Architectural, interior, housing and building products won a swathe of awards at the 2012 Australian International Design Awards.
Best in Category winners in Architectural and Interior Products was Cobi Steelcase (US); in Housing and Building it went to Compu Pool C Series Commercial Chlorinator by Compu Pool Products and CMD Product Design & Innovation (AUS).
Compu Pool C Series Commercial Chlorinator
Architecture and Interior Products
Best in category
Cobi office chair by Steelcase, US (pictured below)
Design Awards
Haiku Bamboo ceiling fan by Big Ass Fan Company, US
Goggle ergonomic educational chair range by D3 Design Australia
Graph conference chair by Wilkhahn, Germany
Marina Seat Park Bench by HUB Street Equipment (Australia) and Lusail Real Estate Development Company, Qatar
Node classroom chair with integrated backpack storage by Steelcase, US
Good Design
EchoPanel Mura – wallcovering with high recycled content by Woven Image, Australia
RAW Carpet tiles with distressed finish by Interface, US
Methven Tahi twin-tapware by Methven, New Zealand
Mura – lightweight acoustic wall tile made from PET by Woven Image, Australia
Malibu steel drawer handle by Furnipart, Australia
Monorail workstation with adjustable fittings rail by Australian Workstation Manufacturers
Horizon Light – thin-film LED by Humanscale, US
Branca chair – seamless stackable timber chair by Mattiazza Industrial Facility, Italy and UK
C:scape modular workstation by Steelcase, US
Housing and Building
Best in category
Compu Pool C-Series Commercial Chlorinator by CMD Product Design & Innovation, Australia
Good Design
Braemar World's First Five Star Non-condensing Ducted Gas Heating Range by Seeley International, Australia
Braemar World's First Six Star Ducted Gas Heating Range by Seeley International, Australia
Clipsal Saturn OneTouch switches by Clipsal by Schneider Electric, Australia
Evolution MkII rainwater harvesting device by Davey Water Products, Tankworks Australia
Intelligent Door lock by Cube Design China, designed in Australia
Design Award Sustainability
RAW Carpet tiles with distressed finish by Interface, US
Meanwhile, it was a submarine created in Sydney for Hollywood director James Cameron that won the top award, while a mine detector, garlic press, pool chlorinator system, family help network and child's nasal mask were among other Australian designed winners.
Cameron's Deepsea Challenger Research Submersible which was designed, engineered and manufactured in Sydney.
According to Brandon Gien, managing director of Good Design Australia, the Deepsea Challenger was the standout winner for the judges because of the attention to detail and the way in which the collaborative design team was able to overcome so many challenges and design constraints.
The judges compared the level of innovation in the submersible to a manned rocket going into space and all this was done right here in Australia - an amazing achievement for Australian designers and engineers.
Methven Tahi twin-lever tapware
In recognition of excellence in Design for Sustainability (D4S), the product representing best practice D4S receives the Design Award for Sustainability.
This year's winner is Interface RAW, a modular system of carpet tiles designed for office spaces. Made from yarns with 100 per cent recycled content, Interface's business model is based on being able to re-use the carpet tiles. No two tiles are designed the same, allowing for random install and dramatic reduction in waste.
Presented by Good Design Australia, by rewarding companies that differentiate their products and services through design, the Design Awards aim to raise awareness of the importance of good design, encourage greater demand for well designed products and propel Australian design to the world stage.
Recognition also went to the Panasonic ECONAVI Air Conditioner, the CS/CU-E12MKR; the Whirlpool Sports 10kg Front Load Washer; a Digital SMArt Locker Platform by TZ/Pitney Bowes; a Levitating Recirculation Island Rangehood DA 7000 D Aura by Miele & Cie KG, Germany; Fujitsu's Inverter Wall Mounted Air Conditioner Designer Range with Human Sensor.
This year, more than 200 Australian and internationally designed products were judged against a common set of criteria focussing on innovation, form, function, quality, safety and sustainability.
From 105 Finalists, 37 received the prestigious Design Award in recognition of design and innovation excellence. This includes nine Best in Category winners of which eight are wholly or partly designed in Australia. A further 68 Finalists were recognised with a Good Design accolade.
All the winners can be viewed online.
Finalists and winners from previous years will also be on public exhibition at Westfield shopping centres in Sydney from 2-24 August 2012.
Gien said this year's judges had a tough job assessing the diverse range of submissions.
"Our judges had to look at a range of products from kitchen appliances such as coffee machines and deep fryers to a semi-trailer truck cabin, pool chlorinator system and family help service.
For a product or service to qualify for a Design Award, it must exceed the five criteria for Good Design (form, function, quality, safety and sustainability) and additionally, meet the criterion for design excellence: innovation.
"The highest scoring product in each category is awarded a Design Award Best in Category and put forward as a nominee for the prestigious top prize of Australian International Design Award™ of the Year. This year, eight of the nine nominees were designed in Australia in some capacity, a positive sign that Australian design is excelling at an international level.
This year, the Patron's Prize was introduced to recognise and celebrate the best Australian designed product or service. The Patron's Prize is awarded to one entry that has the potential to positively shape the future economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects of our planet.
Chosen by the Patron of Good Design Australia, His Excellency Mr Michael Bryce, this year's winner is MineLab F3 Compact Metal Detector - another example Australian design and innovation.
