Car Deisgn Awards China 2014 winners announced

The winners of this year's Car Design Awards China have been announced during a dazzling ceremony held at the Global Vehicle Architecture (GVA) design studio in Beijing.

The Awards, hosted by Chris Bangle, were presented to an audience of around 350 global design professionals. The work of all finalists' projects was on display, giving a superb opportunity for these up-and-coming young designers to discuss their work and future careers with prospective employers.

Over the past five years, this competition has unearthed some outstanding new design talent, many of whom will undoubtedly go on to help shape the industry in years to come.

As ever the 15 judges were very impressed by the standard of the students' work, they did have a cautionary word of advice for them - to be both bold and original in this increasingly competitive arena.

The winners however displayed both of these attributes and many more besides, hence their selection as Car Design Awards China 2014 winners:

Best Exterior Design – Qiu Shi, Hebei University of Technology
Sooshin Choi, Provost and Professor of Design at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit handed this first award to Qiu Shi for his futuristic Qoros limousine. Judge Gustavo Guerra of Volvo China described it as "a timeless design language that invokes luxury", while Lou Tik of JAC Italy called it an "extremely pure concept". It could "slice a Cadillac in two" added Guy Burgoyne of Geely.

Best Interior Design – Shi Yingnan/Li Kang/Xu Jie, China University of Mining and Technology
Tim Pilsbury of Qoros called this trio's project "Sleek and classic yet modern", while Sooshin Choi described its "use of materials in layers to save energy" as "very clever". Steffan Kohl of Daimler, meanwhile, praised the design for its "sensual purity". Richard Chung, Vice President of Industrial Design at Johnson Controls presented the award to the delighted team.

Best Luxury Concept – Liu Xiaolong, China Central Academy of Fine Arts School
Highlighted by Steffan Kohl for its "sporty elegance and expressive details" and Shizuki Kajiyama, Design Studio Manager of Yangfeng - who presented this award - who admired its "well balanced exterior and interior", the CAFA student's Qoros was a favorite of the judges.

Best Design in Harmony with China's Heritage – Zhu Luyao, Wuhan University of Technology
Chosen for its resonance with the traditional Beijing SiHe Yard houses, this project provoked an emotive response from many judges. Shizuki Kajiyama praised the concept for its "flexibility and freedom of styling as a living space", while Richard Chung described its "new interpretation of a modern mobility environment" as "intriguing". This award was presented by Mark Eperjesy from Lear.

Best Eco Solution – Liu Ligui/Pang Jianhui/Gao Bin, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Fresh air – or rather a lack of it – is one of the hottest topics in China currently and this trio's solution is to create a sort of wheeled ecosystem. "Its organic, eco look makes a strong impact," said Lear's Ryuzo Kubo. "Great virtual work" added Simon Loasby of VW. This trio's award was presented by Vice President of Dinamica, Lorenzo Terraneo.

Best Innovation – Xue Yahong/Huang Ying/Wu Chengyang, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry
This award, presented by Brian Pour, Vice President of IAC North Asia was handed to this team's Audi-branded exercise-powered commuter. In a world where time is becoming increasingly squeezed, while obesity increased, Guy Burgoyne praised the student for their novel approach to "making the journey a fitness routine".

By Owen Ready