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Students
Envision Appliances of the Future
1/6/2006
By
Linda C. Lentz
“One of the biggest mistakes a company
can make is to stop listening,” says Henrik Otto, global design
director of Electrolux—the world’s largest manufacturer
of home appliances. Indeed, since 2003, this Stockholm-based corporate
giant has sponsored a competition inviting design students to submit
their visions of future home appliances. “Students don’t
have preconceived notions as to what you should or shouldn’t
do,” says Otto. “Consequently, they throw us into new
thought processes.” Initially a European initiative, Electrolux
Design Lab 2005 attracted 3,058 entries from over 88 countries.
Their challenge was to create a total appliance concept for the
year 2020 based on evolving consumer needs and trends. Twelve finalists
were selected to develop their ideas—produced as prototypes
by Electrolux. The group was then hosted at a series of events in
Stockholm concurrent with an exhibition at the Future Design Days
conference in November, where the winners were announced.
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Modularity, adaptability, sustainability,
and compactness were the salient principles inherent among the final
dozen—all worthy candidates for the top prize, according to
Otto and fellow judge panelists New York MoMA curator of architecture
and design Paola Antonelli; kitchen designer and architect Johnny
Grey; creative consultant Ilse Crawford; Bentley head of exterior
design Raul Pires; and C.E.O. of China Bridge International Cathy
Huang. An “Electro/House” kit from Colombia, Digital Placemats
from Brazil, vacuuming slippers from Spain, and an odor-removing
Oxygenating Coat Hanger from the U.S. were among the unique solutions.
Ultimately, an innovative Airwash clothes-cleaning
system, by Wendy Chua and Gabriel Tan from the National University
of Singapore, captured first prize for its sleek, intuitive format
and no-chemical/no-water approach to fabric care that could eradicate
traditional dry cleaning. The Flavor of Sunshine, an aesthetically
balanced washer/dryer combo by a team of Chinese students from Zhejiang
University landed second place for its ability to wash, spin, and
“sun-bake” clothes dry through a nature-simulating process.
Third prize went to Happy Feet, a device purporting to remove odors,
and clean and sterilize the inside of shoes and sneakers, by students
at Korea University of Technology and Education in South Korea.
For more information visit designlab.electrolux.com
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