Feast Your Eyes! The International Design Awards (iDA) 2008

by Toby

The 2008 International Design Awards (iDA) have been announced in iDA's traditional categories: Interior Design, Architecture, Fashion, Product, and Graphics. One design is more breathtaking than the next, but I can't say which one!

The iDA is one of the most sought after design awards on an international level. The judges represent design firms, design publication editors, reviewers, buyers, and design educators worldwide. The winning works are published in the iDA08 Art Book, distributed to museum bookstores, promoted in press releases, and covered on the iDA website. Through the iDA's, not only are professional designers showcased, but mirror competitions in each category are held for student designers, an outstanding way to encourage and recognize new blood in the design industry.

Without further ado... the winners of the Professional Awards of Design08:

1. iDA Interior Design of the Year

Architectural Hero, New Urban Face: Simone Micheli

Piazza Duoma, MilanFlorence Architect Simone Micheli designed this eclectically drawn visitor center for the Tourist Information Center in Milan. The center is in an underground passageway between the main square on the Piazza Duomo and the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery. The center is a mecca for tourists to get information
about everything going on in Milan Province, and has been in this underground area for many years. Though part of it will remain as the old center, featuring ancient artifacts from this area of Italy, a sort of natural history museum, the New Urban Face will embody the new, lively, and sophisticated city of Milan. It provides a wonderful area for tourists to mingle with each other too!

2. iDA Architectural Design of the Year

The Watercube: PTW Architects with ARUP and CCDI

The architecture of The Watercube National Swimming Centre in Beijing is an important symbol in a landlocked city. In Chinese culture, water is a very significant and balancing symbol. The architectural design of The Watercube is inspired by natural laws of physics; it represents the motion of water molecules after a cube is dropped into water.

3. iDA Fashion Design of the Year

"Maticevski Spring Summer 2009" Designer: Toni Maticevski

Austrailian designer, Toni Matcevski, created this dream fashion collection after being inspired by the book Inventive Paris Clothes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Text By Diana Vreeland and photos by Irving Penn. (I love it when artists credit their inspirations!) Whatever inspired Toni Maticevski to create these feminine, sexy, soft, and sophisticated fashions... they are superb!

4. iDA Product Design of the Year

SimpleTech SimpleDrive: Stuart Karten, Paul Kirley, Ariel Vergez

The trio of designers created a smart simple casing for Simpletech's new plug n' play add-on storage unit. An ecologically-friendly design, the SimpleDrive reduces the amount of materials used as well as the assemby required, uses a recyclable plastic, and still manages to make a spare storage drive into something aesthetically pleasing! Now, where have you see that?

The clamshell casing also provides air vents so that the drive does not overheat.

Nice built-in stand!

5. iDA Graphic Design of the Year

Nip/tuck Operation Table (series), Designer: Emrah Yucel and Stephan Lapp with FX Network

Emrah Yucel and Stephan Lapp and their tremendouly successful advertising and graphic design firm, Iconisus in Culver City, CA, created a wonder-series of graphics for the popular FX show, Nip/Tuck. While the firm's client base has not yet reached Mars, it is widespread here on Earth, and Iconisus graphic works have been highly acclaimed by prestigious collegial awards and reviews.