2009 Lafarge Design Awards winners announced

The task for this year's competition, which is aimed at recognising students' excellence in architectural and interior design, involved the design of a pavilion to display the work of designer and furniture maker Gregor Jenkin at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile' show in Milan.

The competition winner was Cecil Cameron from Greenside Design Centre's Department of Interior Design, who walked away with the gold award. The silver award went to Gita Holm from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Department of Architecture, and Pieter Jonkers from Tshwane University of Technology's Department of Architecture, was awarded the Bronze award. In addition, the Greenside Design Centre received a certificate in acknowledgement of design excellence, as the winning educational institution of the gold winner.

The prejudging was done internally by each respective institution. Then institutions selected their top five entries that were then sent for judging by the panel. This year a record number of final entries from various institutions were received comprising conceptual drawings and scaled models that communicated the design ideas.

The task included the creation of a 12 x 20 metre space with a height of 7,5 metres to house a display area, a reception/welcome area and an entertainment area. The chief material used for the competition entries was Lafarge's versatile Jumbo Plasterboard range as well as its Finesse, Steelframe, Gaudi and Bulkheads range of demountable products.

The criteria for judging included concept development, sustainability, the WOW factor, and the presentation of the final solution, as well as research on Gregor Jenkin.

Competition judges Greg Gamble of Tonic Design, Sean Pearce of MDS Architects, Marguerite Pienaar of Holm Jordaan Architects & Urban Designers, Maryanne de Villiers of the Home Channel and Gill Butler of Gill Butler Interior Design, looked for excellence that embodied ‘total design' - how it is used, how it is made, and how it fulfilled the design criteria.

Gold award winner, Cecil Cameron from Greenside Design Centre's Department of Interior Design, and his lecturer Katarina Dimitrijevic, won a trip to Europe. “By looking at this presentation one can immediately feel what the experience would be in the built environment,” said Greg Gamble of Tonic Design at the judging of the winning entry. “A very clever use of both Lafarge product and Gregor Jenkin's furniture. It is interactive, emotive and most importantly, captures Gregor's design process.”

Silver award winner, Gita Holm from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Department of Architecture, whose lecturer was Andrew Palframan, wins a study bursary valued at R20,000. Commenting on Holm's design, Sean Pearce of MDS Architects says: “Innovative simplicity of the design allows two dimensional planes to transcend into a three dimensional showcase for Gregor Jenkins and both product and sculpture combine to create a beautiful artwork.”

Pieter Jonkers from Tshwane University of Technology's Department of Architecture, won a cash prize of R10,000 as the Bronze award winner. His lecturer was Errol Pieters. Marguerite Pienaar of Holm Jordaan Architects & Urban Designers said that although there were some concerns about the practicality of Jonkers entry and circulation, the judges selected this entry for the architectural translation and layering of Jenkin's works and ideas. “The change of the exhibition on a daily basis would keep it dynamic and subtleties in the architectural articulation remind one of the quirkiness associated with Jenkins,” she adds.

Regarding the overall standard of entries, Gill Butler of Gill Butler Interior Design, says that this year's brief was exciting because of the combination of architectural design and the work of an interior designer. “The entries showed a good understanding of the construction and materials available and the added input of Gregor Jenkin's work gave this a playful twist, with exciting results.”

Having said this, she points out that in some cases the judges were disappointed by obvious plagiarism evident with some of the entries, especially as this competition is such an excellent platform for originality.

Lafarge Gypsum specifying executive, Lee-Anne Bronkhorst said that the judges' positive comments suggest that the standard of entries has continued to improve. “We are very pleased with the entries to this year's competition, which is the biggest yet due to the fact that Lafarge Gypsum offers training and assistance to all students,” she says.

Students at universities, technicons and architecture and design institutions have construction and design as a curriculum subject on their syllabus, in which the Lafarge competition plays a role.

Bronkhorst says that the competition, which was open to all tertiary level students studying at a Technikon or University and other academic educational institutions that are involved in a programme of learning for design and architecture, serves to honour the excellence of the winners. “It also represents Lafarge Gypsum's continuing support of SA's up and coming architects,” she adds. “As a company we are committed to assisting in fostering a culture of design and innovation in the industry.”