From
http://www.toscanadesigncompetition.it/Email : info@toscanadesigncompetition.it
TOSCANA DESIGN COMPETITION
TOSCANAD-SIGNCOMPETITION
LIVING – LUXURY
Conceptual Competition: ACCESSIBLE LUXURY
Consorzio P.M.I scarl, Agenzia Di Promozione del Mobile Imbottito (Agency for the
Promotion of Upholstered Furniture), is holding a competition for young designers
under 40 years of age.
(publication drafted in accordance with the international regulations developed in
collaboration with ICOGRADA, ICSID, IFI; with the sponsorship of ADI - Associazione
italiana per il Disegno Industriale [Italian Industrial Design Association] – Tuscan Delegation)
For some years now we have been experiencing a phenomenon that can only be defined
as “accessible luxury”; that is, a return to investment in tangible, traditional goods, with
furnishings and the home in general taking first place.
In line with this trend, the organizers are pleased to invite “under-40” designers and
architects to participate in a conceptual competition addressing this interesting cultural
and market reality.
Art. 1 Aim of the Competition
Consorzio PMI hereby calls a contest for design of products for the home living
area.
The category includes numerous furnishing/decorating products, from the sofa, the principal
point of reference, to an entire series of complements, from armchairs to rugs, from
wall units to occasional furniture and tables to picture frames, lamps, etc.
The salient project elements, beyond innovation, must be careful selection and attention
to materials, finishings, color schemes, surfaces: all aspects that contribute
to characterizing the concept of luxury, as called for by the competition theme statemen
Art. 2 Composition of the Jury
The jury will be composed of at least seven individuals, each with voting rights:
Denis Santachiara – Designer
Philip Taylor – Fashion Consultant
DDN – DDN magazine
Carlo Bimbi – Designer – Vice-President of ADI Toscana
Gianfranco Gualtierotti - Designer
Alberto Mantellassi - Pres. Consorzio P.M.I scarl
Massimo Pucci – Piemme Group
Gianni Overi - CEO Mirabili e Formitalia
Elisa Gradi – Gradi srl
The decisions of the jury will be made by majority vote.
The Chairman of the jury will be appointed by the jury members.
The evaluative decisions of the jury will be final and made on the basis of discretional
criteria established by subjects with technical expertise in the sector.
Art. 3 Competition Trustee
The trustee, charged with expediting mediation among promoters, jury, and competitors,
is:
P.M.I scarl Agenzia di Promozione del Mobile Imbottito
P.za Garibaldi 5 - 51100 Pistoia
phone +39 0573 991728 - fax +39 0573 991740
REFERENT: Dr. Fabrizia Calvano
e-mail:info@toscanadesigncompetition.it
Further information concerning participation in the competition may be requested from:
Secretariat, SP.M.I scarl
Art. 4 Prizes
The total amount of the prize monies is ¤euro 10.000,00 (ten thousand euro)
To authors of the first three winning projects will go:
1st prize euro 5,000.00 (five thousand euro)
2nd prize euro 3,000.00 (three thousand euro)
3rd prize euro 2,000.00 (two thousand euro)
The authors of the first 10 selected projects will be invited to visit the production district
The commission will select 50 designs for display at a special competition exhibition
Competition activities will include realization of several pre-competition prototypes.
Should the competition conclude without a ranking and without winners, due to there
being no suitably meritorious projects, the jury may, at its final discretion, divide the prize
money as it sees fit and distribute same among the designers whose projects it feels are
worthy of special mention.
The promoter hereby stipulates that the entire amount of the prize money be in any case
distributed and that no recourse for (any) withholding provided for by law will be admitted.
Art. 5 Requirements for Participation
Participation in the competition is open to subjects born subsequently to 1 January
1968 who meet the requirements set forth below:
a) Italian and/or foreign designers, architects, and engineers duly registered with their
respective professional associations, independent designers, and designers working
in a subordinate capacity if duly authorized by their companies.
b) students enrolled at the Faculties of Architecture or Engineering or in a design institute.
Teams of competitors from both categories may participate; in this case, the team must
appoint a team leader who will be the sole person in charge and the referent for dealings
with Consorzio PMI. Participation by members of the Jury, their family members, and
employees of Consorzio PMI is expressly prohibited.
Art. 6 Novelty of Projects
The projects submitted to the competition must be never before published and developed
expressly for the competition. Any disputes concerning the originality of the projects shall
be submitted to the Design Jury for settlement.
Art. 7 Plans – Project Material
For each project, the contestant/s must submit no. 2 or more plates (mounted on stiff
backing), 50 x 70 cm in size, containing at least one technical drawing in an adequate
scale illustrating the project as a whole and the construction details.
Color may be used. Together with the plates, the contestant must submit a short report
describing the project motivations and characteristics, including a description of the
materials and any other data felt to be pertinent and useful; said report must be submitted
in A4 format and must not exceed three single sides.
Contestants are granted the faculty to illustrate their projects with other drawings or images,
which must in any case be contained in the plates as described above or in the report.
Each plate and the report must be marked with the identification code that will be sent
to each participant by email after he/she has submitted the completed online registration
form, available at the competition website (see Art. 8).
All the material submitted must also be copied onto a digital CD in .pdf and/or .jpg
format.
Art. 8 Identification and Confidentiality
Each participant must submit two sealed envelopes, with no distinguishing signs on the
exterior except for the designations “Envelope A” and “Envelope B”.
Envelope A must contain:
- the form containing the personal data of the project author/s;
- self-certification with attached copy of the participant’s identification card guaranteeing
under his/her own responsibility that the project submitted is an new, original work made
by the participant him/herself and that said project in no way infringes on any prior
author’s rights;
- a statement granting the consortium the right of option, for the duration of one year from
the date of the minutes of the jury, and the guaranteeing participant’s commitment to
assume responsibility for any consequences resulting from legal actions brought by third
parties concerning the originality of the project/s.
Envelope B must contain:
- the technical project as explained in Art. 7 above, with indication of the identification
code received by the participant by email following registration at
www.toscanadesigncompetition.it
Art. 8-bis Competition Procedure
At the time of the competition, the envelopes marked “B” will be opened first to permit
examination and evaluation of the submitted projects.
The envelopes marked “A” will be opened only after the projects have been judged.
We hereby invite all those interested in participating to register and to fill in and submit
the competition forms, available at the competition website .
Art. 9 Use Rights
Consorzio PMI reserves the right of option on use of the projects submitted to the
competition, for a period of one year from the date of the minutes of the jury session.
During this period, PMI will decide whether or not to put the articles into production; in
that case, economic relations with the designer/project author will be governed by a
specific contract drafted in observance of ADI valuation criteria.
Consorzio PMI herewith agrees not to modify any submitted project in any manner,
without the express consent of the project author.
Participants enjoy the faculty to protect their works by registration or patent. ADI offers
project authors who wish to so protect their works the opportunity to register their projects
with the “Project Register” at especially favorable conditions.
Art. 10 Deadlines
All project material must be delivered in unmarked (anonymous) packaging, no later than
5:00 p.m. on 30 June 2008, by postal delivery and/or courier service, with advice
of receipt, to:
P.M.I scarl Agenzia di Promozione del Mobile Imbottito
P.za Garibaldi 5 - 51100 Pistoia
tel. 0573 991728 fax 0573 991740
e-mail: info@toscanadesignconpetition.it - Referer: Fabrizia Calvano
The Competition Secretariat guarantees that project acceptance will be treated anonymously.
Should delivery be made by means of carriers (postal service or private courier), the
material must be sent by the above-mentioned date and time (as attested by the postmark
or delivery note). Material arriving, due to shipping delays, later than 10 days from the
date established for delivery cannot be accepted.
Art. 11 Results Information and Publication
Consorzio PMI hereby pledges to present the initiative in the national press and publicize
and valorize the results of the competition in the manners it feels most suitable.
All participants hereby authorize PMI to display their projects at an exhibition which, if
held, will be held no later than 31 December 2008.
The participants also hereby authorize PMI to publish their projects in a catalogue, book,
and/or in the specialized press, if so decided; the participants shall be entitled to no
remuneration for this service beyond mention of the author’s/authors’ names.
Participants not receiving awards are hereby nevertheless granted the faculty to request,
within 15 days from communication of the results of the competition, that their works not
be published/exhibited.
Consorzio PMI will communicate the results of the competition by email within 30 days
of the end of same and will notify the ten winners by registered letter.
Art. 12 Return of Contest Materials
All the materials relative to projects not awarded prizes may be picked up by the authors
at Consorzio PMI from 30 November through 23 December 2008.
Upon expiry of said term, the trustee shall be implicitly authorized to not preserve any
materials still in their possession and to proceed with destruction of same.
The materials relative to winning projects will be retained by PMI until the expiry of the
option period granted them, except by different agreement among the parties.
Pistoia, 6 March 2008
Referer: Fabrizia Calvano
info@toscanadesigncompetition.it
