2004 Taiwan International Design Competition Features Fresh Concepts

2004 Taiwan International Design Competition Features Fresh Concepts
Twenty-two innovative design concepts - from an environmentally conscious water faucet to a chair inspired by the principles of yoga - would be vying for the gold in the third annual Taiwan International Design Award, event organizers said yesterday.

'Out of the 22 entries that made it to the finals, 12 were fielded by Taiwanese designers,' said Tony K.M. Chang, chief executive officer of the Taiwan Design Center.

The annual contest drew 519 entries from 36 countries. Open to both the accomplished and the apprentice, the contest aimed to give designers the exposure that they needed to make it big in a very competitive industry.

'The great thing about this competition is it provides a level-playing field to all participants,' said Kelly Kodama, chief executive officer of California-based Zoe Design Associates. Kodama was one of the judges tapped to evaluate the 519 entries.

'We picked the best 22 submissions based on the quality of the entries themselves. We did not even know who the designers were or where they were from,' Kodama continued.

A total of NT$1 million in cash prizes were at stake. Out of the 22 finalists, 20 would be proclaimed winners in November. The entry that would take the No. 1 ranking would get half of the total prize money, said Chang of the Taiwan Design Center.