The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) pays homage to local furniture design through its exciting Furniture Design competition.
The dti encourages furniture designers to enter its Furniture Design Competition.
Image credit: Creative Commons
In partnership with the South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI), Proudly South African and their partners, the dti invites South African designers to participate in the Furniture Design Competition.
Entries are open to design students registered in South African educational institutions as well as established furniture designers and manufacturers. The aim of the competition is to raise and nurture design capabilities in the country, improve the image of the South African furniture manufacturing industry and to advance local industry through the introduction of new products.
Under the theme ‘LivingSpace’, participants need to submit design entries for household furniture that must respond to people’s changing lifestyles. The submitted pieces must also reflect furniture trends using different textures, colours and shapes. Your furniture piece must also provide a solution to the constantly changing needs of consumers and furniture design.
Your design should:
- Promote innovation;
- Include timber as the furniture piece’s significant component;
- Be a movable piece;
- Appeal to the export market;
- Promote the use of local inputs such as wood, textiles and prints;
- Design for a space not bigger than 3×2 square meters; and
- Have a target market in mind.
Compulsory information to submit
- A technical drawing of the product. This should include the final product dimensions and 3D drawings – your design must be 3D printable;
- A description of materials and inputs to be used in production;
- The design must be accompanied by a description of the design explaining the concept and
- motivation behind the design; and
- A brief copy of your CV.
Entries close on 31 August 2018. Final Judging takes place at the grand exhibition in February / March 2019 where the finalists’ products will be exhibited and the winners will be announced. Prizes include a one-year internship for the winning student; an opportunity to participate and exhibit at the Inspire Expo for the winning manufacturer; software prizes; and design tools.
Entry forms can be downloaded at: www.thedti.gov.za or email: furnituredesign@thedti.gov.za
