Electrolux Design Lab is a global design competition arranged by Electrolux.
Participation is open to applicants from every country worldwide and who are registered undergraduate and graduate design students (persons who are officially registered as undergraduate or graduate – Bachelor’s or Master’s degree – students at university at the time the design idea is submitted or who has completed an education during 2012). The registration opened this month and the deadline is 15th March 2013.
The city of tomorrow is short on space, busy and compact. Living areas are smaller; there is less storage but the home still needs to be the epicentre of entertaining and culinary enjoyment. As such we need to have the necessary tools available to adapt our daily lives, so we can comfortably live and fit within this new model. Therefore, the aim of this year is explore one of the following three areas and design an innovative product, accessory, consumable or service that would be seen as a breakthrough within the sector of Social Cooking, Natural Air or Effortless Cleaning.
Option 1 - Social Cooking
Entertaining within the home is a popular way to spend time with our friends and family. The rise in cooking as a pastime offers self-expression for many living in urban spaces, and projects towards a true culinary experience.
With tightening schedules and challenging lifestyles, how can design overcome problems with shortage of entertaining space and preparation time, whilst allowing us to live a healthier lifestyle?
Option 2 - Natural Air
Indoor air quality can change the ambience of a room and is an invisible way of influencing our daily wellbeing. The climate we live in is changing yearly; pollution is a growing problem and our indoor space should be a sanctuary from the suburban outdoors. Healthier air quality is a core factor and can affect personal health and appearance. The potential to bring ‘fresh country air’ to the city could change the atmosphere within the home.
What design solution could be created to ensure we have the best quality air within the home, whilst also supporting aesthetic values?
Option 3 - Effortless Cleaning
As time is precious in our chaotic schedules, time saving concepts are needed more than ever – removal of laborious daily cleaning tasks should be at the forefront of thinking and creation. Not only this, as our urban homes become more compact and integrated, there is no room for daily necessities of a clean living environment. Vacuum cleaners and bins require space to camouflage, alongside a need for concepts that can clean different and constantly changing surfaces, materials and garments.
What new adaptable offerings can be designed for compact, streamlined and easy cleaning solutions within urban cities of the future?
Additionally, and in keeping with the heritage of Electrolux, the concept should reflect Scandinavian design values by being sensitive to the environment, whilst providing intuitive ease of use and aesthetic appeal.
Established in 2003, Electrolux Design Lab is a global design competition open to undergraduate and graduate design students who are invited to present innovative ideas for future households. Each year Electrolux challenges design students all over the world. The challenge is to create a concept that is relevant to the time and raises questions about what design will be like in the future.
Electrolux awards three prizes: 1st place is 5,000 EURO and a 6-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design center. The 2nd prize of 3,000 Euros, 3rd prize of 2,000 Euros and People's Choice prize for 1,000 Euros are also on offer.
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