DIH 2012 competition focused on LED semiconductor lighting design divided into two themes: “New light, New hope” and “ New light, New life”.

Awarding ceremony for the 2^nd “Design Inspires Humanism”: 2012 CUMULUS-DIH international design competition for LED Lighting

On the 4^th November 2012 a sunny and brightening Sunday in Shanghai, the awarding ceremony for the 2^nd “Design Inspires Humanism”: 2012 CUMULUS-DIH international design competition for LED Lighting was held at Century Park, Shanghai. This event was also a co-event of 2012 Radical Design Week and the Shanghai Youth Chuangyihui.

Mr. Huang Zhongxion from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts won the platinum prize of RMB 60,000 with his work LED Ambulance Stretcher. Ms. Jiang Weiyi from East China Normal University won the Gold award of RMB 40,000 with her work LED Escape Rope. Silver award winners included: Mr. Zhang Hao, Wang Meng, Liujun from Jiangnan University with their work Emergency Flashlight and Ms. Xu Jiaojiao from Tongji University with UV LED Water Purification Bottle. Five groups win the bronze awards:

– Song tianqi, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, China – project LED Emergency lighting tape LED,
– Erkko Aarti, Aalto University, Finland – project Kuomu,
– Fu yanyan, Wu Lin, Jiangnan University, China – project water rescuer– light of life,
– Zhang hao, Wang yue, Luo Haotian, Jiangnan University, China – project Light U,
– Ines Le Bihan, Droze Thomas, L’Ecole de design Nantes Atlantique, France – project 45°

VIP speakers included Director Christian Guellerin, the president of CUMULUS, Prof. Lou Yongqi, the Executive Board member of CUMULUS and professor at Tongji University, Mr. Lin Mingfeng, CEO of Shenzhen Unilumin Technologies. Awarding guests include Mr. Liu Shuxin, Shanghai Municiple Commission of Economy & Information, Prof. Tong Huiming, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Prof. Ken Friedman from Swinburne University and Mr. Sui Shirong, Director at Guangdong LED Lighting Industry Innovation Centre.

Cumulus and Tongji University has presented two editions of “Design Inspiring Humanism” awards since 2009. The competition promotes thinking of humanity and humanism through recommending and awarding the best designs in order to inspire young designers’ social responsibility and their curiosity to discover the future.

This year the competition focused on LED semiconductor lighting design divided into two themes: “New light, New hope” and “ New light, New life”.  The first theme continues the thoughts of disaster prevention and relief designed in 2009, while the newly added theme is supposed to discuss how to improve the quality of life by LED lighting design. The competition presents 5 awards for 21 participants and teams in general; the main prize is the platinum award up to RMB 60,000. The competition lasting from mid-June till end of September attracted over 450 participants from 150 international design schools from 29 countries. Through two stages of strict evaluation, our juries recommended 50 entries and selected the final top 21 products. The evaluation was based on four criteria: accordance with the themes; vision for future life and quality of living; practical and joyful user experience
and technical feasibility for a near future commercialization.

The jury panel consisted of 16 experts from various from international design schools, companies and design studios, such as Hunan University, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Aalto University and IDEO.

The competition got strong support from the Chinese LED lighting industry. The sponsors included Shenzhen Unilumin Technologies, Guangdong LED Lighting Industry Innovation Centre and Guangdong Guosheng investment company.

For all winners and awarded projects, please check the competition’s website at http://www.cumulus-dih.org