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Designers From Taiwan Win Record 93 Prizes in 2011 iF Design Award

2011/04/29 | By Quincy Liang

The jury of the 2011 iF Product Design Award, the “Oscars” of the design world, selected  991 favorites out of 2,756 entries by 1,121 participants from 43 countries, compared to the 2,486 registrations from 39 countries in 2010.

The jurors noticed that the consistent brand strategy of many companies resulted in a strong and distinctive product presence: a clear advantage in times of economic upturn when design qualities are becoming increasingly important.

Taiwanese designers came home with 93 awards in the 2011 iF Product Design Award, a record high, reflecting the remarkable gains made by designers from Taiwan in recent years.

The Taiwanese entries could also join the 50 winners of the iF Gold Award for “best in competition,” which will be announced on March 1, 2011, the first day of CeBit international computer show in Hanover, Germany. 

The information and communication technology (ICT) industry from Taiwan again made a strong showing amid the winners, with Acer, Asus, Lite-On, MiTAC, BenQ, Kisda etc. all garnering prizes.

The 2011 iF Product Design Award included 16 categories: 1. Transportation Design, 2. Leisure/Lifestyle, 3. Audio/Video, 4. Telecommunications, 5. Computers, 6. Office/Business, 7. Lighting, 8. Furniture/Home Textiles, 9. Kitchen/Household, 10. Bathroom/Wellness, 11. Buildings, 12. Public Design/Interior Design, 13. Medicine/Healthcare, 14. Industry/Skilled Trades, 15. Special Vehicles/Construction/Agriculture, and 16. Advanced Studies.


The CENS editorial team has selected a cross-section of the 93 winners from Taiwan.

Fabric Garden / Building materials, elements
Category: 11. Buildings
Designer: GIXIA Innovation Co., Ltd.
Fabric Garden is the first ever 3D hyperbolic surface textile, whose composite fibers substitute soil to create a green module for planting. It can be a green building exterior or  small farm on a family balcony, with the soft textile and modular frame adaptable to  either a flat or curved exterior. Modules are fitted with a water supply for convenient irrigation.



KS Supernatural 27.2 Remote / Mountain enduro bike seat post
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: Kind Shock Hi-Tech Co., Ltd.
With a patented one-way roller bearing to keep the saddle centered and prevent side play, this seat post also has a floating piston to eliminate cavitations when laid on its side for transport or hung upside down for storage. The post also has a unique, patent-pending external reservoir allowing for extra oil and air volume to provide consistent performance in a smaller diameter. This has eluded the competition and prevented other air-oil seat post systems from being offered in the 27.2 diameter.



HL-Key / Handbrake L-Key
Category: 14. industry + skilled trades
Designer: National Taichung University of Education (NTCU)
This L-Key or Allen wrenches has soft grip for a more comfy feel, which also prevents users' grip from slipping, even in oily environment. The soft grip also enhances work efficiency; while the colored rings help easy identification of wrench size.



Hybrid Toothed Chain and Sprockets
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: KMC Chain Industrial Co., Ltd.
The hybrid toothed chain and sprockets incorporate features of a roller chain, half link chain and gear transmission. For power transmission, it has the advantages of a roller chain: simple, strong, reliable and lightness. The consistent pitch of half links decreases vibration and allows flexibility for bicycle sizes. The toothed profile engaging system on both chain and sprockets enhances efficiency and reduces noise. Consequently, this product is smoother and quieter with higher transmission efficiency, making the hybrid design the future of bicycle drive trains.



BackEye  / Bike gloves
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: CYY Sporting Goods Co., Ltd.
Back Eye is the safest way for cyclists to see behind them on city streets and narrow, winding country lanes. The rear view mirror on the glove is tilted 30-80 degrees, and is  adjustable with the wrist. There is no need to twist one's neck to see a wide view, just like having eyes in the back of one's head! Its plastic mirror means less risk of injury in case of accident. The rear view mirror is removable for washing the glove, and the inside pocket holds money and keys, with a quick-release loop and open palm for ventilation and minimized creasing.



AluPen™ / Stylus
Category: 04. telecommunications
Designer: Tools Design
Just Mobile's AluPen™ is a chunky pencil-shaped stylus that enables precise control of  iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Sculpted from aluminum with a soft rubber nib, the AluPen™ sits perfectly in the hand to make drawing and writing a uniquely smooth and enjoyable experience, which is why it's the essential accessory for creative tablet PCs. What's more, the AluPen™ and its perfect control make it de rigueur for iPhone gamers too.



Light Fairy / LED cyclist raincoat
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: Yin Cheng-ta, Shen Chien-lung etc.
Light Fairy is the newest, multifunctional safety wear for cyclists. This lightweight raincoat makes it unnecessary for cyclists to use other lights when riding at night. Light Fairy features the new soft textile – LED yarn, which is waterproof and water vapor permeable. The LED yarn's linear-lighting characteristic also works as warning light when rolled up, with the LEDs as visible as fireflies.



Hanger signage / 18.5W digital hanger sign
Category: 05. computers
Designer: Wistron Corporation
The 625 x 350 x 40 mm and 5.5 kg sign is designed to be used in clothing retailers. It not only looks like a hanger but also can be hung with clothes for clients to access ads and online fashion information and images from Cloud Server via WiFi, creating an advertising business model by providing online suggestions as fashion coordination tips.



BenQ nReader Homer / e-reader
Category: 05. computers
Designer: BenQ Corp.
The "BenQ nReader-Homer" is a 6-inch, 800x600 resolution portable digital reader designed for high reading quality, with the design inspired by real-world book-reading demands for reading anytime, anywhere. Simplicity and slimness are emphasized in the design of "BenQ nReader-Homer", which is easy to carry, read and use. The bookmark design on both sides makes it easy to turn pages, the "thumb space" between turn-page key and screen, as well as the leather back also offer a convenient hold, with instinctive controls and WiFi completing e-reading convenience.



E&E Screwdriver / Effortless & Ergonomic Screwdriver
Category: 14. industry + skilled trades
Designer: National Taichung University of Education (NTCU)
The E&E Screwdriver has an effortless handle with a hex hole in the bottom to allow a hex wrench to enhance torque. The Aided-fastener enables torque enhancement and minimizes slipping between the blade and screw in limited spaces. The torsion-van spring (TVS) handle has 6 hard PP sheets embedded in the inner layer and covered by soft TPR. The TVS minimizes fatigue from twisting and pushing the screwdriver extensively. The cross-section blade design saves on usage of steel and prevents fracture.



Damselfly / Bicycle tool
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: Birzman
The Birzman Damselfly looks like the silhouette of the fragile damselfly on foliage to successfully deliver graceful lines and comfortable ergonomics essential for effective repair of chain breakage on the road or trail. Constructed from 7075 aluminum alloy, the tool is compact and light at about 40g and easily stowed in a rider's pocket or saddlebag. It also features perfect Y-design for extra leverage and reversible for 9 and 10 speed.



LED-ESCAPE / Emergency direction light
Category: 16. advanced studies
Designer: Lite-On Technology Corp.
The LED Escape light will not only save life, but will also work as a portable LED flashlight, as well as automatically project a map to show the way.



Tide ebb and rising / LED Beach Safety Sensor
Category: 16. advanced studies
Designer: Lite-On Technology Corp.
A perfect beach companion, the Tide ebb and rising is a tide-powered sensor that reminds people of tide status, with the LED flashing green during ebb tide and red during rising tide.



BRS Shower system
Category: 16. advanced studies
Designer: Lite-On Technology Corp.
The BRS Shower System is designed to reuse the water typically wasted when bathers  wait for water to heat up. The system has a mid-mounted transparent container to store cold water when bathers first turn on the shower, with such stored water first directed to  taps and fill the toilet tank. When the stored water is used, the system then changes to the normal water supply.



HC-Window / Double-pane Window with Embedded Curtain
Category: 11. buildings
Designer: DUCK Image Co., Ltd.
This eco-friendly window-and-curtain design conceals the curtain and handle in one piece. The curtain inserted between the two panes solves the problem of traditional curtains exposed to air, dust and stains; while the double-pane window effectively reduces heat transmission between outside and inside for improved energy saving and carbon reduction.



Wellypower EOS LED Bulb
Category: 07. lighting
Designer: Wellypower Optronics Corporation
The EOS LED Bulb perfectly balances style and efficiency, with the unsightly heat sink covered with a grille shielding to keep the air intake vents to accelerate cooling by Stack effect, hence extending lifecycle. Aluminum and recycled plastic parts are used for rigidity and eco-friendliness. Easily replaces 60W incandescent lamps, EOS delivers superb power saving and light output.



Lucky 7 Faucet / Kitchen faucet
Category: 09. kitchen + household
Designer: Shengtai Brassware Co., Ltd.
The Lucky Seven faucet is more than functional, but also symbolizes fortuity. Its spout looks like a growing stalk and the lucky number 7, with the flowing water resembling petals being shed, reminding users to treasure the precious water. The spout can be rotated 360° and adjusted slightly accordingly.



All-Star MVP Catcher Masks / Baseball Catcher Mask
Category: 02. leisure + lifestyle
Designer: Racer Sporting Goods Co., Ltd.
This catcher's mask has 21 vent ports throughout the shell that are flush to avoid direct contact with the face. All the ridges in the shell increase strength and durability of the mask, as well as enhance style. The back plate has three “bridges” which force the snaps to stay hooked. A strong center bar on the cage and its wedge design deflect balls upon impact; while the gap between the cage and shell minimizes the impact from balls to the head.



SLIM folding chair / Folding Chair
Category: 08. furniture + home textiles
Designer: Shiang Ye Ind., Co., LTD.
This folding chair has no screws on the back for a much slimmer and elegant look, but is more stable than screw-fastened ones. Keeping the slides the same width as the frame makes storage easier, but also safer as it prevents fingers from jamming between the frame tubes. The unique U-shaped seat-tube design saves time and production cost, but enhances stability and safety.



One-Slim Pendant Light / LED Light Fixture
Category: 07. lighting
Designer: Lei Yueh Enterprise Co., Ltd.
The One-Slim Light features simple lines and inventive use of extruded metal, resulting in style that speaks of elegance. It is designed to be free and playful as the user can adjust the location and number of LED modules to create the lighting atmosphere as desired.  



Horn Stand / Horn
Category: 03. audio + video
Designer: Fruitshop International Co., Ltd.
The iPhone Horn Stand, invented by Bone's creative minds and made of high-quality material, reflects and enhances sound without being plugged in. A user won't be interrupted when working, exercising or eating, but instead can use iPhones more freely. The mold releasing feature of silicone is sued to achieve the streamlined shape. Easy assembly of the “iPhone Horn Stand” is done with the single silicone piece without gluing or screws.



QLD-301 / LED floor lamp
Category: 07. lighting
Designer: Qisda / QisDesign
The QLD-301 is an LED floor lamp with 3 overlapping and swiveling lighting layers, each of which can be turned on independently by rotating up to 120-degrees. With the LEDs' small size and low temperature, users can maneuver the lamp, whose interactive design surpasses traditional lamps', to create desired lighting effect and ambience for reading etc.