresh and sanitize household air.
Pebble by Laura Pandelle from École Boulle, France. Pebble is a solar food cooker that uses spray-on solar cells and induction heating for precise, energy-efficient cooking.
Pure Washer by Tatjana Voronova from Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. Pure Washer is a rotating dual kitchen sink and detergent-free compact dishwasher that reduces water consumption and uses degassed water to remove oily dirt from dishes.
Return Pot by Juan Ying-Hao from Cranbrook Academy of Art, USA. Return Pot is a plastic decomposer that turns plastic bags made from polyactic acid (PLA) resin into compost for plants.
The Jury
Challenging these finalists to meet the highest standards is a jury of internationally renowned members of the environmental, design, and technology communities. They include award-winning French industrial designer Matali Crasset, international environmental activist Céline Cousteau, the UK's best known Gadget and Consumer Technology presenter Jason Bradbury, and Head of Global Design at Electrolux Henrik Otto."Electrolux engages young, talented designers because they are inspirational to work with and naturally think 'outside of the box'," says Otto. "And in return, Design Lab provides them with once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with world-class designers and provides them with publicity that opens doors. Last year's winner, Metin Kaplan from Turkey, says he's become somewhat of a celebrity in his home country and has received educational opportunities and job offers. He is currently serving his internship at our Design Center in Stockholm."
About Design Lab
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. Previous themes have included designs to encourage healthy eating habits and have attracted entries from thousands of students from around the world. The Design Lab has a First Prize of 5,000 Euro and a six-month internship at one of Electrolux's global design centers.Press materials
Broadcast quality downloadable B-roll, high-resolution photography, press releases, as well as past editions of Design Lab can be found on the competition's website: www.ElectroluxDesignLab.com.Media inquiries contact:
Ulrich Gartner+46 8 738 6396
designlab@electrolux.se
Related Links
www.ElectroluxDesignLab.comDesign Lab TV
Design Lab Press Room
http://www.electrolux.com/press
About the Electrolux Group
Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, selling more than 40 million products to customers in 150 countries every year. The company focuses on innovations that are thoughtfully designed, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals. Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cookers sold under esteemed brands such as Electrolux, AEG-Electrolux, Zanussi, Eureka and Frigidaire. In 2006, Electrolux had sales of SEK 104 billion and 56,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.electrolux.com.
Design Lab Finalists Video
Design Lab TV
Press Materials
on Design Lab website
Fog Shower,
water-saving shower
Go Fresh,
energy-saving fridge
Pebble,
solar food cooker
Return Pot,
plastic decomposer
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