ID @ NUS

From May 25 till May 27, the Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore presents its annual exhibition, DID Show 2012, at The Plaza @ National Library. This show offers a complete overview of works by recent graduates and current industrial design students.

This year’s show offers a glimpse into the multifarious world of design, where students take a critical role in investigating relationships between objects, users and environment, culminating in design outcomes achieved not only in products, but also through systems, services and interactions.

Besides works from the graduating batch, the exhibition presents projects accomplished in the past year, many of which were conducted with industry collaborators such as World Kitchen, HDB, OSIM and Origins. The plethora of works in this year’s show echoes the division’s vision, to make life better through design; to Design For Life.

Italian design brand Discipline launched a new vase designed by Outofstock. Using a new technique we developed with a renown German glass maker, the vase is made by blowing glass through a solid copper ring.

For more information, please visit their facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outofstockdesign

Hunn Wai, our alumni, showcase his new collection. They are proud to unveil this collection because it stemmed from an observation of what products await us when we get old. And from the present situation, not good at all! Bent aluminium pipes with bits of plastic stuck on to it, what can we say but “NO”!

So they designed a collection of pieces that take cues from forms and materials they prefer and paired them to a couple of domestic activities. To create something to desire, to love, to touch, to enjoy using, to be sensitive, to live with; they hope they have achieved these in No Country for Old Men!

The collection consists of:

• MonoLight a table lamp that illuminates & magnifies.

• Assunta a chair that helps us get up.

• Together A set of walking aids for living, not just mobility.

For more information, please visit http://lanzavecchia-wai.com/salone-2012-no-country-for-old-men/

Theme: Maximinimization

Design is a kind of magic from the heart of the designers. Observing the subtle psyche of consumers, and giving expression to their needs in products – such is what design is! Designer brings an enormous amount of creativity with carefulness. This is just like people from the Orient who use the smallest seal to make their greatest commitment with their heart. Likewise, simple and easy steps are employed to complete a complex and difficult operation, employing minimum resources to create maximum effect.

Online Registration Deadline: June 15, 2012(Fri)

Qualification: Designers; teachers or students of design related departments or schools; people interested in design. (With no restrictions on nationality and age)

Category: Product Design, Packaging Design, Visual Communication Design, Digital Multimedia Design etc.

Awards
1 Gold winner: US$15,000, 1 Silver winner: US$6,000, 1 Bronze winner: US$3,000, Honorable Mentions: US$300

For more information, contact:
Taiwan Design Center, Janice Cheng, Phone: , eMail: tidc2012@gmail.com
Website: http://s2.boco.com.tw/TdcActive/en/DesignCompetition/describe.aspx?actno=TDC032012003

ISGLOVES^TM, designed and developed by Zhi Yun and her another 3 friends from NUS,  is patent pending (S/N: 61/539,479), allows users to use their touch screens while keeping their hand really warm. The inner gloves of ISGLOVES^TM is encapsulated in a mitten cap which offers enhanced protection from extreme cold temperatures as the warmth is retained between the fingers for a more effective insulation.

The patent-pending invention, now retailing in Sweden and online at fiett.com, is the only double-layered touchscreen handwear in the market.

FiETT won a Demoguru Award for their innovative product at the inaugural regional Demo Asia event held in March. The gloves also received an honourable mention in the prestigious international “red dot award: product design 2012″ where a total of 4,515 submissions from 58 countries competed in 19 categories.

The four final year students are thrilled with the recognition and intend to leverage on it to establish a network of retailers and distributors in Singapore, Australia, the US, Norway and Denmark this year.

For more information, please visit http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/headlines/0412/fiett_10Apr12.php or the company website: http://fiett.com/index.php?route=common/home

Our ID final student Darren won the “design in the city” outdoor furniture competition with S$12,000 cash prize, an overseas internship with world-class designer, and public installation at Mapletree Business City. The cloud-inspired outdoor furniture, Laputa, won the top prize of the Mapletree Business City ‘Design in the City’ outdoor furniture competition.

“Darren was picked as the winner for his excellent execution of Laputa, a design that not only meets the competition brief but also commands presence like a beautiful sculpture… ” said the jury of competition, Mr. Jeffrey Ho.

The competition was launched in October 2011 to mark the grand opening of Mapletree Business City (“MBC”), a Mapletree flagship development, as well as to seek inspiring outdoor furniture for the business community of MBC to enjoy.

The competition attracted a total of 64 entries. Of these, eight finalists were selected for final. In which our 3rd year student George Goh received the runner-up award and Clement Cheng were also placed among the finalist.

Below are the entries from NUS DID:

WINNER

Designer : Yeo Jun Xian Darren
Institution : National University of Singapore
Design : Laputa

Concept

Clouds are used across all forms of disciplines: from geology to computing, religion and aesthetics, making it a universal language deemed fit for Mapletree Business City. As a representation of the success of Mapletree Business City, Laputa challenges the convention by bringing out structural lightness and sculptural beauty.

Judges’ review

“The execution of Laputa was excellent. The design met the competition brief very well, and especially complements the Eco Pond of Mapletree Business City. As a design, in simple pure sculptural form, Laputa commands great presence. As a furniture piece, it is of good size, and can accommodate and promote interaction between users”.
RUNNERS-UP

Designer : Goh King Swee, George
Institution : National University of Singapore
Design : Bundle

Concept

Bundle draws inspiration from Mapletree Business City’s Eco Pond. The contrast between the materials used emphasises the relationship between nature and the built environment.

Judges’ review

Bundle is conceptually interesting with the excellent use of the contrast between concrete and bamboo. It looks good, and is a solid piece of furniture with good size and proportions.

FINALISTS

Designer : Zheng Zhihan Clement
Institution : National University of Singapore
Design : Cycle

Concept

Cycle draws inspiration from the fluidity and cyclical patterns in nature, and is designed such that both sculpture and furniture coexist seamlessly.

For detailed information, please visit: http://www.mapletree.com.sg/news_press_details.aspx?pageid=23&cid=6161

Lanzavecchia + Wai will be showing in a group exhibition during the Salone del Mobile in Milan this April, that also features studios like Formafantasma, Tomas Libertiny, Phillip Malouin and Mischer’Traxler.

On 15 March morning at the 5^th Netexplo Forum at UNESCO, Paris, Eric Besson, French Minister for Industry, Energy & the Digital Economy, awarded the Netexplo Grand Prix 2012 to BlindSpot.

Created by Selene Chew for her design studies at the Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore, BlindSpot is a white cane that detects obstacles with digital sensors, but also lets the user know when his or her friends are nearby. Not only does it help the visually handicapped get around, it also opens up a new world of social communication.

BlindSpot: a white cane for getting around, but also for communicating

With the BlindSpot concept, they can take control of their social life thanks to a cane with a built-in mobile phone, ultrasound sensor and haptic navigator.

Obstacles off the ground are detected and any friends in the vicinity are spotted: the user hears an alert whenever friends check in nearby via Foursquare or other geolocated services.  Then the haptic navigation interface can take the user to meet them.

The foldaway, rechargeable cane turns into a mobile phone when the user is at home.

Currently Selene is working at the Design Incubation Centre at the NUS DID to further develop this project as well as participate in other interactive related project.

Netexplo Forum: the unmissable annual event for global digital innovation

As the culmination of a year’s observation and analysis of the changes in digital society on a global scale, the Netexplo Forum (formerly Netexplorateur) has become an unmissable vent where around 1,500 business, political and media executives can grasp the most significant emerging initiatives and the most promising breakthroughs.

Thierry Happe, co-founder of the Netexplo Observatory, commented, “Digital technology has spread over every continent and into every community. It makes useful projects, new ideas and amazing initiatives a reality. With BlindSpot, Selene Chew is the youngest of the 5 Netexplo Grand Prix so far. We’re delighted that Selene has won the 2012 Netexplo Grand Prix: she embodies the concept of technology with a human face.”

See a short film presenting the Grand Prix winner and project here: http://imag-netexplo.org/en/blindspot

Marshall Leong, a 3rd year student from the Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore won Honourable Mention at this year FDA 2012.

Taking inspiration from the twists and bends of a single strip of paper and the 3-dimensional form it creates, the ZØMM stackable stool carries a unique identity with its seemingly honest appearance yet unconventional angular bends.

After laser-cutting it out from a 3mm steel sheet, the ZØMM stool is then formed into its basic shape using a customised double-axis bending machine. This efficient 2-step process lowers the cost, time and carbon footprint of the manufacturing process.

Made almost completely out of a single material, other than its rubber gaskets to prevent wear and tear, the ZØMM stool is also easily recycled at the end of its lifespan.

The 19th edition of the Award saw strong entries from both Designers (opened to designers globally aged 40 and below) and Students (opened to full-time students in international arts and design, and educational instritutions) categories responding to the theme, “LOVE, THINK, DESIGN GREEN”.

These winners were selected from a total of 463 entries submitted in the Students and Designers categories by an independent panel of distinguished jury members from the furniture and design industries.

For more information on FDA 2012, please visit www.furnituredesigndna.com