PG Bison Student of the Year Awards
September 25, 2009 | Levent OZLER
PG Bison Student of the Year Awards celebrates its 15th anniversary, showcasing up and coming designers. The awards evening once again acknowledged talented young designers for their contributions to this established competition. The awards ceremony took place in a prestigious gala evening held at Steinhoff's recently upgraded auditorium at their head office in Wynberg.
It is the first year that a commercially orientated brief was introduced to the competition. Michael Hinze, of HKLM, helped conceptualise the brief. Pleased at the outcome of the entries, Michael commented that, "Overall, the students and lecturers did a great job in creating a balance between practicality and creativity."
PG Bison approached Hertz Rent-a-Car in 2008 with the concept and Hertz kindly agreed to loan their brand to the competition. The brief was to create an airport and downtown rental location, that would ensure maximum Brand Recognition as well as setting the Hertz brand apart from its competitors. The students were required to create an ingenious rental environment, consistent in form and harmonious in image - a space with which customers can easily identify and communicate. The Hertz team were impressed by the entries and caliber of design work produced.
This year's esteemed panel of judges included: Michael Hinze of HKLM, Darren Bester of It Is Design, Taryn Constable of Design Vision, Daniel Steyn of Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects, Des Laubscher of Greenside Design Centre, Callie Van Der Merwe of The Design Partnership, Chris Wilkinson of Comrie & Wilkinson Architects and Karlien Thomashoff of Thomashoff & Partner Architects.
After a great deal of debate and careful consideration, this year's Judges only chose five top finalists, as apposed to the usual ten finalists. "This year's five entries really stood out compared to the rest. The judges believed that we should showcase the five and not the ten," says Michael.
The winners of the 15th PG Bison Student of the Year Awards were:
In third place, winning a cash prize of R7 000.00 was Christopher Clarke of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, under the tutelage of Andrew Palframan.
The merit award went to, Danie Steenkamp of Tshwane University of Technology. Danie's lecturer is Pieter Greyvenstein. Danie won a fully inclusive trip to the Design Indaba in Cape Town.
The award for first place went to Kylie McFadyen of Durban University of Technology. Kylie's lecturer is Michelle Hankinson. Together they have won a fully inclusive trip to the 2010 Milan Furniture Fair.
Michael Hinze commented on the Kylie's entry, "Good overall rounded, holistic design scheme. It works well both as a transient environment of the travel process and as a bold statement in branding. Practicality balances well with the whimsical. Good understanding of branding in the third dimension - ownership of shape, form, colour, light and the subliminal. The Hertz brand could possible be more prominent. This is branding with an edge."
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