Nov 11, 2013

Design Plus: Renowned Competition For Innovative Product Design

The renowned ‘Design Plus’ award has been given in recognition of innovative design for more than three decades and, today, ranks among Germany’s leading design competitions. In addition to aesthetic qualities, good design must also fulfil functional and ecological criteria. The criteria of the international jury of experts are: design quality, utility value, technical quality, ecological quality and overall concept. “The decisive characteristic of Design Plus is market relevance coupled with the high quality of the products selected. No other independent, judged design competition is distinguished by virtually free entry. Thus, the world’s leading trade fair for the consumer-goods sector guarantees an equal chance for all of the 4,700-plus exhibitors and exciting new discoveries for buyers”, says Vice President Ambiente/Tendence Nicolette Naumann. All award-winning products will be on view in the popular special show in Galleria 1 between Halls 8 and 9.

Messe Frankfurt launched the Design Plus competition in 1983 to draw greater attention to products that take new paths or reveal new concepts. It is organised by the Design and Life Initiative (Initiative Form und Leben) and sponsored by Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, the German Design Council (Rat für Formgebung), Frankfurt, and the Association of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammertag – DIHK), Berlin. The award winners are chosen by an international jury of experts. Apart from a one-off registration fee of € 155 plus VAT, taking part is free of charge for entrants and winners.

Ambiente exhibitors have until 2 December 2013 to enter products that are distinguished by special design qualities and that have not been on the market for more than two years at the time of Ambiente 2014. The entry form can be downloaded from the ‘For exhibitors’ section of the Ambiente website at www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com.

The jury of experts is made up of personalities from the international design scene. The jury members in 2014 are:

Designer: Mark Braun, Berlin

Design trade: Daniel Rozensztroch, Merci, Paris

Design management: Hugo Macdonald, Studioilse, London

Design teaching: Hubert Kittel, Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design, Halle

Trade press: Stefan Nilsson, Trendgruppen, Stockholm

Design producer: Philipp Mainzer, E15, Frankfurt/Main

Sponsor: Andrej Kupetz, Rat für Formgebung, Frankfurt/Main

Sponsor: Klaudia Hüls, Association of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammertag – DIHKT), Berlin

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Emine Disli. She will be pleased to help:

Emine Disli

Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1

D-60327 Frankfurt

Tel +49 69 7575 6915

Fax +49 69 7575 6518

designplus@messefrankfurt.com

Ambiente, the leading international trade fair

Ambiente is the leading international trade fair for products for the table, kitchen, household, giving and decorating, as well as for home and furnishing accessories. Ambiente is an event distinguished by superlatives and unrivalled worldwide thanks to its unique horizontal and vertical range of products. For five days at the beginning of the business year, 2013, more than 4,700 exhibitors showed their new products and innovations for the coming season. With 140,000 trade buyers from over 140 countries in 2013, the world’s leading consumer-goods fair also offers a wide variety of events, promotional programmes for young people, trend presentations and awards ceremonies.

Note for journalists:

You will find further information about Ambiente and high-resolution photographs on the internet at www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com/journalists.

Follow Ambiente on Twitter with hashtag #Ambiente14: www.twitter.com/ambiente

Background information on Messe Frankfurt

Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s leading trade fair organiser, with 536.9 million euros in sales and 1,833 employees. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approx. 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2012, Messe Frankfurt organised 109 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.

Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds, featuring 578,000 square metres, are currently home to ten exhibition halls and an adjacent Congress Centre. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com.