Electrolux International design competition highlights an Aussie idea

A Melbourne university student is one of eight young designers from around the world to be chosen as a finalist in the 9th Electrolux Design Lab competition. The handful of finalists were select from more than a thousand entrants.

The annual competition asks young and upcoming designers to develop ideas for future appliances, with concepts submitted this year to reflect the theme of “Intelligent Mobility”.

 

Hailing from Monash University in Victoria, Australian finalist Enzo Kocak came up with the Ribbon (above), a multi-purpose heater and cooler. The flexible device could be wrapped around pots for heating or around drinks for cooling.

Ideas presented by the other finalists include a portable microwave, a mobile induction heat plate controlled by a smartphone, and even a bagel toaster.

Finland's Mobile Induction Heat Plate, designed by Tommi Moilanen.

“The eight finalists have shown insight and innovation to make it this far in the 2011 Electrolux Design Lab challenge,” said Henrik Otto, Senior Vice President of Global Design at Electrolux. “In what was a particularly challenging brief, the top eight are to be congratulated for their lateral thinking and creativity, but they will now need to demonstrate why their concept should be crowned absolute winner.”

The entries will be shown to a panel of leading designers in September, with the winner being awarded an internship at the Electrolux global design centre and a cash prize.

Whether the winning appliance ideas will ever appear on retails shelves is anyone’s guess, but we can sure hope.

Canadian entrant Kent Madden came up with the Salvé Bagel Toaster.