Judges have nominated 73 products as finalists in the 2009 Australian International Design Awards, Standards Australia’s design recognition programme.
Australian and internationally-designed products as diverse as an office chair, hearse, onboard marine safety device, baby carrier, motor grader, asthma puffer, bicycle light and battery-heated wetsuit are among this year’s finalists, recognised for their design merit, quality and innovation.
Finalists are in the running to take out the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year or receive an Australian International Design Award or Australian International Design Mark.
The Australian International Design Awards recognise superior design and innovation and provide consumers with an independent indicator of quality and value for professionally designed products available in the Australian market.
A panel of local and international judges recently assessed over 100 products shortlisted during the internet voting process held earlier this year.
According to Stephanie Watson, Programme Director, Australian International Design Awards, during the judging week, the judges considered each product on visual and stylistic appeal, and examined functionality, environmental impact, innovation and human factors – design aspects which are considered on a daily basis by industrial designers and manufacturers across the world. The products brought a degree of joy to the user. They performed well and were aesthetically pleasing.
Finalists in the 2009 Australian International Design Awards include:
- Herman Miller Embody office chair
- Qantas A380 Economy Seat – designed by Marc Newson
- Miele 90cm wide pyrolytic oven
- DeLonghi Nespresso Latissima coffee maker
- Electrolux energy efficient refrigerator range – using 49% less energy
- Sanyo waterproof digital movie camera
- Tag Heuer Meridiist pocket phone/watch
- Caroma Invisi II – invisible toilet cistern system
- Cochlear Hybrid hearing aid system
- Rip Curl H-Bomb wetsuit with inbuilt lithium battery to warm the body
Winners will be announced at the Presentation Night in Melbourne on May, 2009.
Entries cover eight industry categories:
- Consumer
- Business and Technology
- Sport and Leisure
- Architectural and Interior Products
- Automotive and Transport
- Medical and Scientific
- Heavy Machinery
- House and Building
Entry is open to products designed in Australia or overseas, but available for sale in Australia.
Designs created by industrial design university students from across Australia have also been judged for the Australian Design Award – James Dyson Award, the student category of the Australian International Design Awards.