12 MEA regional finalists battle it out

THE regional finals of LG Conceptualife 2011 drew to an exciting finish as 12 aspiring designers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Egypt and Iran presented their vision for the future of eco-friendly kitchens and appliances to an expert panel of judges.

In its second successful year and under the theme of ‘Green and Futuristic’, Tolga Tekin from Turkey’s Marmara University in Istanbul was awarded first place for skillfully amalgamating basic interpretations of sand and water with innovative energy solutions. In addition to winning a fully-paid one-month internship at Dubai-based design firm X-Architects, Tekin also received $5,000 in cash and an LG Optimus smartphone.

The delighted 22-year-old said: “I still cannot believe I am holding this award – I am on top of the world and now am even more confident that I will be a successful designer who can make a difference. I thank LG from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity and allowing me to realise my dream.” 

The first runner up was also from Turkey – Serdar Soyal from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul while the second runner up prize went to Karyn Schott from Greenside Design Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition to an LG Optimus smartphone, they were awarded $3,000 and $2,000 in cash respectively from LG.

Commenting on the high levels of creativity and talent showcased in the competition, KW Kim, president, LG Electronics, MEA region, said: “It was a difficult task to pick the top three designs. We had a powerhouse of talent and LG is proud to provide a forum for these gifted students to showcase their skill. Most of the designs were presented as concepts but it is only a matter of time before these futuristic, green kitchen solutions are recognised and adopted. I am pleased to see how well our aspiring designers of tomorrow understand the importance of an environmentally sound kitchen design and appliances which is also one of LG’s key objectives.”  

“I particularly liked Tolga Tekin’s design as it integrated technology with cutting-edge design albeit with a human touch. I felt this design was the most applicable and it would be very interesting to push this concept forward,” said Ahmed Al Ali of X-Architects.

“Even though the contestants were from six different countries, it was very interesting to see similar themes running through all the designs, such as indoor gardens and integrated appliances with functionality being key,” commented panellist, Annie Cudmore.

LG Conceptualife was established in 2010 as an annual event to provide up-and-coming design students with an outlet to demonstrate their talent and harness their creativity by showcasing the future of kitchen design and appliances.