World Design Impact Prize 2012
The World Design Impact Prize is a biennial designation created to recognise, empower and stimulate socially responsible design projects and initiatives around the world.
Presented
by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid),
the World Design Impact Prize will honour and reward exceptional
industrial design driven projects that are making a positive impact on
our social, economic, cultural and/or environmental quality of life.
Community Cooker awarded inaugural World Design Impact Prize
Above: Janice Muthui (left) and Debbie Donde, recipients of the World Design Impact Prize for Community Cooker.
Icsid announced the first recipient of the
World Design Impact Prize to Kenyan-based Planning System Services Ltd.
for their Community Cooker project. The award was given during the
World Design Capital (WDC) Design Gala in Lahti (Finland), where close
to 600 distinguished guests gathered from the international design
community.
The Community Cooker is a significant recycling initiative conceptualised by Nairobi-born architect Mr. Jim Archer, Chairman of Planning Systems Services Ltd., in an attempt to address the reoccurring issue regarding massive accumulations of waste throughout Africa, while at the same time mitigating deforestation and reducing ground water pollution. In essence, the cooker provides a public cooking facility to neighbourhoods with limited electricity and clean water.
Ms Janice Muthui and Ms Deborah Donde accepted the award on behalf of the project team and were presented with a trophy designed by renowned Finnish designer Tapio Anttila who was commissioned to produce an original trophy especially for the Prize. "To accept the World Design Impact Prize on behalf of the Community Cooker and the people of Kenya is an exceptional and very humbling honour," stated Deborah Donde. "This prize will serve to further reinforce and move forward the immense values and incredible versatility of this very simple invention."
The Community Cooker is a significant recycling initiative conceptualised by Nairobi-born architect Mr. Jim Archer, Chairman of Planning Systems Services Ltd., in an attempt to address the reoccurring issue regarding massive accumulations of waste throughout Africa, while at the same time mitigating deforestation and reducing ground water pollution. In essence, the cooker provides a public cooking facility to neighbourhoods with limited electricity and clean water.
Ms Janice Muthui and Ms Deborah Donde accepted the award on behalf of the project team and were presented with a trophy designed by renowned Finnish designer Tapio Anttila who was commissioned to produce an original trophy especially for the Prize. "To accept the World Design Impact Prize on behalf of the Community Cooker and the people of Kenya is an exceptional and very humbling honour," stated Deborah Donde. "This prize will serve to further reinforce and move forward the immense values and incredible versatility of this very simple invention."
For more information
Download the World Design Impact Prize's guidelines (PDF - 135KB)