A dome made by a robotic arm and live silkworms, a folding bike helmet and a floating pyramid-shaped school in a Nigerian lagoon are among the pioneering concepts nominated for Designs of the Year 2014 by London’s Design Museum.
A total of 76 nominations have been put forward and will feature in an exhibition at the Design Museum from 26 March to 25 August 2013. Afterwards, the winners from each category as well as the overall winner will be crowned later in the year.
The competition reflects innovation from right across the globe, with the Nigerian nomination being joined by entries from Azerbaijani capital Baku to Mexico City.
The 2014 design competition is comprised of seven categories: architecture, digital, fashion, furniture, graphic, product and transport.
World-famous architects including Zaha Hadid, David Chipperfield and John Pawson have made the cut, alongside designers such as Tracey Neuls, BarberOsgerby and Konstantin Grcic.
As expected, the digital category features a strong smartphone app presence. Standout contenders include a portable eye examination kit that could help prevent the onset of blindness in some of the world’s most remote areas; Dumb Ways to Die – a multi-platform app that uses black humour to highlight the importance of safety to young people and reportedly Kate Moss’ favourite mobile distraction; plus Generations, a mobile gaming app designed to be deployed over many centuries, with users anointing a ‘chosen one’ to continue their gameplay after they die.
The Design Museum is due to relocate in November 2015 from its current home at Shad Thames to the former Commonwealth Institute building, in Kensington, West London. Designer dRMM will convert the interior of the new facility, giving it three times more space than at its previous residence.
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