| 30 November 1999 |
The heritage of tea is laden with ritual and meaning that dates back thousands of years and spans the globe. The Japanese heat the tetsubin, a cast iron pot, over a portable charcoal brazier in the art of chanoyo, the tea ceremony. The Russian samovar earns its charm from its function: It keeps water, and a pot of tea concentrate, hot for hours, drawing people together in communal relaxation and conversation. At its best, the modern tea kettle translates this heritage into an icon of contemporary life, with form that functions at all levels.
The functions of a kettle are manifold. First, it must hold a dangerous substance-boiling water. It must operate safely and reliably. It must communicate its status instantly. When well designed, it elevates the experience of preparing, sharing, and consuming tea. No small task.
The intriguing balance between functionality and meaning inherent to this quintessential icon of the home has inspired World Kitchen to choose the tea kettle as a vehicle for design education, experience and expression. Thus, they are sponsoring this Tea Kettle Design Competition, with the endorsement of the Industrial Designers Society of America.
They have structured the competition to offer an inspiring opportunity to delve into cultural meaning through three fundamental materials. And they plan to reward the best designs at the International Home + Housewares Show ® in March 2009 with $5,000 each.
Deadline is Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at 5 pm Eastern Standard Time/US. Visit the site to learn more.
This internationally recognized design competition is open to young industrial designers who are still studying or who have graduated within the last two years. Current industrial design students as well as recent graduates have until January 31, 2009 to submit their product concepts to Braun (the participation is free of charge). The total prize money amounts to EUR 36,000. The winner of the BraunPrize will receive EUR 12,000 in prize money and a (paid) six-month internship in the Design Department at Braun. The other finalists will each receive a prize of EUR 5,000. The remaining prize money will be distributed in the form of special recognition awards at the discretion of the jury.
The BraunPrize is an internationally recognised design competition open to young industrial designers who are still studying or who have graduated within the last two years. This year, the BraunPrize 2009’s theme is, “Envision conscious design.” Current industrial design students as well as recent graduates have until January 31, 2009 to submit their product concepts to Braun (the participation is free of charge).
