Two designs have been nominated for the Toon van Tuijl Design Award; the fence Home Sweet Home of Demakersvan from Rotterdam and the series Potten of Renske Papavoine from Eindhoven. The winner will be anounced at the Dutch Design Awards, on the 17th of October in Eindhoven. This is the third year the price will be awarded. In total there were 45 contestants. The jury was enthusiastic about the diversity and quality of the contestants. Fair Trade design is becoming the new standard and Dutch Design as such has an increasing impact on the social and economic circumstances in developing countries.
The nominations are:
• Demakersvan from Rotterdam with their impressive fence Home Sweet Home, a 1200 meter high-end lace fence. The fence contains over 80 patterns and designs which have been influenced by the cultures of the Amsterdam Zuidoost community. The jury is impressed by the universal and multifunctional design. A few years ago Demakersvan started their own factory in India to produce their designs. The good working conditions for their 60 employees received much praise.
• Renske Papavoine from Eindhoven with the series Potten. The basic material for these pots is “cotton sandwich”. The stitched layers of fabric are dipped in latex which gives the pots a remarkable visual and physical appearance. The jury is pleasantly surprised by this result. Potten are produced by a rehabilitation project in Bhopal, India, which contributes substantially to the whole community.
Special attention for four applicants:
1. Impulse collection by Michel van der Kley: a revolutionary use of Lokta paper.
2. Chuncks, designed by Martijn Homan and NOOSA-Amsterdam: small unique decoration for belts . The production of this belt in Nepal has a big impact on the local situation.
3. Filibus 995 by De Fietsfabriek: this bike changed the scenery in Amsterdam. Now it opens new dimensions in developing countries.
4. Mukwa Originals designed by Piet Hein Eek: solid chairs made in a challenging setting in Zambia.
The winner will be announced on October 17th 2009, during the largest design event in Europe: the Dutch Design Awards in Eindhoven. The winner will be awarded 2500 euro for further product development as well as a custom-made personal coaching package.
Toon van Tuijl Design Award
The Toon van Tuijl Design Award allows NCDO to give attention to fair trade design from developing countries. The prize stimulates designers to contribute to improving social and economic circumstances in developing countries. The price is awarded to a Dutch design produced in a developing country and suitable for the European market. The award was launched in 2007 in memory of Toon van Tuijl, an ambitious industrial and furniture designer In 2006 he was killed during an armed robbery in Kenia, where he was working on an assignment for a local furniture manufacturer.
