Green is the colour for Plascon's Prism Awards

The annual awards will be in three categories, and will include public buildings, residential and commercial spaces, and give design students' work exposure to industry leaders. Some of South Africa's most influential design experts will judge.

The challenge to those entering the awards is to submit a plan of a space created using natural biodegradable materials, which takes the evolved precision of nature as an inspiration. Beehives, nests and burrows are recommended influences.

Judged

An essential factor, of course, is to select colours from the Plascon Colour Forecast for 2009. Entries will be judged on innovation, aesthetics, use of colour and overall insight and application of the concept within each category.

All entries will be posted on the Design Mind (www.designmind.co.za) networking and information site, which will allow industry professionals the chance to comment on them. There will be 10 finalists, whose entries will be exhibited at Decorex in Johannesburg in August and on the Plascon web site.

A winner in each category (who will win R5000 each and a colour hamper for the institution), as well as the overall winner (who'll receive a five-day visit to London to attend the 100% Design Exhibition), will be announced at Decorex. The overall winner's institution will also receive a R10 000 grant for a student the next year.

“South Africa is a world leader”

Tanya Nicholson, Plascon's trade marketing manager, says: “South Africa is a world leader in design, fusing contemporary expertise with unique inspiration from our African environment. The Plascon Prism Awards is an essential part of our commitment to supporting young local talent and inspiring new thoughts and directions in interior design and architecture.”

For more information, go to www.plasconprismawards.co.za.