The Design that Educates Awards (DtEA) investigate the educational potential of architecture and design. The result—a new type of learning environment—provides a space for the exploration of both the design itself and its relation to the vaster context. The objective of the awards is to recognize, showcase, and promote globally the best ideas and implementations of architecture and design that educate. The theme of the awards has been inspired by the research called ‘Educating Buildings’ (‘Bildende Bauten’) by Dr. Peter Kuczia. Design that Educates Awards are hosted by Laka and are possible thanks to the partnership with Solarlux GmbH.
Winner Category of Architectural Design – Futurium by Richter Musikowski Architekten
The Futurium is a public building for Future-oriented exhibitions and events in the heart of Berlin. As an plus-energy building it achieves the BNB-Gold Status in sustainability. It is completely barrier-free. The building will serve as an open public place for presentations and will promote the dialogue between research, development and citizens.Future-oriented developments of national and international significance will be made visible through exhibitions and events.
Winner Category of Product Design – SIMS by Jin Young Song
SIMS (Snap-Interlock Modular System) is a structural module prototype based on the elastic instability of steel, distributing forces through its unique stacked and interlocked mechanism. One module has 4 hooked legs in the top and bottom direction, when one module snaps into 4 legs from connecting 4 modules, the 5 modules are interlocked as one unit. Finite Element analysis shows the elastic nature of steel and confirms the structural integrity for the construction scale. The module can be cast or cut to assemble for mass production. The internal structure of the module can be controlled to increase the stiffness. The center connector can be added to allow specific angles to form a curved geometry.
Winner Category of Universal Design – Smog Free Project by Studio Roosegaarde
Smog Free Project is a series of urban innovations to reduce pollution and provide an inspirational experience of a clean future. The Smog Free Project aims to create an immediate impact on a local scale and activate new solutions towards smog-free cities. Smog Free Tower, Smog Free Ring, and Smog Free Bicycle provide a local solution of clean air in public spaces. Along with governments, NGOs, pro-bicycle campaigns and the clean-tech industry, people can work together to make a whole city smog free. Recent Smog Free Projects have been launched all over the world, along with initiatives for smog-free workshops for students to attend.
Winner Emerging Designers – Soar by Jaewan Choi
Digital textbooks have been supplied in many countries, and classes run with Tablet PC PCs. Since the education using AR and VR enables students to have more stereoscopic and livelier experiences with different spaces, its effects and potentials have been proven, so that it has been included as contents in the digital textbooks. And yet, the fact that you should have too many products when you would like to use VR devices limits the actual distribution and utilization. Soar is a VR kit for education, which may produce synergy in the existing environments where Tablet PCs have been supplied. Thanks to the method of connection to a Tablet PC, the number of necessary devices decreased from five to one. It is a kit type product which can be put on a desk in the classroom. It was designed compactly in the shape and size suitable for students’ body.
Winner Solarlux Choice – Lima 3.0 by IntuyLab
“Lima 3.0” took place in Alto Peru, Chorrillos in 2018. An initial investigation with local students showed us that we were on an old fisherman’s village affected by migrations. “Lima 3.0” represents the idea of connecting a community with international architecture students. Also, the local NGO and a foundation interested in financing our educational project joined us to push together the project.
It is necessary to study the context going from urban to human scale. In “Lima 3.0”, we proposed students to study the historical layers of Lima to understand city growth and how informality is established as a system for city development. Through dissertations, visits, and debates, we reached a point where international students could understand how territory influence people.
Source and images Courtesy of Laka.