Design beyond East and West (DBEW)
Based on its strong commitment to creating a new paradigm of Northeast Asian design for sustainable development, Hanssem's DBEW International Design Competition has announced the competition outline for its fourth annual competition.  The competition has grown into a truly world-class design event.  Last year, the competition drew 305 entries from 44 countries all over the world.  In the fierce competition, the Grand Prize went to the Tsinghua University team from China.  This year's theme will be the same as last year, "DBEW for the Dual-Income One-Child Family".  Hanssem's children's room set series introduced in March created a buzz.  It is a result of in-depth research for each of the previous competitions and the outstanding works that have been submitted.

1. The 4th Hanssem DBEW International Design Competition in 2004

This is the fourth year of the DBEW International Design Competition hosted by Hanssem, the industry leader in furniture and interior design in Korea.  This year's panel of judges will include some of the world's most renowned experts and academics in the fields of architecture and design, who will select the winning entries for a total of 42,000 dollars in prize money.  This year, Hanssem is soliciting high-quality entries under the same main theme and sub-theme as last year: "Design Beyond East and West" and "DBEW for the One Child Family".

The Awards ceremony for the 3rd Hanssem DBEW Competition Held in Beijing, China
The Hanssem design competition garnered wide attention when it was first held in 2001, drawing 380 entries from 42 countries.  With each year, the overall quality of entries increases.  Last year, the 305 entries submitted from 44 countries were of a very high level of quality: selecting the winners was extremely difficult.  After heated discussion, the panel unanimously selected the Tsinghua University team headed by Professor Zhang Yue as the grand-prize winner in recognition of their work's excellence.  The awards ceremony for the third competition took place at Today Gallery in Beijing, China.  The awards ceremonies for the first and second competitions were held in Seoul, Korea and Milan, Italy respectively.  Since Hanssem had already opened the door for more active exchange in design among Korea, China, and Japan by inviting reporters and journalists from China and Japan to Seoul to cover the results announcement for last year's competition, last year's awards ceremony in China attracted much attention.

The awards ceremony was attended by around 80 Chinese design scholars, businessmen, and journalists, including reporters from China's leading design and architecture magazines such as 'Interior Design and Constructions', 'Interior Architecture of China', and 'New Real Estate'.  The local media's keen attention was heightened by the lecture at Tsinghua University by Professor Seok-Chul Kim, who was also a judge for last year's competition.  Consequently, the participation ratio of Chinese designers was considerably higher than during the previous years (57 entries were received from Chinese designers).  Hanssem's own publicity efforts also spurred more Chinese designers to participate.  Encouraged by this positive response, Professor Seok-Chul Kim is planning to conduct lectures at Japan's most prestigious universities this year to induce more active participation by Japanese designers.   
 
Under the same theme: Interior and furniture design categories integrated into one category
A minor category change has been made for the 4th competition: the furniture design category has been incorporated into the interior design category.  As a result, there are two competition categories: i) architectural design and ii) interior & furniture design.  As a company specializing in interior design, Hanssem expects in this year's competition more active participation by talented architects in the architectural design category as well as more professional works with care for practical application in the interior and furniture design category, where winning works can more easily be commercialized.

2. Surprise Announcement of Hanssem DBEW Children's Furniture Venture Project

When it created the design competition, Hanssem expressed its intention to identify and cultivate high-caliber designers. After close examination of the prize-winners and other submissions for the competition, Hanssem selected Seo-Yeon Oh, the first year's gold-prize winner, to commission him with a children's room furniture project.  Developed on the basis of long-term research, advice from experts in various related fields, and the know-how in children's room interiors and furniture design accumulated through three design competitions, the first series of children's room furniture including works by Seo-Yeon Oh finally hit the market in March this year.  It has been a huge success, selling briskly through Hanssem's outlets across the country and home-shopping channels.  The success in commercializing the work by Seo-Yeon Oh, a new designer who has a good understanding of the vision of the design competition, has also helped spark wide public interest in the design competition.  Seo-Yeon Oh receives full support from Hanssem including sufficient compensation based on the sales performance according to a royalty contract that pays him a percentage of the sales proceeds under equal conditions with professional designers.
Introduction of the 'Children's Chair that Grows with the Child' by Chadwick
  
Hanssem has recently launched a new series of children's furniture sets and is currently staging a major publicity campaign for them.  These furniture series include works designed by Seo-Yeon Oh under the main theme of "Design beyond East and West" and other related products designed by Mr. Alessandro Mendini, one of the judges for the design competition, Don Chadwick, a prominent chair designer, and Prof. Kyung-Ran Choi, a bestseller furniture designer under the title of 'Hanssem DBEW Children's Furniture Project'.  Among them, the Chadwick children's chair has attracted special attention.  Don Chadwick is a world-famous designer who designed the top-of-the-line Aeron chair, which has sold an impressive 1 million units.  In preparation for the design competition, Chadwick used his own Aeron chair technology to develop a children's chair for Korean children that fits their body shape and sensibilities.  Being the world's first children's chair designed to adjust to the changing body of a growing child, this chair has created a sensation on the children's furniture market for its tremendous value at such a low price and the new concept of furniture that grows with the child.  This ergonomically-designed children's chair helps school kids aged 7 to 12 keep correct posture and promote the alignment of the spine.  It also boasts superb quality based on state-of-the-art technology and a highly complex process comparable to that for the assembly of automobiles. 

Mendini's Children's Room Furniture Project to Be Launched This Fall
As the outstanding entries of the design competition have been developed into commercial products, we are glad to announce the news that Mr. Alessandro Mendini is in the final stage of the development of his children's room furniture system for Koreans.  It is expected to become the centerpiece of the design competition this fall.  He has completed the design and is now preparing for production.  His project has been recognized as an unprecedented effort that has been successful in harmoniously incorporating the cultures of the East and the West based on his own long-term research on Korean culture and the characteristics of Korean consumers.  This is thought to be a very positive effort in sharp contrast to the widespread practices of mass-producing or importing products based on designs or tentative plans by foreign designers or architects who are ignorant of and do not bother to familiarize themselves with the local conditions of Korea to take full advantage of their fame.  Capturing the essence of the Hanssem DBEW Design Competition's theme of 'Design beyond East and West,' Mr. Mendini's project is slated to be on display to the public at the time of the announcement of the 4th competition results this fall. (See the Attachment for more information on the 'Hanssem Children's Room Furniture'.)

Design beyond East and West (DBEW) for the One Child Family!
The closing date for entries to the 4th Design Competition is September 3.  The competition has chosen the same theme as last year with a view to encourage more profound design works based on better understanding of the competition's main theme 'DBEW for the One Child Family'.
The convenience and affluence of the materialistic culture brought about by the Industrial Revolution has also had an extremely negative impact: environmental destruction.  Thus, it naturally follows that the new paradigm for Asian design beyond East and West should focus on harmony between human beings and nature.  We would like to call upon the designers, who are creators and innovators, to find viable solutions.  We invite any like-minded designer to attempt to find a design solution for the specific problem of 'residential space for the one-child household'.  They are asked to create solutions for 'a digital space that encourages communication', 'creation of a new kitchen culture for the family community', and 'a creative room for children, the leaders of the future'.  The judging panel will evaluate the entrant's innovative problem-solving ability and creative ideas in creating a realistic residential space that presents a future-oriented paradigm of life in harmony with nature, with a focus on the above-mentioned three key parameters.  Outstanding entries will be developed into commercial products as part of the Hanssem DBEW Children's Room Furniture Project, and full support will be given to their designers. (* The processes of product development by Don Chadwick, Seo-Yeon Oh, and Kyung-Ran Choi will be posted on the website of the design competition. www.hanssemcompe.com.)
 

3. The Outline of the Call for Entries

Theme : Design beyond East & West for the Dual Income Single Child Family

Eligibility: The competition is open to anyone, either individual or as a member of a team, irrespective of country of domicile, gender, profession, major or otherwise.
Categories:
 A. Architectural Design for an Apartment House Unit for the Dual Income Single Child Family
 B. Interior Design for the Dual Income Single Child Family
 C. Furniture Design for the Dual Income Single Child Family
Deadline for Submissions:
September 3, 2004, Wednesday 6:00PM (Korea time)
By mail: The entry must arrive at the Competition Committee Office by Wednesday  
6:00PM on September 3, 2004.
Online: The submission must be completed and given a Confirmation Code by
Wednesday 6:00PM on September 3, 2004.
  Judging period: October 15- 16, 2004
Announcement of results: October 17, 2003
Application Form:
By Mail: Download an application form and print, fill out and send it with every entry.
Online: Fill out the form online.
Judging panel: Panel
...Alessandro Mendini (Italy), .Seok-Chul Kim (Korea) and two other prominent experts, one each   
from China and Japan.
Principal judging criteria:
...1) Marketability : Appropriateness to environments, cultures, and life-styles in Korea,
        Japan, and China
...2) Functionality : Whether problems and innovative solutions drawn are viewed from users'
...... point of views on functions
. .3) Futurity : Insight and adequacy that suggest for new housing culture and life-style
Other judging criteria considered:
...1) Creativity : Originality of design and value creation
...2) Modernity : Application of new technologies and materials
...3) Humor : Effective usage of humorous elements in appearance or operating process
The Number of Prize Winners and Awards:
Grand prix : 1 team, US $ 20,000
Golden Prize : 2 teams, US $ 5,000(each)
Silver Prize: 12 teams, US $ 1,000(each)
Total : 15 teams, US $ 42,000
*Winning entries will be awarded on an individual basis irrespective of chosen category.
Royalty:
If an award winning work is commercially produced and marketed, royalties will be paid as percentage of sales proceeds from it. (Special contracts between winners and Hanssem will be considered.)
Regardless of award, designers having submitted work of high potential marketability will be given the opportunity to participate in the Hanssem Design Venture Project for cultivating talented designers.

4. Juries' Profile - 2003 DBEW International Design Competition

Alessandro Mendini
Born in 1931 in Milano, Italy. Worked as editor for Italy's design/architecture magazines, "Casabella", "Modo" and "Domus". Actively worked in various design fields of objet, furniture, interior and architecture. Jointly worked with international brands such as Allexy, Phillips, Swarovski and Swatch; highly reputed internationally for providing artistic consulting, that is, providing design consulting, brand identity scheme to worldwide manufacturing companies including those of Asia. In 1989 set up Atelier Mendini. His major design works are exhibited in Groninger Museum of Netherlands, Museo di Corte of France and Allexy showroom of Germany. He is a honored member of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design at Jerusalem, have received the prize of Compasso d'Oro and also the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres was given to him by the Government of France.
 
Kim, Seok-Chul
Graduated Seoul National University majoring Architecture in 1966. In 1973, inaugurated Kim Seok-Chul Architecture Research Center (Currently the Archiban Architecture&City Research Center), and works as visiting professor at University of Venice and Columbia University. His major architectural achievements are the Korea Arts Center, Korea complex at Venice Biennale, New Buddhist Site at Hae-In Buddhist Temple etc. He received the Steel Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in 1988, the grand prix of East Asia Architecture Prize in 1988 and 1999, the Golden Prize at Arcasia awards in 2000. He also wrote and published a book, "Architecture of Thousand Years, Cities of Thousand Years".    
 

Attachment: "Contemporary Architecture" Magazine's Interview with Zhang Yue, the Grand Prize winner of the 3rd Competition in November 2003

Contemporary Architecture > Why did you decide to participate in this competition?
Zhang Yue > We found out about the DBEW International Design Competition through Professor Seok-Chul Kim's lecture at our campus during summer vacation.  We could identify with the theme of "DBEW for the Dual-Income One-Child Family" because the situation was similar in China.  Most members of our team came from such families.  Our experience gave us the desire to enter the competition.

Contemporary Architecture > Why do you think you won the award?
Zhang Yue > I believe it was primarily because our work captured the meaning of the competition's theme most correctly.  And we think we were most creative in the 'creation of the 2+1 community'.  The dual grid system served a very interesting function, while reflecting the traditional order found in ancient China's urban buildings.  I think the clarity and efficiency of our presentation was the reason behind our winning the Grand Prize.

Contemporary Architecture > Please explain your interpretation and opinion about the theme 'Design beyond East and West.
Zhang Yue > In both the East and the West, society is becoming more individualistic.  Different cultures will take different approaches to the goal of finding the balance between the individual needs of each member of the family and the traditional family as a whole.  In the design, we tried to reflect China's local characteristics, rather than superficially design for a simple contemporary house.

Contemporary Architecture > What was the most difficult part for you during the design process?
Zhang Yue > Time limitation was the most difficult part.  We were not even able to study the competition information material until August 23, but we had to complete the final drawings by September 13.  It was, therefore, impossible for us to add depth to our design plan to our satisfaction.

Contemporary Architecture > Do you have any suggestions for the organizer of this DBEW competition?
Zhang Yue > To begin with, I want to express appreciation to the DBEW organizer.  This competition provides young designers with the opportunity to express their ideas and a forum to freely exchange ideas with each other.  Design competitions like this one will help promote better understanding among designers in the East and the West.  If I may, I would like to suggest that the theme be changed to promote creativity.  That would give another opportunity for us to participate in the competition.  We really want to do so.

Interviewed by Min-Hye Kim, reporter with <Contemporary Architecture>