CDN-GM/PATAC Interactive Design Contest 2013 launched

After the overwhelming success of its European and North American interactive design competitions, GM and Car Design News are excited to announce the launch of their first competition exclusively for the Chinese market, the CDN–GM/PATAC Interactive Design Competition China.

According to Bryan Nesbitt, Vice President of Design at GM International Operations, "We are excited about the potential regarding a China-dedicated competition. Design is the initial product differentiator in the automotive retail space, so demand for top design talent will continue."

This is a great opportunity for young designers who are currently enrolled as students of Chinese universities to showcase their work on a global stage. In April, the CDN-GM/PATAC Interactive Design Competition China will choose two winners to receive internships with GM in China.

Launching this week on the competition website, the competition will have two stages-the first is an ideation phase, where inspiration, creativity, and sketching are encouraged to find the best entries for further refinement in the second stage. Those chosen finalists, several from each design brief, will then be asked to further refine and perfect their designs for the final voting by the judges. These finalists will then be invited to the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2013 where the winners will be announced. One winner will be announced for each brand represented in the brief.

As with previous CDN-GM competitions, designers from GM and one member of the Car Design News editorial staff will act as mentors to help students develop their designs through the use of the interactive website and refine it before submitting a final entry. Each stage of the development is visible publicly on the competition website, with observers and fellow entrants able to comment, discuss, and see how the designs evolve as a result of feedback. Taking advantage of this interactivity is a student's best way to make it to the second round, as GM's own designers will be helping you choose the best direction for your entry, and encouraging you all the way.

The competition is open to students studying full time at design schools in China who must also have at least one more semester to complete after the competition ends. Studies can be at any level, from undergraduate to doctoral, and be of any design discipline. The judges encourage students from across the spectrum of design disciplines to participate, including architecture, product, industrial design, and others. Don't worry if your renderings don't have the classic automotive style either, the judges are looking for the best ideas and designs, and often these come from outside the industry.

Choose your brief
The CDN-GM/PATAC Interactive Design Competition China allows students to choose between either a Chevrolet E-Camaro or Buick Lacrosse design brief, and the mentors from those brands will offer continuous guidance and advice in order to refine the entries and help students improve their skills. Both briefs offer students an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills to both the Chinese and international design community, and an exciting design project that can be added to a portfolio after the competition has ended.

Register
When submitting a design or commenting on the work of others entrants must complete a simple online registration, although all uploaded material can be viewed by anyone visiting the site. You can register at the dedicated contest website.

Timeframe
The first phase of the competition opens today and will run until January 2013, when the finalists will be chosen. A second phase will begin in mid-January 2013 and will conclude in March 2013. At the end of this second phase, the judges will then select the winners from the refined designs of this select group. All of the finalists will be invited to attend the Shanghai Auto Show 2013 in April. After a public display of their designs, the finalists will hear the winners' announcement on GM's stand.

Judges
The judges for the CDN/GM-PATAC competition include Bryan Nesbitt, Vice President of Design at GM International Operations, Michael Simcoe, Executive Director – Global Design GMIO at Holden, Min Cao, Chief Designer/Advanced Design Director at PATAC, Burt Wong, Executive Deputy Director of PATAC Design Department at PATAC, and Holt Ware, Executive Design Director at PATAC.

From all of us at CDN and GM, we wish you all the best of luck and encourage you to start uploading entries as soon as possible to take advantage of the guidance and advice on offer from the team of mentors and give yourself the best possible chance of becoming a finalist.

We look forward to seeing you online!

By Drew Meehan