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April 2, 2009
ALUMINUM INNOVATES AT HOME DESIGN COMPETITION
Leading designers compete for a place in the finals!
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Montréal, April 2, 2009 – Alcoa, in cooperation with the Association of Industrial Designers of Québec (ADIQ) and the Québec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (MDEIE), is pleased to unveil the finalists in the inaugural edition of the Aluminum Innovates at Home design competition. The company-sponsored competition will reward one industrial designer for the development of a functional, eco-responsible item intended for use in the entrance area of a house. From among the 37 entries received from leading Québec design professionals, the panel of judges has selected five innovative, aesthetically pleasing projects consistent with market needs. Each of the finalist firms will advance to the competition finals and receive an amount of money to enable them to complete and present concept design sketches in the hope of taking top contest honours.
Finalists include the teams headed by Mario Gagnon of Alto Design, Charles Godbout of Topo Design, Jean‑François Jacques of Météore Design, Matthew Kennedy of MAKETM Design Agency and Michel Morelli of Morelli Designers.
Maurice Cloutier, chairperson of the panel of judges and spokesperson for the latter and ADIQ member, expressed panel delight with the number and quality of competition entries. ″The panel particularly appreciated the relevance of the concepts submitted and the precision of arguments put forward to demonstrate compliance with competition criteria. Following a full day of deliberations and in-depth examination of all entry files, five entrants were unanimously chosen to advance to the finals. The panel wishes each every success in the upcoming stage of the competition.″
″This competition showcases the daring sense of innovation of our industrial designers who have brilliantly risen to the challenge of developing aluminum-based products which blend seamlessly into their environment. This is especially true of the concepts presented by the five finalists, which are ripe with commercial potential for Québec manufacturers and illustrate the importance of industrial design as an instrument of economic development,″ stated Raymond Bachand, Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade.
Five designers, five inventive concepts!
Although the five finalists hail from differing sectors of design endeavour, the majority share a penchant for objects which are multifunctional and customizable. The concept imagined by Mario Gagnon (www.alto‑design.com) is a utility bollard designed to house a variety of exterior and interior applications such as street number, back lighting, newspaper holder, doorbell, intercom, closed storage and display panel.
The beggar’s bench, an element characteristic of Québec homes for over three centuries, has been restyled for the 21st century by Michel Morelli (www.morellidesigners.com). Made primarily of aluminum, the bench incorporates a modular storage system as well as a selection of decorative and functional elements to be chosen by the end user: hooks, wooden trim, mirror and much more.
‘Sesame’ is the name given by Charles Godbout (www.topodesign.ca) to an interior door concept, developed in cooperation with Luc Plante, which is creative and adaptable to all manner of interior decorating styles. The ‘Sesame’ door includes two basic elements: an aluminum frame and a removable panel. The latter is available in multiple finishes, formats and textures to which functional accessories can be integrated.
Without sacrificing aesthetics, other designers have demonstrated a preference for decidedly utilitarian objects. AlumeTM is a lighting fixture invented by Matthew Kennedy. The base, wiring and fixture itself are all made of aluminum or derivatives of alumina. The lightness and brilliance of the metal lend the lamp an elegant shape while maximizing the intensity of the OLED lighting.
Employing a more pragmatic approach, Jean-François Jacques (www.meteoredesign.com) reinvents the art of the folding seat for an aging population. Designed specifically for the entrance area and replete with a shoe rack, the minimalist yet sophisticated SimpleLife seat is intended to be comfortable, safe and durable.
The grand prize winner will be chosen on May 22, 2009 during the 21st Montréal International Interior Design Show (SIDIM) at Place Bonaventure. The grand prize will take the form of access to the services of Alcoa Innovation* to allow the laureate to pursue work on the winning design and help bring it to market. The drawings signed by the four finalists and the grand prize winner will be on display at the theme-based Tribune des Designers, a space devoted to creations by Québec designers.
Readers will recall that Alcoa launched this initiative on September 16, 2008 in cooperation with the Association of Industrial Designers of Québec (ADIQ) and the Québec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (MDEIE). The object of the competition is to enhance the eco-responsible use of aluminum in products developed locally, sustain the development of aluminum processing expertise, and promote the genius and creativity of Québec-based industrial designers.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world’s leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities.
In Québec, Alcoa Canada Primary Metals (ACPM) is comprised of the Baie-Comeau, Bécancour and Deschambault smelters, as well as the Bécancour Rod Plant. These four plants have an annual production capacity of over one million metric tons of ingots, castings, billets and aluminum rods. ACPM activities generate over $1.6 billion in economic spin-offs annually in the province. Further information is available at www.alcoa.com/canada/en/home.asp and www.aluminumispeople.com.
*Alcoa Innovation is a non-profit organization set up by Alcoa Canada in cooperation with Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) and Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA). The mission of the partnership is to support Québec-based SMEs by:
- Favouring the development of innovative products which entail the processing of aluminum;
- Promoting the use of aluminum in applications which further sustainable development;
- Supporting research and development initiatives designed to enhance greater public access to and knowledge of aluminum products and the uses of aluminum.
To see pictures of the finalist projects and their creators, please visit the architecture, design and art press wire www.v2com.biz.
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