Element 2005: They Had Only 8 Days to Design a New Home Furnishing Element

Exhibition on the competition 'Element 2005' at the Danish Design Centre on the Balcony, 2 November - 30 December 2005. Opening and unveiling of the winning project was on Tuesday 1 November.

Is it possible to create a new home furnishing element in only eight days? Yes! Seven of Denmark's young design talents, all under 35 and with a maximum of five years of experience have proved it possible in the competition 'Element 2005'.

The interior design magazine BO BEDRE launched an open contest where seven young designers took up this challenge; the winner receives a prize of 20,000 DKK. In addition, a special prize of 5,000 DKK may be awarded.

The five projects are:

Simon Kolff - 'Modular Furnishing Element':
Furniture item in birch veneer that can be assembled into at least 15 different types of seating furniture. A stool, for example, that turns into an easy chair. Read more

Metteline Abildgaard - 'Rug Games':
Rug with graphic pattern and small dividing walls, trees etc to spark children's imagination and new games. Read more

Trine Lundager Iversen and Nicole Vitner - 'W-chair':
Chair with a new type of back: felt that is interlaced like the fingers of two hands, mounted in a steel construction. Read more

Rikke Holst Overgaard - The Box':
Floor furniture to be used as an easy chair, a table and a stool. Foam core with wool. If the 'mouth' of the element is opened, a warmer colour appears, inviting you to have a seat. Read more

Stine Gam-Pedersen and Enrico Fratesi - 'Luisa Stool':
Two stools in two layers of clear varnish and hard acrylic that locks in a layer of otherwise soft felt. Read more

Christian Scherfig, managing director of the Danish Design Centre, says:
"Normally, the way from idea to product, the essential design process, is invisible. The brilliant thing in Element is that we are able to observe the designer's work conditions in an extreme situation. In a limited amount of time and with a small number of elements these new talents have developed creative and innovative products".

Criteria
--A maximum of eight days to produce a model and finished poster
--The model is restricted to two basic elements plus additional "bits"
--The judges prioritise the following values: The materials should be used in a new / surprising manner, the elements should be multi-functional, there should be a good story or idea, and manufacturing should be realistically feasible.

Selection of contestants
'Element 2005' is an open competition. Participants must be under 35, have a maximum of five years of experience and have graduated from Danmarks Designskole, The Academy of Fine Arts - School of Architecture, Aarhus School of Architecture or Designskolen Kolding. Self-taught designers are also welcome. BO BEDRE invited participants through PR work in the educational institutions, through direct mails and through BO BEDRE's website. Of the many entry applications BO BEDRE selected five elements with a total of seven participants for the final. Two of the elements were created by two-person teams. The rules allow as many as three participants per element.

Judges
Designer Louise Campbell, designer Henrik Holbæk, managing director of the Danish Design Centre Christian Scherfig and editor-in-chief Erik Rimmer, BO BEDRE.

About Element
This is the seventh year that the talent contest is held. With the competition and the exhibition BO BEDRE aims to highlight new designers who will help maintain Denmark's lead position within design. The money for the first prize and the special prize comes from a grant that BO BEDRE established in 2001 with support from a number of Danish furniture manufacturers.

Exhibition period
The five projects from 'Element 2005' are on display at the Danish Design Centre from 2 November through 30 December 2005. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, Wednesdays also 17:00-21:00 (free admission Wednesday evenings), weekends and holidays 11:00-16:00.

Photos
Exhibited works are presented here

For more information : http://www.ddc.dk/


Stools in two layers of transparent hard acrylic
which traps a layer of soft felt.

Designers: Stine Gam-Pedersen, Enrico Fratesi
Product: Luisa Skammel / Luisa Stool
Photographer : © Claus Peuckert


Chair with chair back weaved like fingers on two hands
so that they looked like a roe of w's. The shape is put into
a steen construction where two pieces of felt of equal size
are weaved in the back.

Designers: Trine Lundager Iversen, Nicole Vitner
Product: W-chair
Photographer : © Claus Peuckert

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