2009 Interior Motives Design Awards

Registration for the seventh annual Interior Motives Design Awards - themed ‘Sustainable and Clever' - is now open. Hosted by our quarterly interior design publication Interior Motives, the competition challenges design students around the world to come up with innovative designs that offer clever solutions to the problems facing 21st century vehicle design.

Students are asked to create a design that fulfils one of the following four briefs:

Chinese car 2.0
Create a next-generation vehicle designed specifically to serve the needs of young, design-aware Chinese consumers. Think about the growing population shift from the country to megacities, about the kind of personal transportation that suits such a lifestyle. Also consider the incredibly unique cultural heritage of a country like China - how can this be used to make a global design statement?

Inside out
Design a true dual-purpose interior - one whose major components can be removed and used for a variety of functions outside of the vehicle: in the home, at the office, in the parking lot or the countryside. Take modular design to the next level.

HMI 2.0
While the interfaces that connect us with our computers, cell phones and portable music players continue to adapt and develop at incredible speed, the interface in our car is left rooted firmly in the 20th century. Develop a new kind of HMI that taps into the latest technologies - drive-by-wire; gesture, iris and voice recognition, for example - and use it to create a new kind of driving experience.

Global car for a global crisis
National economies are in meltdown, growth is in freefall and pressure is increasing on car manufacturers to come up with sustainable solutions to climate change. Develop a new kind of global car that's suited to the unpredictable financial and physical climate that's ahead, paying close attention to cost of ownership, versatility and carbon footprint.

Trophies will be awarded to winning designs in ten categories - each of which carries prize money of $500 - and a check for $5000 will be handed to the overall Student Design of the Year. All of the finalists and winning students will have their work exhibited and be invited to take part in a prestigious awards ceremony in Frankfurt on the evening of September 16th, the second press day of the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The competition is open to students enrolled at any accredited undergraduate or graduate design degree program, both in automotive and non-automotive disciplines - those studying fashion design, industrial design, architecture and other similar fields are also eligible. In order to qualify all entries must have been designed during the 2008/2009 academic year and must be received by 29 May 2009. The three finalists in each category will be announced in July.

For more information on how to register and download the student manual, click on the following link: www.interiormotivesawards.com

By Euan Sey