THE PLATFORM TO PRESENT ASIA’S OUTSTANDING DESIGNS TO THE WORLD RETURNS
In Bigger and Better Form

April 28, 2008, Hong Kong ––The Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) has announced the launch of the Design For Asia (DFA) Award 2008 today. Designers and companies around the world are invited to submit their entries for the DFA Award, one of the premier design competitions in Asia.

In keeping with current trends, this year’s award will be expanded to ensure that the excellence of design in Asia is awarded a proper form of recognition – to reflect the abundant number of excellent designs that exist today as well as the expanding disciplines that design is influencing over. DFA Gold, Silver and Bronze Award, will be given to deserving entries from 18 design categories while up to 10 DFA Grand Awards will be given to the best of the best along with DFA Special Awards and DFA Outstanding Design from Greater China Award.

In its sixth year, the DFA Award seeks to raise awareness amongst businesses and the public about the value of good design as an essential component in business success, as well as for a sustainable, better quality of life for all. It is presented to companies and designers from around the world that have achieved business success through good design with a notable impact on Asia.

The DFA Award provides unique opportunity to recognize exceptional designers, who have not only created outstanding forms, but have a sense of social awareness, have a commitment to education and the development of their profession, and, in particular, demonstrate a positive impact on the Asian way of life. The Award is a vital platform in providing the best practitioners of design an otherwise unrealized opportunity to share and celebrate visions, and consequently, act as crucial indicators of the quality and scope of contemporary design in Asia.

The Award’s prestigious international judging panel will consist of world-renowned professionals and experts from a variety of business, professional, academic and design disciplines with experience both locally and internationally.

Extensive promotional offer will take place before, during, and after the competition, resulting significant coverage from local and international media, including our international media partner, BusinessWeek.

The Design for Asia Awards is organized by the Hong Kong Design Center and presented at the HKDC Annual Awards Gala Dinner of the Business of Design Week, Asia’s leading design event on innovation, design, and brand.

DFA Award Details

Eligibility criteria: Open to the manufacturers and designers of any design in the world that has been commercially launched in one or more Asian markets between 1 January 2006 and 30 June 2008.

Award Categories:

DFA Gold, Silver, Bronze Award accepts entries[1][1] from both design and business sectors to compete in 18 categories. Up to three best works from each category will be awarded a DFA Gold, Silver or Bronze award. DFA Gold Award winners from each category will progress into the second stage for the following awards:

The DFA Grand Award commends the best designs among all categories based on their design excellence, influence in Asia and commercial success.

DFA Outstanding Design from Greater China Award recognises outstanding designs that originate from the Greater China region, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

DFA Special Awards is for design solutions that excel in fields beyond the definitions of the traditional categories and have been demonstrative in improving quality of life, or inspiring future design development. The three special awards will be presented are DFA Special Award for Sustainability, DFA Special Award for Culture, and DFA Special Award for Technology.

End of registration period: 30 June 2008

Fees:
Registration Fee per entry: HK$800
Exhibition & Catalog Fee: HK$1,600 or HK$800 for members of HKDC’s founding associations[2][2]

Further details:
Internet: http://www.dfaaward.com/
Phone: 852 3586 3018
Email: dfa@hkdesigncentre.org

About Hong Kong Design Centre
The Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), established in 2001, is dedicated to helping local designers and businesses to realize their full potential. Our mission is to help Hong Kong move up the value chain as a knowledge-based economy and improve the well being of the society. HKDC was founded by the Hong Kong Federation of Design Associations, which founding members include Hong Kong Designers Association, Interior Design Association Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, and the Chartered Society of Designers (Hong Kong Chapter). As a non-profit organisation, we are supported by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. More information about HKDC is available at http://www.hkstp.org/.

About The DFA Award
The DFA Award, an annual event organized by HKDC since 2003, is presented to companies from around the world which have generated business success through great design that impacts Asia. It also seeks to promote design excellence, to recognize the importance of Asian-influenced design on the Asian lifestyle, and to grow awareness of good design as an essential component in business success and the enjoyment of life. More information about DFA Award is available at http://www.dfaaward.com/.

For enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Karen Loong
Hong Kong Design Centre
Tel.: 852 3586 3018
Email: karen.loong@hkdesigncentre.org

Posted by Rina Hutajulu/Concept Magazine.