Sprech Agorà Design 2018 - LIVING

Sprech Agorà Design 2018 - LIVING

Deadline 02.07.2018

A physical space, a crossroads of expertise, the meeting of ideas, projects and professionalism. This is the leitmotif of Agorà Design, the design event organised by Sprech Group. The historic centre of Martano (Lecce), the heart of Grecìa Salentina, will be where the roads of design, innovation and artisanal tradition intersect, giving life to a dynamic creative success.

The event aims to promote each of the steps leading to the creation of something new - idea, project, choice of material and production - and to encourage dialogue between new generations of professionals and manufacturing organisations. The programme promises a lively discussion on themes from architecture and design, and on the challenges of the future, with particular attention paid to functionality, aesthetic interest and environmental sustainability. Independent professionals and companies will have the opportunity to present their architecture and design projects, with a major focus on street furniture and landscape elements. The audience will be inspired, participate in workshops, and discover new trends.

For those taking part in the competitions, not only will Agorà Design be a prestigious showcase, but the possibility to transform an idea from pencil to prototype.

As in the previous edition, the Sprech Group works to prototype the best projects for potential commercialisation. From design to market, to ensure innovative projects have the chance to undertake the production journey that will make them the protagonists of everyday life.

Therefore, Agorà Design is a must-seize opportunity to partake in art and beauty.

Art. 1 – PURPOSES AND AIMS

The event has the purpose of promoting and representing the potential for the manufacturing sector and also to allow national resources and intelligence to emerge. “Sprech Agorà Design 2018” is therefore an opportunity that will promote this process which encourages a place of meeting and synthesis between the tradition of creating and new trends, with the aim of developing an inevitably European identity. It proposes to contribute to the development of the manufacturing sector, to providing new alternative operators of design by starting from their production techniques and developing competitive product lines that match the needs of the markets of reference. Participants are asked to design and create one or several prototypes with companies in the sector, basing their projects on innovative materials.

Art. 2 – SUBJECT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Participants are called to propose unprecedented and original projects that are representative of the field of DOMESTIC FURNITURE FOR INTERIORS, characterised by design, functionality and environmental sustainability, which feature innovative methods of use and unprecedented applications of materials with a strongly Italian/European character.

Art. 3 – REQUIREMENTS & HOW TO PARTICIPATE

The competition is aimed at architects, engineers, designers, creatives, young professionals and students without any limitation to age or nationality, and sets the aim of publicising and consolidating innovative phenomena in sector-specific productions through the creation of direct relationships between designers, artisans, manufacturing districts and markets of reference. Taking part in the Sprech Agorà Design open competition is free of charge. Anyone can participate, individually or as a group. N.B. Each participant can present one project only for the Living section.

Art. 3.1

Participation applications and accompanying project material for the “LIVING 2018” section must be sent exclusively to the dedicated e-mail address: agoradesign@sprech.com before and not after 12:00 on 2nd of July 2018 with SUBJECT: AGORà DESIGN LIVING - PROMOTE. Documentation sent for the selection will not be returned.

Art. 4 – STRUCTURE OF THE COMPETITION

The competition will be structured into the following stages: Sending applications to participate in the selection and related project drawings: before 2nd of July 2018 Announcing selected projects: before 18 June 2018 Any prototype creation, should it not already be created Display of prototypes: from 04 to 07 October 2018. Useful information on the transfer of works to the exhibition site will be provided after selection is complete.

Art. 5 – INITIAL SELECTION OF THE PROJECTS

The Evaluation Committee will select the most innovative project ideas that meet the theme, also by following feasibility criteria for the projects themselves. The Evaluation Committee is formed of a group of sector experts. The Committee’s decision is final. The selected participants will be informed via e-mail.

Art. 6 – EVALUATION CRITERIA

- Coherence with the theme - Production feasibility of the project - Quality of the design - Innovativeness of the projects presented

Art. 7 – PRESENTATION OF PROJECT DRAWINGS

The required drawings are: a) a table which concisely and fully illustrates the projects with three-dimensional representations such as axonometric projection or perspective, accepted also in rendered version. b) a table containing technical drawings with the sizes and technical solutions envisaged by the project. c) a table intended to freely present anything that may be useful for understanding the project: decoration studies, surface treatment, material samples, instructions for use, settings, etc. d) a summary table containing the greatest number of instructions possible for communicating the project to the audience, suitable for display during the event. e) the participation file (attached to the announcement) and the completed project description form (attached to the announcement) completed fully in editable PDF format. N.B. text inserted will be used to write the exhibition catalogue; participants are advised to pay particular attention when editing it. f) copy of an identity and tax code document. In the event of several collaborators, all parts of the participation file and privacy form must be filled in by all project participants.

Art. 7.1

The drawings must be presented according to the following specifications: a) all project presentation drawings must be in landscape format, measuring 70 x 50 cm. b) the designs must make use of widely accepted or known conventions; for rendering designs and any other creations, processing techniques are unlimited. c) each explanatory table must be sent in jpeg format with a resolution no lower than 150 dpi. d) the summary table (Art. 7/D) must be in portrait A4 format and have a resolution of 300 dpi.

Art. 8 – COMPANIES/DESIGNERS CONTACT (to create prototypes)

Participants selected that do not already have a company to create the prototype will be provided a list of companies in the Lecce region that are available for possible collaboration. N.B. Creating the prototype is a mandatory condition for participation in the exposition.

Art. 9 – PRIZES AND RECOGNITION

In consideration of the criteria and aims of the competition, after having examined the drawings received and assessing their originality, level of innovation, valorisation of artisanal producibility, their social, ecological and economic suitability, their formal, functional and emotional aspects and the suitability of their materials, the jury, with irrevocable judgement, will select them and award 3 cash prizes.

First prize offered by Co.ar.ca - Martano (Le) 2.000,00 euros (two thousand euros/00)

Second prize offered by Acam - Martano (Le) 1.000,00 euros (one thousand euros/00)

Third prize offered by Calasso Designer - Copertino (Le) 500,00 euros (five hundred euros/00) (as per Presidential Decree 600/73, art. 30 and subsequent amendments)

In the event of a draw, the prize will be divided between the competitors. Winners will be notified via fax or e-mail written communication directly from the organising secretary of the competition. The Selection Committee, with its irrevocable judgement, may consider that no project suitably meets the requirements of this announcement, and therefore may not identify any winning project. The decision of the Selection Committee is final, indisputable and cannot be challenged.

Art. 10 – EXAMINING JURY

The Competition Jury will be formed of influential members from the design, architecture, marketing and enterprise sectors. The official composition will be announced at a later date.

Art. 11 – PRIZE-GIVING & DISPLAY OF THE PROJECTS

The competition prize-giving will take place at the 2018 edition of “Sprech Agorà Design” from 04 to 07 October 2018 in the Palazzo Baronale in Martano (Lecce). The organisational secretary of the competition will inform all participants of the date and time of the ceremony via e-mail/fax. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to set up the exhibition space assigned by the Organising Committee. With regard to the assigned space and the aims of the exhibition, subject to request and approval from the organisation, participants can use part of the space to display other previously made products or their own promotional material.

Art. 12 – CATALOGUE & PROMOTION

The selected projects will be published in a catalogue (in paper and PDF formats), distributed during the event and sent to major companies in the sector and editorial offices of design magazines in Italy and Europe. All participants will be issued with a certificate of participation.

Art. 13 – PROTOTYPING THE PROJECTS

Sprech Srl, independently of the prizes awarded by the jury, will analyse the most interesting drawings from a design and technical point of view in order to assess their production and commercial potential. Projects that meet these requirements might be selected to create a prototype, exhibit at future events or trade shows, or for possible commercialisation. In the translation to prototype stage, the chosen projects might be subject to potential amendments relating to the technical/constructive aspect so that the prototype is optimised for technical reproducibility. The stage of prototyping the chosen project must be followed and assisted by the designer concerned, at the manufacturing company.

Art. 14 – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS & PRESS RELEASES

-By sending the project and documents required by the announcement, the competitor authorises the organising body to publish and publicise his/her project with the most appropriate means and methods, for the time period necessary for any kind of purposes related to promotion, communication and/or marketing. -Each participant declares that his/her project is original, his/her own work, and that it does not violate the rights of third parties. The organising body is thereby exempt from all responsibility for any disputes that may arise regarding the originality and ownership of the work or from any imitations or use of the work by third parties. -Each participant agrees to release the organisation from all responsibility in the event of any claims or obligations arising in relation to said initiative. -The rights of economic use deriving from any industrialisation of the prototype will be agreed with the designer; the sale, transfer or supply of projects cannot be carried out unless through a direct agreement between the creator of the project and Sprech Srl. Said agreement will be signed in accordance with existing legislation and without any involvement or responsibility from the organisers of the exhibition or other project partners. -Sprech Srl reserves the right to industrialisation and commercialisation subject to prior agreement with the designer within the 12 (twelve) months following the exhibition. After said period, the designer will be free from any restriction. -The projects will not be returned to the sender. -Nothing is due to the project creators for the publication of their work. -Sprech Srl is released from all responsibility for any theft, loss or damage to the works in the competition. -It is the responsibility of the participants to pre-emptively protect their own project idea in accordance with existing legislation on the protection of intellectual property. -If deemed appropriate, Sprech Srl will publicise and promote the projects and the images of the works presented at the exhibition in its own catalogues and through other means of communication, provided that this is only done in the world of design, manufacturing and commercialisation.

Art. 15 – ENTRY TERMS

Entering the competition implies the complete and unconditional acceptance of these regulations and the decisions of the selection and evaluation committee.

Art. 16 – INFORMATION AND CONTACT DETAILS

Interested participants who wish to request information about the aims or methods of the competition can contact the organisational secretary of the Sprech Agorà Design “LIVING 2018” competition by using the following contact details:

e-mail: agoradesign@sprech.com with SUBJECT: AGORà DESIGN LIVING - PROMOTE.

Secretary: Maria Grazia Lodoli +39 342 5261338

Sprech Srl Representative Lucia Rescio +39 388 6024790

The exhibition secretary reserves the right to amend this announcement should this be necessary for reasons of force majeure, undertaking to notify all participating groups of the changes.

Form