The team headed by Urte Berukstyte won the first prize for the design challenge “HOSThinking – 10 Designers for 100 Products”. The contest was launched by HOSTMilano-Fiera Milano in collaboration with POLI.design. The challenge transformed the pavilions of HOSTMilano 2017 trade fair (Milan, 20th-24th October) into a live design session. It included 4 days of intense project work during which the 10 designers of the international call, leading their own teams, experienced the fair as a creative catalogue, selecting 100 products from the about 2,000 exhibitors at the event. The objective was to identify innovative concepts capable of combining service and experience, products offered and space, under the mentorship of Marta Conconi, Gianpietro Sacchi and Alberto Zanetta, POLI.design professors and well-established professionals in the industry.
Jumble room (the project by Urte Berukstyte and her team composed of Massimiliano Concilio and Ilaria Gambino) stood out among the 10 finalist proposals presented live by the designers to the judges and the fair’s audience. Selected for the innovative concept of hospitality based on the interaction between the digital world, local restaurants, “glocal” hospitality and convivial comfort, the proposal was able to use, in a novel way, 10 products from as many companies at HOSTMilano2017: Alessi with King-Kong Duo, the napkin holder designed by Giovannoni&Venturini; Forteam with For Meal, an automated restaurant; Gamba Bruno with Chioschi, a structure with an interactive touchscreen display; the personalized environment of Gewiss; the smart touch menu by Jeco; Kartell with the Master Chair by Phillippe Starck; Mixologica with a customizable cocktail mixer; Scanomat with TopBrewer, a futuristic drink machine; SDG with Bioplat, a 100% biodegradable tableware; and Validex with a roller system for reducing waste. The team won a cash prize for the designer leader and a voucher for the purchase of cultural services for the rest of the team (total prize money 3,000 euros).
There were also two special mentions which the jury wanted to assign: the Coffea project by Dario Capobianco (director of the team members Enrico Bianchi and Novi Malika) and Aldente, the proposal by Stefano Citi, assisted by Chiara De Pascale and Gaia Cavagna.
Besides, the Smart Label exhibition has been very successful: it is another initiative promoted by HOSTMilano and POLI.design. The exhibition has awarded over 60 companies registered at HOSTMilano 2017, who have distinguished themselves for the innovation of their products. The Internet of Things has been a common trends, with the aim of improving the user experience.
Finally, the collaboration between Fiera Milano and POLI.design was also represented by two seminars, organized during HOSTMilano 2017, which have been very successful and have involved architects and industry experts.
