Shapeshifting knives, ultraviolet towel dryers and lazy-Susan-style induction cooktops: these are just some of the incredible design prototypes that will be showcased at the Good Design Lounge presented by Electrolux, a free-to-enter exhibition running in Sydney, 23 May to 9 June 2014.
Students from all over the world have entered the competition, with the brightest minds from the Islamic Republic of Iran, China, Brazil, Sweden, Taiwan and Colombia among the 100 finalists.
2014 marks the first time the competition will be showcased in Australia. The theme of this year’s exhibition is ‘Creating Healthy Homes’, tapping into the macrotrend towards health and wellbeing that is permeating the current appliance climate.
Sheila Walthoe, senior brand and trade marketing manager for Electrolux Home Products, said this exhibition highlights how important design is to the Swedish brand.
“The annual Design Lab competition is an opportunity for Electrolux to show its commitment to thoughtful design innovation and to work with emerging designers to create the next generation of great home appliance solutions,” she said.
The Design Lab is being run in partnership with Good Design Australia, which is currently preparing to host its annual Good Design Awards program and play host to several design-focused events in and around Sydney during the Vivid festival. Walthoe said she and Good Design Australia, “look forward to celebrating young design talent and demonstrating some of the innovative thinking that has come out of the Design Lab competition at the Good Design Lounge presented by Electrolux”.
Top 10 Most Exciting Electrolux Design Lab 2014 Finalists
Using ‘liquidmetal’ technology, the Lightsaber Knife can transform into five different kinds of knife. (Chia-Yu Yeh, Taiwan)The Halo Fuse is a rotating induction cooktop, with power controls embedded in to the handles of the cookware. (Ryan Gardner, United States)Fresh from the world of tomorrow, Loom is an appliance that deconstructs clothes and then reconstructs the material into a new garment. Business shirt goes in, elegant blouse comes out! (Szilard Kui, Romania)Air Globe might just be the craziest thermostat ever imagined! This jetsetting sphere collects weather and climate conditions from around the world and can then replicate them in the living room. Tap in Glasgow for a chilly night or Rio for beachweather! (Pei-Chih Deng, Taiwan)According to its inventor, Pure Towel “is a scanner that applies UV rays and a high speed dryer fan to eliminate bacteria and humidity from a towel after use just by hanging it”. (Leobardo Armenta, Mexico)This is very cool: get fit by riding this exercise bike, which in turn produces the energy to power the built-in air purifier. CYCLE is also a great name! (Yuwi Kim, South Korea).Future Hunter Gatherer is one of the most ridiculous concepts I’ve ever come across. Using a net, one ‘catches’ holograms of fish in their living room, which then transacts a purchase with an online vendor, who will then ship the produce to your home. This is so ridiculous it will probably take off, especially if playing Duck Hunter results in BBQ Duck being deposited at your door! (Pan Wang, United Kingdom)R’FRSH drains the water while you bathe and then uses it to wash your clothes. “Fabric care today is a boring and time consuming process. Imagine if washing your clothes could be as easy as taking a shower.” Brilliant! (Vishakan Shivasubramaniam, India)Cook+ is a culinary cooking board that can be configured into three settings: frying, roasting and freezing. Recipes can be pushed to the Cook+ via Bluetooth. (Chan Hung Lu, Taiwan)No, it’s not a kraken! This tentacular appliances travels with you to keep your clothes fresh and clean. “It is able to detect bad odors, spots and dirt, and will clean and refresh any garment to mint condition,” says its creator. (Hugo Silva, Portugal)
Check out the other 90 finalists and choose your own favourites at the Electrolux Design Lab website.
The 2014 Good Design Lounge presented by Electrolux will be held at 140 George Street, The Rocks, in Sydney from 23 May to 9 June 2014.
