The final round of LG’s inaugural ‘Conceptualife Competition,’ held at Zayed University Auditorium, Dubai, drew to an exciting finish last night as 12 contestants from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Iran, presented their vision for the future of kitchen design and appliances.
Ali Kajuee (Iran) was selected as the winner for his design, titled ‘Ecoquina’ which showcased both a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and eco-friendly ideas. Kajuee took home a prize of $5000. Aya Abdullah Jibreal (KSA) came 2nd for her unique design ‘Nucleus’ receiving a cash prize of $3000, whilst Maroaan Gelderblom”(SA) was the 3rd receiving a total of $2000.
LG’s ‘Conceptualife Competition’ was established to provide young, upcoming designers with a forum through which they could unleash their creativity and showcase the future of kitchen design and appliances. Drawing hundreds of entries from across the region, the finale saw submissions narrowed to the top 12 entries.
Commenting on the talent displayed at the ‘LG Conceptualife Competition’, Mr Ki Wan Kim, CEO of LG Electronics Middle East & Africa Company stated: “The talent gathered at the finale was truly inspirational. Each of final 12 contestants demonstrated a unique fair for design, with innovation at the heart of their creations. The competition has provided us with great insight into the next generation of consumer product design.”
Contestants were required to present their designs to a panel of four judges made up of Penny McCormick, editor of leading UAE home furnishing publication, Emirates Home and interior design aficionado, June Hawkins and two representatives from LG, including Mr Ki Wan Kim, CEO of LG Electronics Middle East & Africa Company.
Each contestant explained their creative thought process and vision for their kitchen design. Entries were judged according to five main pillars; Uniqueness of design in terms of layout and individuality from current kitchen designs available; use of innovative kitchen appliances, features and functionality; use of space, storage, areas and worktops; environmental solutions including the use of recycled material and durability, and finally, practicality of the overall design.
“This inspirational group of youths are the architects of tomorrow and at LG we believe in fostering talent from an early age. The home appliance field is a key business unit for LG and we are always looking for innovative ways to gain insight and learn more about consumer opinions. This competition has been an eye opening experience with an exceptionally high caliber of submissions,” concluded Mr Ki Wan Kim.
The Conceptualife Competition is planned to continue into next year as an annual initiative for LG. In due course LG would like to scale it up to include more countries or initiate new activities within the Conceptualife identity.
