Design is everything and everywhere. Everything you see is designed, whether it’s a chair, a building, a room, even the bed you sleep on; they are all designs. In fact, design is the heart and soul of all our surroundings.
There is one industry that design is the force of it, this industry is furniture. Design is the beating heart of this sector and this is why Le Marché decided to celebrate design and creativity. With its accumulated experience of bringing together both ends of the furniture industry; Le Marché is aware that now is the time to honor designers for their creativity and knowledge.
Designers will be celebrated through the Obelisque Design Award.
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What To Know About Obelisque Design Award
The Obelisque Design Award is the first of its kind in the MENA region and Africa.
The ceremony will be on the 19th of December and it will take place at Abdeen Palace. The goal of having this award in Egypt is to change the face of the furniture design industry and provide bigger and bolder plans.
Egypt has skilled large-scale manufacturers who lack creative designs; this is why the Obelisque Design Award believes it can play a vital role as it can connect talented designers, skilled manufacturers, and the consumers appreciative of the new and daring.
Inspired By Ancient Egyptians
The award’s inspiration is coming from our ancestors’ extraordinary talents.
There’s no better inspiration than ancient Egyptians; everything right from the designs and implementation to the durability of the material of choice are unique and exquisite. All of this is proof of the grandiose of the Egyptian civilization.
The Obelisque is Egypt’s gift to the world; it is the ancient Egyptians’ way of appreciating the extraordinary generosity of their Gods.
This is why the Obelisque Design Award is considered a good acknowledgment of the amazing design talents that are worthy of national and international celebration.
The Award’s Partners
The award has partnered with many well-known companies.
These partners include Tarek Nour Group, a pioneer that put the foundation of the creative industry in Egypt with productions that have stood the test of time; Le Marché, Tarek Nour’s exhibition arm and the leading furniture exhibition in the Middle East and Africa, Art d’Egypte, and Esorus, which is an ambitious smart solution that connects the different parties of the design industry.
Who Is The Award For?
Anyone who has the talent can win the award.
The award is for young talents, upcoming designers, students, early-career designers, professional designers, and design teams. The award will recognize talented designers for their potential and the jury will focus on the entire industry process, from design to prototype.
Meet The Jury
There are seven internationally acclaimed jury members bringing together the right mix of Egyptian and foreign jurors.
The jury members include,
1- India Mahdavi – President of the jury and a Paris-based architect, designer and scenographer,
2- Alia El Tanani, Internationally acclaimed interior designer.
3- Bahia Shehab, Founder of Graphic Design Program at the American University in Cairo.
4- Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, Founder & Curator of Art D’Egypte
5- Esma Annemon Dil, Los Angeles-based designer and consultant.
6- Michela Pelizzari, Milan-based strategic communication and business development consultant for companies and professionals in the design and architecture sector.
7- Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte, Italy-based contemporary design specialist, gallerist, fair founder, architect and curator.
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The Award’s Categories and Criteria
There are 5 categories and certain criteria to be familiar with.
The categories are,
1- Furniture
⬩ Indoor or outdoor.
2- Lighting
⬩ Indoor or outdoor
⬩ Ceiling, wall, or floor
⬩ Functional or decorative
3- Accessories
⬩ Decorative
⬩ Dining or cookware
⬩ Interior or exterior elements
4- Materials
⬩ Sustainable materials
⬩ New composition of materials
⬩ Innovative use of materials
5-Textile
⬩ Fabric design
⬩ Lenin or drapes
⬩ Wallpaper or wall covering
As for the criteria,
1- Sustainability
This is in terms of environmental awareness in the design approach and the resourceful use of local materials.
2- Functionality
The ability of the product to serve a specific function optimally in highly efficient and mundane fields, such as residential, educational, administrative, medical, and the likes.
3- Innovation
The creativity, out-of-the-box, and unconventional of the product and How fresh the approach is.
4- Feasibility
How applicable is the design? Some designs are art, yes, but what really counts is that they are not only brilliant in theory but can actually come to life and fit well in the market.
The Awards
The award has four types.
1- The Granite Award
This will be granted to one winner in each category. It’s worth mentioning that it is not necessary that all categories have a winner.
2- The Golden Award – The Grand Prix
Only one winner will be chosen from the granite award winners.
3- Le Marché Prize
This prize is an appreciation to one of the product manufacturers. It’s an acknowledgment of their efforts in design manufacturing, innovation, and exporting.
4- The Eco Prize
This prize is to appreciate projects that develop creative solutions that help the environment.
In the end, we have to admit that this is such a beautiful opportunity that designers deserve.
