IDI design AWARDS
October 17th 2007 saw the 9th biennial IDI Awards take place in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin. These design awards span the different design disciplines; interiors, exhibition, branding, visual communications, multimedia, furniture and product design. There was also a special category for Design for All – the design philosophy that embraces the principles of universal design.
A host of designers from all over Ireland gathered to hear RTE presenter Colin Murphy announce the results of the deliberations of an international design jury, Robert Bau, Thomas Kurppa, Darren Young and Mads Kjoller Damkjaer assembled from Denmark, Sweden, England and Germany.
Click here to see the winning entries from 2007
Winners from 2007 included interior architect Maria McVeigh MIDI for her residential pied-a-terre in Dublin, while RTE/Windmill Lane designer Michael McKeon MIDI impressed judges with his Hidden History title sequence which spanned past to present Irish history with its mix of modern and traditional animation. Atelier David Smith garnered acclaim for the Fingal Arts Plan which involved the documentation to arts practice in the area, and Eugene Skelton MIDI from industrial design firm Dolmen designed an innovative surgical belt that allows surgeons to use both hands when using interscope. Kathryn Wilson MIDI of Creative Inc designed an enticing visual solution for a direct mail piece which would entice world renowned architects into entering an architectural competition, for the design of a new phase of buildings on their main Belfield Campus in Dublin. Belfast firm Frank were delighted with their prize for best web-site design, awarded for their work on the excitingly 3-dimensional site for Soon Interiors. The modular office desking system designed by John Walsh MIDI of MADE , with its functional yet aesthetically pleasing dimension, won first place in the furniture section, and Peter Sheehan MIDI of Design Partners received praise from the judges for his creative design of a mouse/remote control hybrid.
Cameron Ross MIDI, Joanne Neville, Michael Regan, Marc O’Riain MIDI, Domineco Rea AIDI, Tracy Fahey MIDI President 2007
However the success story of the awards were RORSA, the Cork based design and architecture firm who scooped a dazzling 4 awards - commercial interior, exhibition design, Design for All and the most prestigious prize of the Awards, the Grand Prix. This is the overall prize of the awards, presented during every two years to the designers who have made the most outstanding contribution to Irish Design. Their work includes the spa-like Birthing Rooms in Cork University Hospital and the Cliffs of Moher Interpretative Centre in Clare.
Jury member Robert Bau said of the winning entry, the Birthing Rooms:
“This innovative hospital design shows a change of mindset, using a hotel as a metaphor, a place of well-being. If this could be in the thought behind every hospital, it would be the way forward. The solution is so unexpected yet so obvious and relevant.”
“We’re happily gob smacked,” said Marc O’Riain MIDI. “We came up hopeful and were astounded by the level of the entries. All three category wins and the Grand Prix were down to a team effort. We never thought we’d win so much.”
Sarah Vaughan, Colin Murphy, Rachael Murtagh MIDI
Gemma English, Wolfgang Klein, Sarah Minnis
Elizabeth Sawosko
Colin Murphy, Isabel Perceval
Susan McGowan, Amanda Graham, Justin Treacy
Katie Judge, Rocky Grenell
Aine Rooney, Colin Jennings
Christine Hunt, Carol Coffey MIDI, John Hunt, Kevin Moore
Click here for details of the IDI Design Awards 2008.