Ten scholarships available to designers and architects Topic: “Universal Home” – living spaces for all stages of life

Students about to take their diploma as well as design and architecture graduates of international universities can apply for one of the ten one-year scholarships now. These will be awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen on behalf of the Zollverein Development Company (EGZ - Entwicklungsgesellschaft Zollverein) in the international scholarship competition with the topic “Universal Home”. The competition is looking for living space solutions that cover all stages of life. The scholarships are worth 1,000 euros monthly for the duration of one year. Infrastructure is provided at Zollverein. The application form can be downloaded at www.universal-home.de. The application deadline is 1 June 2006.

Universal Home – a house for every stage of life“Universal Home” is about creating a living space which accommodates all stages of life. This is an important topic in times of a constantly ageing society. Thus, a “Universal Home” will provide space for the first wobbly steps of a toddler as well as for the trend conscious and prestige oriented life of a well-off bachelor and the late years in the life of an older couple that is reliant on orthopaedic aides. In a one-year research and development project ten young designers and architects will develop possible solutions for the design of a living space that grows with its inhabitants, is flexible and adapts to the respective situation.

The Scholarship Competition
During the project work space will be made available to the scholarship holders on the Zollverein premises. The scholarship at Zeche Zollverein begins on 1 October 2006 and runs until 30 September 2007. It will be accompanied by colloquiums held by Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, president of the world umbrella organisation of design Icsid and initiator of the red dot design award. The project results will be documented in a publication.

Scholarship applications have to be in English and can be submitted to the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen by 1 June 2006. The decision as to who will receive a scholarship will be made by an international jury in August 2006. Apart from having an emphasis in the field of industrial design, applicants should be highly interested in conceptual development and design realisation of the topic.

Thanks to its more than 50 years experience in design promotion, the organiser of the scholarship programme, the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen has the competence and the network to bring together young creative designers and architects from all around the world with design-oriented German companies. The joint work on the topic for the future, “Universal Home” aims to increase the transfer of knowledge between talented young designers with high innovative potential and the industry as well as strengthening the Zollverein design location.

The Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen is organising the competition on behalf of the Zollverein Development Company, who has the task of developing and realising the overall concept of the Zollverein world cultural heritage site. The project is supported by the European Union, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Essen.

Information on the competition:
www.universal-home.de
mail@universal-home.de
Application Flyer