Milan 9th April 2013: From its buzzing pop-up ‘Magazzini’ at Milan Design Week, Heineken today invited designers from around the world to collaborate on building the ultimate concept lounge bar. This is the second edition of its Heineken Open Design Explorations (ODE) innovation project.
This year’s ‘nightlife’ theme will give designers from four cities -New York, Singapore, Warsaw and Mexico City- a brief to design an all-round lounge bar experience. Emerging talents from a variety of design disciplines (fashion, motion, product, interior and graphic) can submit samples of their work on a new dedicated site at www.heineken.tumblr.com to take part. The collaboration will result in a pop up space that will be showcased at Fuori Salone 2014, and in other cities of the world later next year.
Unlike last year, design enthusiasts from around the world have been invited to take part. Heineken will pose a question to its 12 million Facebook fans each week about different aspects of the bar experience asking them to share their instagram images of bar features that will be used to help refine the designers’ challenge.
Mark van Iterson, Global Head of Design at Heineken said, “Clubs and bars are our design playground and where Heineken is most at home. In a similar way that the automotive industry creates concept cars to showcase future possibilities, we at Heineken want to explore experimental and pioneering ideas for nightlife. We are looking for people who share Heineken’s values, open-minded design explorers with innovative ideas that will drive progress.”
Mark added: “We have a thirst for collaboration, so we wanted to widen this year’s project to the broadest possible audience by asking people all over the world to share their insights. We want the lounge bar we present in Milan in 2014 to provoke discussion and challenge current thinking around nightlife.”
Heineken’s pioneering ODE programme is returning for its second project, following The Club, which rocked Milan Design Week in 2012. Several ideas presented have already inspired venues around the world, including two of Singapore’s most prominent nightspots, namely the award-winning rooftop bar 1-Altitude, created by ODE 1 designer Lee Gibson, and the high energy luxurious club, Mink. The bar designs at both venues were inspired by the outspoken origami style of The Club.
Interior designer Lee Gibson, who now becomes one of the mentors to this year’s designer recruits says: “ODE 1 gave me an extraordinary opportunity to explore, experiment, and most importantly express design ideas for the future of club design and beyond. To see the club we opened at last year’s Milan Design Week inspire the design in a high-end Singapore club and also to then lead into the design for Milan 2013 was amazing. I can’t wait to meet and collaborate with the new designers that will be selected for ODE 2.
To be part of the 2013/14 Heineken Open Design Explorations team, designers have until May 31 to apply on www.heineken.tumblr.com, whilst people can share their lounge bar experiences by uploading instagram pictures of lounge bar experiences using the hashtag #futureloungedesign. The best images will be featured on the Tumblr.
For further information, imagery or interviews contact:
Marnie Kontovraki, Heineken International Tel : +31 (0) 20 5239 355 / pressoffice@heineken.com
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