Design Preis Schweiz: Integral design solutions are the winners

The thirteen winning products and projects demonstrate: Solutions are profitable when the design is implemented as a process in which products, projects or services are developed and designed in tandem. Prizes were awarded to solutions which added value because they solve problems comprehensively and practically and design was not solely regarded as a shaping process or one that adds colour. In brief: The prize-winning works demonstrate that design is a key economic discipline and as a driver of innovation has long-lasting commercial and social effects.

Two young companies were awarded for their products:

SteriLux (Rado Star Prize Switzerland for Young Talents) Marc Spaltenstein
SteriLux’ system, which was developed by scientists and designers working closely together, is technically based on an innovative sterilisation method relying on ultraviolet light and ozone. It consists of just two elements – a plastic box, in which the instruments are not only sterilised but can also be transported and stored for up to six months, and a kind of battery-powered mother station which triggers, monitors and documents the sterilisation process. In comparison with traditional sterilisation methods, SteriLux offers considerable advantages: significantly reduced energy consumption, minimal non-distilled water requirements, mobility and user-friendly operation.

Comment by the jury:
It is a truism that the success of medical operations is dependent on the use of sterile instruments. It is less well known that in some regions of the world there are considerable problems in this connection. So a group of scientists is developing a completely innovative method of sterilisation, which can be used even in difficult external circumstances. They are seeking to involve input from designers at an early stage, with a view to giving the equipment associated with the method a user-friendly form. This is a clever move, which makes a crucial contribution to the success of the project and cannot be rated too highly. Developed by the joint efforts of a team, the SteriLux system has impressed the jury right across the board, and has deserved an award from Design Prize Switzerland if for no other reason than that it helps to save human lives.

Malvaux (Product – Consumer Goods)
The Swiss army knife – a national design icon, an international export hit and the symbol par excellence of Swiss quality and reliability – is a widely admired, almost sacrosanct object. And yet we all know that it has its little ways! Opening the knife with the help of the fingernail notch can cause problems – and there is room for doubt about the knife’s ergonomics as well. Just these considerations were the starting point for the laborious development of the Malvaux «Nr. 1» pocket knife. And the result demonstrates that minute adjustments are all it takes to improve the functionality in a sustainable way. The scale is now curved, while the blade remains straight. To open the knife, you now have a substantial area that you can grasp between thumb and forefinger. And as a result of the asymmetrical kink in the handle, the knife sits comfortably in the hand. The scale is made of CNC-milled aluminium, giving an impression of quality. The screw system that holds it all together means that you can change the blade in case of need.

Comment by the jury
Design is rarely concerned to reinvent a product completely. In the overwhelming majority of cases, further development and improvement of an already existing product is the central task of design, and a touchstone for its quality. The Malvaux «Nr. 1» pocket knife meets these requirements in irreproachable and exemplary style. In a convincing and notably pointed way, it combines functionality, product quality and aesthetic considerations. The characteristically kinked form results from the endeavour to make the knife more user-friendly. This confers on the product a unique selling point and a distinctively recognisable identity. Above all in view of its being different and independent, the Malvaux «Nr. 1» is not in competition with the iconic Swiss army knife. But like the latter, it is well thought out, useful, reliable and beautiful and so incorporates the typical properties of Swiss design.

(SK)