11 August 2009

Electrolux Design Lab '09

Electrolux presents the top eight most innovative designs from global design competition Design Lab 2009.

Have you ever dreamt of designing and printing your own food, or using science to create food? What about teleporting food directly to your fridge? If the finalists in the Electrolux Design Lab 2009 competition are anything to go by, inventions such as these will transform the way we live in the next 90 years.

Electrolux has whittled over 900 submissions from students in more than 50 countries down to the top 8 for the 7th edition of its global design competition, themed ‘Designs for the next 90 years’.

Finalist entries encompass everything from the whimsically named ‘Le Petit Prince’, a robotic greenhouse designed to facilitate the future exploration and population of Mars to the innovative ‘Water Catcher’ that dispatches flying balls into the air to catch rain drops.

Many of the entries had a strong green leaning with two of the finalists re-imagining the washing machine—from a tiny washer that steams your clothes clean to a waterless washer that uses negative ions to clean clothes while you wear them and adds grass or flower scents.

There’s even a dishwasher that uses ultrasonic wave technology to clean and doubles as a cupboard, making unpacking dishes a thing of the past (or, rather, the present).

The 8 finalists will compete for first place in the finals in September as part of 100% Design London, the UK’s leading architecture and design event.

electroluxdesignlab.com

Hero Image: Bifoliate

Moleculaire

Le Petit Prince

Cocoon

Renew

Teleport Fridge

Naturewash

Water Catcher

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This has to be one of the most 'out there' competitions around at the moment. I think it's fantastic that some companies are willing to put money into these sorts of conceptual designs. If it wasn't for programs like this, we'd never think outside the box. I especially like the water catcher - very Potter-esque!