Enthusiastic anticipation at Zollverein - ten scholarship winners begin their work – studies on the topic ‘Universal Home’

Young designers and architects from all around the world were invited to apply for one of a total of ten scholarships which were awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen on behalf of Entwicklungsgesellschaft Zollverein. From among the more than 50 applications from 24 nations the three jurors Professor Ron Nabarro from Israel, architect Professor Karl-Heinz Petzinka, and Professor Dr. Peter Zec, president of the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen and president of the world umbrella organisation of design Icsid, selected ten applicants. Today they met for the first time in the premises of the red dot design museum to get to know each other and for the introductory lecture on the topic they will be dealing with over the next 12 months: ‘Universal Home’. The scholarship winners will allow a first insight into their work at a symposium on 15 November 2006.

“As jurors we were very happy to be able to choose from so many promising applications,” said Professor Zec, who will look after the academic side of the project for the whole duration. “I think we have put together a very likable team which consists of different personalities who will work together and supplement each other excellently.”

The six female and four male scholarship winners are between 22 and 40 years old and come from Brazil, China, Germany, Canada, Malta, Turkey, Hungary, and Vietnam. For one year they will work on the topic ‘Universal Home’ and develop ideas for home environments suitable for all ages – an important topic in times of a constantly aging society. In the one-year research and development project the six designers and four architects are to develop solutions of what a living situation could look like which grows with the occupants and is flexible, thus adjusting to the respective requirements at different ages.

“I am especially excited about this project and its results", said Roland Weiss, CEO of the Entwicklungsgesellschaft Zollverein (EGZ), and instigator of the project. "It is another important building block for the promotion of Zollverein as a design center and could, with the results of Universal Home, continue in the tradition of time and again presenting important architectural symbols, such as in the building of the Zeche area, the renovation of the boiler house and coal wash, and now with the construction of the Zollverein School of Management and Design."

During the project there will be office space available to the scholarship winners. The scholarship winners will also be supported with 1,000 euros per month for the duration of one year. Furthermore, the scholarship will be accompanied by colloquia under the direction of Professor Peter Zec. The results of the project will be documented in a publication.

The support of several interesting German companies was gained for the project. They will give the scholarship winners insight into their research work and will also be available as advisers. The consortium of companies includes Carpet Concept, Dorma, Duravit, Gardena, Kahla Porzellan, Keuco, Miele, Poggenpohl, Walter Knoll, Vaillant, and WMF. In order to get to know each other, the ten young designers and architects will visit all the companies in the initial weeks. Then, however, concentrated and intensive work will be required, because on 15 November 2006 the scholarship winners will already present and put up for discussion their first ideas to the interested expert audience in a symposium.

Background information on the scholarship competition

Thanks to its more than 50 years of experience in design promotion, the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen as organiser of the scholarship programme has the competence and the network to bring together young creative designers and architects from all over the world with design-oriented German companies. The joint work on the future-relevant subject ‘Universal Home’ is to enhance the knowledge transfer between talented young designers and architects with high innovative potential and the industry as well as to strengthen Zollverein as a design location. The Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen has organised the project on behalf of Entwicklungsgesellschaft Zollverein, whose task is to develop and implement the master plan of the Zollverein world cultural heritage. The project is subsidised by the European Union, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Essen.

www.universal-home.de

Please click here for more information about the ten scholarship winners.