DesignMind is now the official host for the 2009 Plascon Prism Awards!

The Plascon Prism Awards are about supporting budding design and architectural talent in academic institutions. The Awards give young talent a platform to showcase their artistry as well as encouraging interaction between learners and their future peers. The focus is on inspiring change through the use of colour, innovation and technology.

The competition has entered its tenth year in 2009 and the challenge is to create a space inspired by nature’s cycle of renewal and regeneration.

Entrants are challenged to submit a plan of a space created using natural biodegradable materials and that takes the evolved precision of nature as inspiration. Natural forms such as beehives, nests and burrows are suggested as influences, with judges looking for entries that achieve excellence in both appearance and function.

A core part of the brief is to select colours from the Plascon Colour Forecast for 2009, the industry’s key annual colour trend guide. All entries will be judged based on innovation, aesthetics, use of colour and overall insight and application of the concept within each category.

“South Africa is a world leader in design, fusing contemporary expertise with unique inspiration from our African environment. The Plascon Prism Awards is an essential part of our commitment to supporting young local talent and inspiring new thoughts and directions in interior design and architecture,” said Tanya Nicholson, trade marketing manager of Plascon.

Winners will be selected by some of South Africa’s most influential design experts in three categories including public buildings, residential and commercial spaces.
Ten finalists will be selected and their entries will be exhibited at Decorex in Johannesburg in August and on the Plascon website.
One winner from each category, as well as the overall winner, will be announced at Decorex.

The category winners will receive R5000 each and a colour hamper for their institution.

The overall winner will be awarded a five-day trip to London to experience the 100% Design Exhibition, one of the world’s premiere contemporary design shows.

The overall winner’s institution will also receive a R10,000 grant for a student studying next year.

To view entries for this year’s Awards go to the Plascon Prism Awards group on www.designmind.co.za and give the contestants your feedback!