The Japan Design Foundation (JDF) will hold the International Design Competition 2008 under its basic principle of “Design for Every Being,” with its sights set on presenting visions for near-future lifestyles.

For the International Design Competition 2008, JDF has selected the theme “Earth Life.” They welcome diverse unique proposals on products, systems, business models, etc., that will prompt them to contemplate how we all should pass on to the next generation the Earth - a beautiful, irreplaceable,
living planet, the birthplace and foundation of human livelihood - and how to tackle, in our everyday lives, the environmental stresses facing us today and ensure a more sustainable, affluent and comfortable lifestyle.

Any individual or group, from any design field, anywhere in the world, may enter the competition. Entries will be accepted until September 5, 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

The Board of Directors of Bodegas Terras Gauda, S.A., has unanimously agreed to set up an annual Advertising Poster Design Competition as a tribute to the artist who was not only solely responsible for the design of the corporate image, but also been a friend, efficient collaborator and partner since the creation of the Company. The winning original will form the basis for the Company’s advertising campaign for a one year period.

This competition is open to any natural or corporate person subject only to the restrictions imposed by current legislation. Original copies of entries, which must be unpublished, are to be submitted or mailed (by recorded delivery if the participant so wishes) to the offices of Bodegas Terras Gauda offices in O Rosal (Galicia, Spain). Any form of photographic, painting or computerized techniques, etc may be used. Under exceptional circumstances, originals created using painting techniques (oil, watercolors, guasch, pastels, etc) may be accepted without a computerized format.

All those works postmarked prior to 6 p.m. on 30 September will be accepted. Visit the site to learn more.

OBESSU (The Organizing Bureau of European School Student Unions) launches the creative competition: “Design the Europe Wide Campaign on the Declaration of School Student Rights!” Here is your opportunity to express your artistic skills and your opinion and creatively make a difference in the field of youth policy work. The main objective of the contest is to create a visual identity for this pan-European campaign. Create a poster, a sticker, a postcard which will have a direct effect on the society and will give a strong motivation for the students to work towards recognition of their rights. The message and logo must be clear, strongly visible, and applicable to other graphic designs. Since the slogan is going to be used in many European countries, it has to be general, to apply to everyone. The award is voucher or a free travel in Europe (value € 500) and a free invitation to the OBESSU summer camp in 2009.

Deadline is 25 August 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

SnapVillage, the fresh stock photo site backed by Corbis, is giving away a free Wacom CINTIQ 21UX Tablet to one lucky creative. You’ve probably heard of it, but in case you haven’t, the Wacom CINTIQ 21UX Tablet is a top-of-the-line “interactive pen display tablet that combines a large-format LCD monitor with the most sophisticated cordless, battery-free pen technology, allowing users to create directly on the screen with amazing control.” For more details and specs, check out Wacom’s Web site.

Entering the drawing is easy and open to anyone in the US, UK, Canada, Germany and France – just fill out this short entry form. No purchase or registration (or talent!) is required. If you really want to win, come back once a day every day until September 5th to increase your chances.

Canadian Architect invites architects registered in Canada and architectural graduates to enter the magazine’s 2008 Awards of Excellence. Submissions will be accepted any time after Thursday, August 14, 2008 and the deadline for submissions is Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Projects must be in the design stage, scheduled for construction or under construction but not substantially complete by September 16, 2008. All projects must be commissioned by a client with the intention to build the submitted proposal. All building types and concisely presented urban design schemes are eligible.

Visit the site to learn more.

Continuing the legacy of outstanding museum architecture, the Smithsonian Institution seeks to commission our nation’s most talented designers to design a facility of quality and value for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This commission will demonstrate the value of a truly integrated design that balances aesthetics, cost, constructability, and reliability; while creating an environmentally responsible and superior place for staff and visitors. This announcement is open to all businesses regardless of size. The contract awarded will be firm-fixed-price. Minority, Small business, Small disadvantaged business, Women-owned small business, Hub-zone small business, Veteran owned small business, and Service Disabled Veteran owned firms are strongly encouraged to apply.

Response time is 19 September 2008 4:00 pm Eastern. Visit the site to learn more.

Via: Metropolis

Shapeways, a leading global community for 3D co-creation and production, invites 3D artists to submit their hottest objects to be produced into physical tangible products by Shapeways.com and showcased at SIGGRAPH 2008. They are looking for the most inspiring 3D object that can be made. It could be anything: a necklace, a starship, a figurine, art or a useful object of some sort. Their judges are going to evaluate each submission according to just one criteria though: how inspiring is it? Shapeways is the first online platform to harness the power of a global network of 3D production service partners to ensure cost-efficient, reliable manufacturing and order fulfillment of 3D designs starting with custom 3D printing.

Submissions accepted through August 7, 2008 Visit the site to learn more.

Architects and designers of interiors, fashion, products and graphics, you are cordially invited to enter your work into the 2008 International Design Awards. Professionals and students alike are encouraged to enter. Winners of IDA08 will be celebrated at a cocktail party and week-long reception in Los Angeles or New York in December 2008. In addition, the winners will receive pulication of their work in the 2008 International Design Awards book, to be distributed to museum bookstores nationwide; promotion in email blasts to 100,000 design professionals and potential clients worldwide; year-long coverage on the International Design Awards Web site; critical acclaim by a distinguished panel of judges. Finally, all entrants are automatically included in the IDA Designer Directory.

Deadline is 30 August 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

The Terner Prize is being inaugurated to commemorate Don Terner on the tenth anniversary of his death. It will be awarded biennially to the affordable housing project and leadership team that best exemplifies the spirit of Don Terner’s work, commitment to affordable housing.

One winner will be chosen to receive the First Prize Award of $25,000. Five finalist teams will be awarded leadership stipends of $5,000 so that they may “light the light” for the next generation of leaders in the affordable housing industry by participating in conferences, seminars, or colloquia.

A jury to select the finalists and winning team is comprised of people from the fields of planning, architecture, development, finance, government, academia and media. They are chosen for their demonstrated integrity, expertise and commitment to the guiding principals of the Terner Prize.

The Terner Prize is administered by the Center for Community Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley. The 2008 deadline for submission is August 18, 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

Both students and professionals in the field of design may enter for this competition, with no age limit. The challenge is to design a seat or a table in which innovative design/styling contributions are made, bearing in mind the technical specifications in the briefing you can download from the Web site. There are two prizes - one with a cash purse of 4,000 Euro and another with 2,000 Euro.

Deadline is 15 September 2008. Visit the site to learn more.