Tomorrow’s trendsetters: the best design concepts 2007

Results of the red dot award: design concept 2007

The results of this year’s red dot award: design concept have been released. The international expert jury evaluated a total of 884 submissions from 46 countries for outstanding design quality and distinguished 105 with a red dot award. Another eighteen received the distinction red dot: best of the best for highest design quality. The latter are automatically nominated for the competition’s premium award red dot: luminary, the winner of which will be announced at the awards ceremony on 30 November.

Compared with last year, the number of submissions for the red dot award: design concept increased by almost 50 percent – an outstanding figure that confirms the significance of this division of the red dot design award. Designers and design firms have come to recognize the opportunities offered by creative and daring visions. After all, in a time where virtually everything is possible on a technical level, creativity is an increasingly important asset. "Design is not only shape and form and colours, it is also the concept behind, and this ability is the future power of the design world", said Werner Aisslinger, member of this year’s red dot award: design concept jury.

In the following we present the most exciting trends of the red dot award: design concept 2007:

Intelligent solutions, packaged in clean design

The designers of this year’s winning concepts focus on the essentials. Clean, sober design without technical gimmicks prevails, whether the aim is to simplify tasks at work or at home or to contribute to areas such as education and leisure.

One simple design that has everyone saying “Now why didn’t I think of that!” is the “Roly-Poly Pot” by ID+IM, Korea. The decreasing weight of the flower pot shows the owner when the plant has to be watered.

Equally clean and intelligent is “Squareplay” by Oloop from Slovenia. Squareplay is a playground for parents and children, consisting of two textile layers that are sewn together at the edges. The top layer has a slot into which the players can slip. The abstract nature of Squareplay gives the imagination free reign: it can serve as a hiding-place or open surface, offers an interior and exterior realm, and can be used by one or many players.

Ecologically correct – design goes green

The team of Instant architects from Switzerland developed “UNITED_BOTTLE”, a novel concept that implements used water bottles as a building material in crisis regions such as refugee camps. The concept is to withdraw the PET bottles from their usual recycling cycle and to deliver them to a crisis region upon demand. There, they can be filled with local materials such as stones, sand, or earth. Their shapes allow for efficient and stable stacking, making them a suitable construction material for smaller buildings or to repair damaged buildings.

Sneak preview of tomorrow’s possibilities 

Not many innovations have the potential of changing an entire industry sector. In the following we present concepts that promise to leave their mark.

Clothing that shows emotions. “Skin”, by Philips, is two-layered clothing that has biometric sensors on the side touching the skin. The measurements are then transmitted to LEDs attached to the outer layer, thereby displaying the emotions of the wearer.

The future belongs to individuality. The “Universal Table Generator” by Timothy Schreiber and Sean Hanna from England allows users to arrange a table according to their personal preferences.

The concept car “Saab Aero X” is also a top trendsetting design. Hybrid cars are well on their way of becoming the norm. Now Saab is bringing this sector to another level. The Saab Aero X breaks with current design conventions. Doing wholly without doors and A-pillar, the Aero X has instead the cockpit of a jet. Running exclusively on bioethanol, the 400-hp strong car is not only fast but also extremely clean.

Asian design concepts and aesthetic form

Good design boosts sales considerably. No matter how innovative a product, it will need a unique design in order to succeed on the market. The Asian market is becoming increasingly aware of the significance of beautiful form. Among the many design innovations that stood out for their particularly successful aesthetics are: “Kayrson” a modular lamp developed by the Thai designer Anon Pairot; “Who Ate My Pencil”, a pencil sharpener made of one metal piece, designed by the Indian designer Paul Sandip; and “Fillet”, a chair designed by Ravi Itiravivong, a Thai designer.

Intelligent design concepts that simplify our lives

Deciphering a flight ticket and boarding pass can be as demanding as doing a challenging crossword puzzle. With “Ticketime”, Taiwanese designers Chen Wei Ping, Liu Yao Sheng, and Wu Tung Chih have come to the rescue, integrating a clock and alarm system into the boarding pass.

Alzheimer’s is a slowly progressing disease that is very exasperating to those afflicted. “Senso” reduces this frustration by means of a discretely worn device that allows patients to be more independent.

“Luma Lane” from Insight Product Development, United States, makes bike lanes safer by ensuring higher visibility of cyclists and by preventing motor vehicles from veering into the bike lane.

Awards ceremony and exhibition

The awards ceremony of red dot award: design concept 2007 will take place on 30 November in the red dot design museum in Singapore. The exciting event will host international guests from design, culture, and business. A special exhibition of all awarded concepts will run from 30 November 2007 through November 2008 in the red dot design museum in Singapore.

More information about red dot award: design concept is available here or at info(at)red-dot.sg.