A Year of IDEAs: 2009

The 2009 IDEA program concluded with the annual awards ceremony, during which program sponsors Autodesk, Target and BusinessWeek saluted this year’s winners. A celebration at Nikki Beach Miami, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, followed.

The 2009 IDEA program concluded September 26 with the annual awards ceremony, during which program sponsors Autodesk, Target and BusinessWeek saluted this year’s winners, followed by a celebration at prestigious Nikki Beach Miami, sponsored by Procter & Gamble.  It was the perfect way to conclude an exciting year in design.

Earlier this year, a jury of 20 industrial designers convened to begin the arduous task of reviewing the staggering 1631 entries to the IDEA program. In May, the group met in Washington, DC to review the over 400 finalists, which included winners from the IDEA/Brasil program, in its second successful year.  The jurors selected a total of 150 winners this year—31 Gold, 47 Silver and 72 Bronze.

Among the Gold award recipients honored during the September 26 ceremony in Miami were:

     ·         Made entirely from manufacturer waste, Nike Trash Talk won both a gold IDEA and the Best in Show Award, chosen by the jurors from among all Gold-award winning entries;

      ·         The Better Place Charge Spot, which provides charging stations for electric vehicles;

·         The newest addition to the iPhone family, the iPhone 3G;

·         The 4.5-lb, full-featured MacBook;

·         Human-Centered Design ToolKitaddressing smallholder farmer needs in Africa, Asia and Latin America;

·         The world’s slimmest LED TV, the LED 7000 Series;

·         The NAVE: The Advanced Education Nucleus, a suspended and transparent classroom that is a continuous connection between people and the venue’s spaces;

·         Samsung’s Dual-Cooking Oven,offering the functionality of two ovens in one;

·         iCASTSproviding a series of immersive virtual environment simulators;

·         TheWedze Virtuous Jacket, which permits the wearer to adjust the level of warmth;  

·         A minimally invasive medical system, the Pathway PV Atherectomy System is used to remove plaque from peripheral arteries.

      ·         Teneo ® Storage Furnitureto house everything that doesn’t fit on your computer;

      ·         The Project Masiluleke Home HIV Testdesigned to make HIV testing in South Africa a comfortable and familiar process;

·         The Colorblind: Understanding Greenproject took an in-depth look at consumer’s feelings about “green” products and initiatives;

·         The UK Folding Plugthat transforms from a bulky three-pin plug into a portable, hassle-free plug; and

·         The ICON A5 Amphious Sport Aircraftthat can fly from both land and water and is transportable, thanks to folding wings. 

The People’s Choice award, voted on by visitors to IDSA’s web site, was presented to the ICON A5 Amphibious Sport Aircraft by ICON Aircraft, Nissan Design, Troy Lee Designs, Bill Moggridge, David Kelley and Stewart Reed. The ICON A5 won by an unprecedented 86% of the nearly 1000 votes submitted.

The best is yet to come. With the conclusion of this year’s program, we launch the 2010 award program. We are excited to see more designs to streamline common medical practices; ecodesigns built with sustainable products to help the environment; student designs which continue to awe and inspire all of us; and ever-improving communication and computer equipment designs that never fail to impress.

Over the next few weeks, the 2010 IDEA timeline will be posted to the IDEA web site. From the award program homepage, you can access information about eligibility, award categories, deadlines and fees and much more.

Until we meet again in Portland, OR next August, may you be inspired by the awards presented this year and strive to be a recipient of one next year.