15 most innovative organisations and institutions: Red Dot Design Ranking 2013

In the world of design where change is constant, organisations and institutions in the Red Dot Design Ranking challenge themselves to innovate often; to outdo others as well as themselves each year. 

The Red Dot Institute releases the Red Dot Design Ranking for design concepts: honouring  leaders in innovation for their pursuance of design excellence over the most recent five years of Red Dot Award: Design Concept cumulative achievements, it serves as a beacon to the world, through continuously and progressively, produce cutting edge and forward thinking product concepts. 

The Red Dot Design Ranking 2013 consists of four distinct honorary lists for Companies, Design Studios, Universities in Asia Pacific and Universities in Americas and Europe, and is the most current index of an organisation’s design prowess.

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of Red Dot, explains, “The ranking tracks and measures the success of an enterprise in producing exciting new design concepts over a period of time. It is a good reflection of real sustainable design innovation capability of an organisation. It gives these companies and institutions the recognition that they deserve and encouragement toward their continued investment in design.”

Topping the charts in the ranking’s third release is Emami Design, Germany in the category of design studios and ZTE Corporation, China in the category for companies. Umeå Institute of Design from Sweden and Zhejiang University, China each led the rankings in their respective regions of Americas & Europe and Asia Pacific.

Massey University maintained its position in the universities at the Asia Pacific region with this year’s Red Dot: Luminary, “Nest - Rehoming Spent Laying Hens” emerged as the top design for 2013, winning the highest accolade for the design competition. “We value our Red Dot Ranking as independent assurance that our students are producing great work. It sits alongside our substantial equivalency status from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design – a first outside North America,” says Massey University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Creative Arts, Professor Claire Robinson.

Organisations appearing in the Red Dot Design Ranking 2013 for the very first time include  design studios Frog, Maxypro Industrial Product Scheme Co Ltd; in the list “Universities - Americas & Europe”, Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTW), and several others.

Since its inauguration in 2005, the Red Dot Award: Design Concept has received submissions of concepts and prototypes from companies, design studios and designers from over 60 countries. The competition presents three classes of awards, namely the Red Dot, Red Dot: Best of the Best, and the highest single accolade, the Red Dot: Luminary, to the best design concept of the year.

Apart from the Red Dot Design Ranking for design concepts, the Red Dot Institute compiles industry specific rankings and rankings for product design as well as for communication design.  

Next year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept will begin its call for entries on 1 January 2014. Find out more at www.red-dot.sg

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Media Quotes:

“We are very happy to be ranked #1 this year. UID has a unique atmosphere with very talented students and teachers from all corners of the world. We all share a vision of pushing the boundaries of industrial design and we are very proud of the ideas that are developed at our school” - Anna Valtonen, Rector, Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå University

“On behalf of our students as well as our faculty are very happy to once again receive this important award! It constitutes the success of our unique concept of cross disciplinary design education and research. This concept prepares our students to tackle the ever growing complexity in design by focusing on a sound background in problem solving with design tools as well as opening minds to current and future cultural and social issues.“ - Prof. Kurt Mehnert, President of Folkwang University

“frog is thrilled to be part of the Red Dot Design Ranking 2013 in the Design Studio category. Since the inception of our Asia headquarters in Shanghai in 2007, we have serviced clients throughout Greater China, Singapore, Japan, India and Australia, designing meaningful products, services and experiences that grow brands and delight customers.” - Emily Chong, Assistant Vice President of Global Marketing, Frog

“Three pieces of design works by college students Zhu Yunpeng, Zhu Dan, Yin Huijing, Xia Zhenli and Gao Juan majoring in industrial design from School of Design, East China Normal University in Shanghai China have won a distinction in the Red Dot Award: Design Concept.”  -Professor Dai Yunting, Associate Dean of School of Design, East China Normal University

“We thank Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the encouraging platform for young designers. Maxypro considers concept design a way to keep the designers energetic and warm blooded, and concept design serves the projects in advance. We would like to share more innovative ideas in the future with you!” - Lisa Wu, Maxypro Industrial Product Scheme Co Ltd

“While industrial design and the business of shaping tomorrow’s environment is always a great challenge for creative and business leaders, Red Dot Design Award is a great way to communicate design value, passion & creativity to every sector of the industry as well as a respected seal of product quality.” - Martin Aubé, BDI, BA, ADIQ, IDSA, Designer industriel, Président, The Creative Unit Inc

“We are delighted being ranked in this year´s Red Dot Design Ranking 2013 as one of the top universities in America and Europe. This position honors the high quality of our teaching and research concepts and proves that the tight alliance of design, technology and science is a key to consistently innovative design achievements.” - Cristina Salerno. Rector,Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Art and Design

“As Malaysia’s National R&D Centre in Information and Communications Technology, MIMOS has always been creative in its design concepts for innovative products and solutions. MIMOS emphasises the right balance between design expressiveness, aesthetics, functionality and engineering. In a span of five years, MIMOS has claimed 27 design awards, at national and international level.” -Nizam Najmuddin, Industrial Design, MIMOS Berhad

Contact Information

Elvin Seah

Media Relations

Red Dot Singapore

media@red-dot.sg