Sydney (Australia) - Judges have nominated 73 products as finalists in the 2009 Australian International Design Awards, Standards Australia's world renowned design recognition program and an Icsid endorsed event.
 
Australian and internationally-designed products as diverse as an office chair, hearse, onboard marine safety device, baby carrier, motor grader, asthma puffer, bicycle light and battery-heated wetsuit are among this year's finalists recognised for their design merit, quality and innovation.
 
Finalists are in the running to take out the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year or receive an Australian International Design Award or Australian International Design Mark.
 
The Australian International Design Awards recognise superior design and innovation and provide consumers with an independent indicator of quality and value for professionally designed products available on the Australian market.  
 
A panel of local and international judges recently assessed over 100 products shortlisted during the internet voting process held earlier this year.
 
"During the judging week, our panel thoroughly scrutinised 116 shortlisted products right down to test driving the cars, jumping on the springfree trampoline, and even wearing and washing the socks that claim to cool your feet," said Stephanie Watson, Program Director for the Australian International Design Awards.
 
"The judges not only considered each product on visual and stylistic appeal, but examined functionality, environmental impact, innovation and human factors - design aspects which are considered on a daily basis by industrial designers and manufacturers across the world," she said.
 
"Products nominated as finalists in this year's Australian International Design Awards clearly demonstrate a well executed and thought-out approach to design," Ms Watson said.
 
Michelle Berriman, Board Member and immediate past president of the Industrial Designers Society of America and an international judge in this year's Awards, said the quality of finalists was impressive.
 
"They were products that brought a degree of joy to the user. They performed well and were very aesthetically pleasing. They were clearly a cut above the other products," Ms Berryman said.

Finalists in the 2009 Australian International Design Awards include:

• Herman Miller Embody office chair
• Qantas A380 Economy Seat - designed by Marc Newson
• Miele 90cm wide pyrolytic oven
• DeLonghi Nespresso Latissima Coffee Maker
• Electrolux energy efficient refrigerator range - using 49% less energy
• Sanyo Waterproof Digital Movie Camera
• Tag Heuer Meridiist pocket phone/watch
• Caroma Invisi II - invisible toilet cistern system
• Cochlear Hybrid hearing aid system
• Rip Curl H-Bomb wetsuit with inbuilt lithium battery to warm your body

View the complete list of finalists.

Student category
Designs created by industrial design university students from across Australia have also been judged for the Australian Design Award - James Dyson Award, the student category of the Australian International Design Awards.

More information on finalists in the student category.
 
2009 Presentation Night
Winners will be announced at the Presentation Night in Melbourne on Friday 29 May, 2009.

Purchase tickets online.
 

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For more information, please contact:

Australian International Design Awards
t: +61 2 9237 6090
e:
w: www.designawards.com.au
 
Media enquiries:
 
Luisa Bustos
Media Officer
t: +61 2 9237 6184
m: +61 0405 506 457
e:

 
About the Australian International Design Awards
The Australian International Design Awards is a division of Standards Australia. Standards Australia is recognised by the Government as Australia's peak Standards body. It coordinates standardisation activities, develops internationally aligned Australian Standards of public benefit and national interest and accredits other Standards Development Organisations. Through the Australian International Design Awards it promotes excellence in design and innovation.
www.standards.org.au
www.designawards.com.au
www.australiandesign.org