The Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge Is Accepting Interior Design Entries

Volvo Car Malaysia is again proud to present the Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge. Like the inaugural edition that was held in 2018, the 2020 edition of the design challenge once again calls on interior design firms from around the country to submit their most creative spatial designs. This year’s competition is organised in collaboration with duduk – a new brand by Eco World Development Group Berhad (EcoWorld) and lifestyle publishing house Aurizn.

The objective of the Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge is to bring Scandinavian philosophy of human-centric design to the fore, focusing on functionality and sustainability to bring out the natural and organic beauty of a product.

“The Swedish philosophy on design is to start with the user and design it around his or her needs. There is an aversion to over-complicating things and the tendency to ask ‘how would this make life better for the people who will use it?’” explained Nalin Jain, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia.

Raising the stakes from the previous round, six winners of this year’s challenge will each be rewarded with usage of the Volvo XC60 T8 for six months, as well as contracts to furnish actual units of duduk by EcoWorld in the Eco Ardence and Eco Sanctuary development, to be eventually sold to end buyers. In total, the six contracts have a combined value of RM4 million across both developments, which will be available for sale to the general public.

“EcoWorld is delighted to join hands with Volvo Car Malaysia and Aurizn to run this meaningful Design Challenge that truly benefits all parties. Not only are we providing a platform for design firms to showcase their capabilities, but by offering actual contracts of high value to six winning firms, we are also contributing back to the value chain as a small effort to help our economy rebound post Covid-19,” said Ms Ho Kwee Hong, Divisional General Manager of EcoWorld.

The submission phase of the challenge ends on 10 June 2020. All Malaysia-based design firms are invited to submit their entries by sending in the best existing designs from their portfolio. The method of submission is via posting of their designs on Facebook and Instagram, then tagging @dudukmy, @aurizn, and @volvocarmalaysia in their posts. Firms are also required to email supporting company documents to Aurizn for verification.

“On 18 June 2020, we will be announcing twelve finalists. These finalists will then have about one month to design and furnish, within a given budget, an actual duduk by EcoWorld unit. Out of these twelve finalists, the six best designs will be selected, and they will be given that budget to realize the layout that they created in units that will be sold to actual customers,” said Mr Bobby Ang, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Aurizn.

The selection process of the six winners will be done through a process that combines the outcome of an online vote with feedback from a panel of judges comprising representatives from Volvo Car Malaysia, EcoWorld, and Aurizn.

“This Scandinavian philosophy of prioritizing function and elegance is seen in the design of every Volvo Car model. We feel that the essence of this approach is applicable in the design process of many other things in our lives, including our homes,” Nalin said, explaining the considerations involved in the judging process.

“The other aspect in Scandinavian design philosophy is the importance placed on efficiency and sustainability. These philosophies have guided the engineering and design of all Volvo cars and we are eager to see our local designers inject these flavours into Malaysian homes to make sustainable and eco-friendly living a way of our life,” he continued.

Nalin further explained that, “Volvo Cars have always placed a high priority on environmental sustainability and also the wellbeing of people. Through the Volvo Car & Aurizn EcoDesign Challenge, we are pleased to have this opportunity to promote sustainable home designs, whilst at the same time provide working opportunities for interior design firms amidst this challenging economic climate.”

Submission for the finalists’ design closes on 17 July 2020, after which the designs will be published online and open for a two-week voting period from 22 July to 4 August, followed by the announcement of the six winners on 15 August 2020.

In keeping with ongoing health guidelines on social distancing, the entire submission and judging process of the challenge will be conducted online.

For more information, please visit www.volvocars.com/my or follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/volvocarmalaysia/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/volvocarmalaysia/) for more updates.