Volvo Car Malaysia has just announced the 2020 Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge organised in collaboration with duduk – a new brand by Eco World Development Group Berhad (EcoWorld) and lifestyle publishing house Aurizn.
Started off in 2018, the 2020 Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge once again calls upon interior design firms around the country to submit their most creative spatial designs.
The concept behind the Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge is to adopt the Scandinavian philosophy of human-centric design – applying functionality and sustainability – to bring out the natural and organic beauty of a product.
Six winners will be selected this year and each will be rewarded with usage of the Volvo XC60 T8 for six months and contracts to furnish actual units of duduk by EcoWorld projects in Eco Ardence and Eco Sanctuary. These units will then be sold to end users. In total, the six contracts are worth a combined value of RM 4 million across both developments, which will be available for sale to the general public.
“EcoWorld is delighted to join hands with Volvo Car Malaysia and Aurizn to run this meaningful Design Challenge that truly benefits all parties. Not only are we providing a platform for design firms to showcase their capabilities, but by offering actual contracts of high value to six winning firms, we are also contributing back to the value chain as a small effort to help rebound our economy post Covid-19,” said EcoWorld, Divisional General Manager, Ho Kwee Hong.
Submission period of this challenge is between the 14th of May to 10th of June 2020. All Malaysian-based design firms are invited to submit their entries by sending in the best existing designs from their portfolio. Method of submission is by posting their designs on Facebook and Instagram, and adding the @dudukmy, @aurizn, and @volvocarmalaysia tags in their posts. Firms are also required to email supporting company documents to Aurizn for verification.
“On the 18th of June 2020, we will be announcing twelve finalists. These finalists will then have about one month to design and furnish, within a given budget, an actual duduk unit by EcoWorld. Out of these twelve finalists, the six best designs will be selected, and they will be given that budget to realise the layout that they created in units that will be sold to actual customers,” said Aurizn founder and Editor-in-Chief, Bobby Ang.
Submission for the finalists’ design closes on 17 July, after which the designs will be published online and open for a two-week voting period from the 22nd of July to 4th of August, followed by an announcement of the winners on 15 August 2020. In keeping with ongoing health guidelines on social distancing, the entire submission and judging process of the challenge will be solely conducted online.
The selection process of the six winners would be done through a process that combines the outcome of an online vote with feedback from a panel of judges comprising of representatives from Volvo Car Malaysia, EcoWorld, and Aurizn.
“This Scandinavian philosophy of prioritizing function and elegance is seen in the design of every Volvo Car model. We feel that the essence of this approach is applicable in the design process of many other things in our lives, including our homes,” said Volvo Car Malaysia, Managing Director, Nalin Jain as he explained the considerations involved in the judging process.
“The other aspect in Scandinavian design philosophy is the importance placed on efficiency and sustainability. These philosophies have guided the engineering and design of all Volvo cars and we are eager to see our local designers inject these flavours into Malaysian homes to make sustainable and eco-friendly living a way of our life,” he continued.
Nalin further explained that, “Volvo Cars have always placed a high priority on environmental sustainability and also the well-being of people. Through the Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge, we are pleased to have this opportunity to promote sustainable home designs, whilst at the same time provide working opportunities for interior design firms amidst this challenging economic climate.”
