The prize-giving ceremony took place the 10th of July at the Automotive Intelligence Center, not far from Maier facilities in Gernika.
The winner of the competition, Kyung-Sung Son, could not assist but sent us a video. Jean Pierre Ploué was going to come, but in the end, Valérie Nicolas from Peugeot-Citroën came in his place. Here are just a few pictures of the ceremony.

By mid-June, the Jury finally selected the winners, and Kyung-Sung Son, from Korea, with his project “Pull, Slide & Swing”  won the first prize in Maier’s III Design Competition. As Kyung-Sung Son explains: ” This new design of a sliding hand grip offers even better ergonomic design for users, especially for ladies, children and elders. It can reduce unnecessary hand movement when we use hand grip and door handle. The unique mechanism of the sliding hand grip also gives a cost saving chance due to combined functions.”

 Hi, the Jury of the 3rd Maier Design Competition is made up of :

Jean Pierre Ploue

Director of Styling for PSA Peugeot Citroën group since October 2008

Studied Interior Architecture in Bésancon, followed by a study in Product Design at Ecôle Nationale des Arts Appliqués et des Metiers d’Art in Paris. His first job was with Renault in 1985, where he was responsible for the design of the Twingo small car and the highly influential Argos concept that debuted in 1994. Joined VW Group’s advanced studio in Sitges, near Barcelona, where he stayed for three years, and after a short two-year interlude at Ford from 1998 he was hired to become Director of Citroën Design Center in 2000.

His legacy has moved Citroën design into a new era starting from the C3, followed by the C2, C6 and C4 models.

Jean Paul Bauchel

Quality and Design Development Director at Renault

President of the French Society of Polymer Engineers (SFIP)

Franciscco Podadera

Aeronautical Engineer graduated from E.T.S. Aeronautical Engineering in Madrid. Podadera studied Transport Design at Art Center College of Design in California, beginning his design career as Associate Professor in Madrid University at College of Fine Arts and at Industrial Engineering Polytechnics. In addition he was Professor at Instituto Europeo di Design in Madrid.

Since 1986, he has designed and developed products and vehicles for European companies, including advanced concept prototypes. He is well known as an innovative designer breaking with usual design rules and developing new concepts ahead his time. Podadera has won several times the Design Awards of the Spanish Society of Professional Designers.

Izaskun Artetxe – Deputy for Innovation and Economic Promotion at the Regional Government of Biscay

José María Aldekoa – Chairman of the General Council of Mondragon

Juan Luis Irazabal – General Director at Maier S.Coop

Next week the Jury will choose the winners of the 3rd Maier Design Competition, but wefore we know who the winners are, we would like to say thank you to all who have participated. Once again there have been over 100 entries with very different approaches .

A technical committee appointed by the organisers has already check and select the proposals. This committe has been made up of people from different areas  of Maier, designers,  product engineers, R+D+i researchers, managers…and I know its been a difficult task due to the vaste range of  solutions and the quality of the projects. You can have a look at some of the finalists’ work here. 

Well done and good luck!

Hi, we’ve got some good news!

We can confirm now that  Jean Pierre Ploue – Director of Styling for the entire PSA Peugeot Citroën Group-  and Jean Paul Bauchel – Quality and Design Development Director at Renault and President of the French Society of Polymer Engineers (SFIP), will be among the members of the Jury.

More members to be confirmed presently.

Take care

The aim of this design competition is to award prizes for projects consisting of ideas for new products, focusing on vehicle interior, more specifically for doors, with innovations affecting their opening and closing lifetime and other uses. These new product ideas should be geared to facilitate user operation, simplifying the currently-existing systems, including new features, improving driver and passenger safety, modernising the appearance of the vehicle interior using new decoration techniques or including environmental improvements.

Registration is not required. Participate and enjoy!

Gernika, February 2, 2009 - Maier S. Coop launches the 3rd edition of  its International Design Competition.

The 3rd Maier Design Competition, organised by Maier S.Coop with the collaboration of Mondragon, the Innovation and Finantial Promotion Department of the Bizkaia Regional Government and Eide (the Basque Association of Industrial Designers), aims to award projects that show new ideas in products or functions related to the interior door panel of a vehicle.

More info at:  www.maierdesign.es

Good Luck!