Singapore celebrates red dot winners

On Friday 28 November 2008, Singapore’s creative scene celebrated the winners of this year’s red dot award: design concept.  In the impressive atmosphere of the red dot design museum in Singapore the proud winners were honoured in a spectacular awards presentation in the presence of more than 400 international guests from the design industry. One of the evening’s highlights was the performance of musician Timothy O’Dwyer, who created two spectacular pieces especially for the awards presentation.

This year, the 1,906 design concepts that were handed in for assessment in the red dot award: design concept came from 49 nations. The high-class jury consisting of international design experts did not face an easy task selecting the best concepts given the entries’ high quality standard. The competition managed to increase its number of entries by 115 per cent this year. This is a tremendous success, which further emphasises the significance of the red dot award: design concept within the red dot design award.

And the red dot: luminary goes to…
170 design concepts received the red dot award.  Another 21 were awarded the ‘red dot: best of the best’ for highest design quality and were thus automatically nominated for the red dot: luminary, the most outstanding design concept of the whole competition. This year the coveted distinction went to “360”, an innovative concept by Francesco Sommacal, which is a new interpretation of the skateboard developed for extreme off-road use.

One of the evening’s highlights was without a doubt the performance of musician Timothy O’Dwyer, who created two spectacular pieces especially for the awards presentation. The remarkable performance combined saxophones, electronics, video and dancers to create a sensational futuristic display of abstract characters, shimmering fabrics and pulsating sound, thus reflecting the red dot award: design concept’s philosophy of providing a glimpse of the future.
     
Following the awards presentation, Ken Koo, the president of red dot Singapore, unveiled the red dot award: design concept yearbook 2008/2009, which documents the most outstanding trends and innovations of the competition. He also opened the special exhibition of the red dot award: design concept, which will be on display for one year in the red dot Traffic.