European Design Prize 1997 - Eleven winners selected
The awards ceremony of the 1997 European Design Prize took place in Paris, France, on 31 January 1997. Eleven European companies were selected as winners of the European Design Prize 1997 (EDP'97) from among 365 companies nominated from 16 countries. The successful companies were awarded their prizes in the presence of Mrs. Edith Cresson, European Commissioner responsible for Science, research and education. In addition to Mrs. Cresson, keynote speakers at the Paris awards ceremony included Philippe Starck, one of Europe's most famous designers, as well as a number of senior European officials. The event was attended by over 500 managers, designers and journalists. The EDP prize winners for 1997 are as follows: - Artemide (Italy): lighting; - Authentics (Germany): plastic houseware; - Bulthaup (Germany): kitchens; - Bates (Denmark): waste disposal; - Dyson (UK): manufacturer of a revolutionary vacuum cleaner; - Fiskars (Finland): garden tools; - Hoernell (Sweden): welding helmets; - Lafuma (France) outdoor clothing and camping equipment; - Oken (Spain): outdoor seating; - Mediamatic (The Netherlands): interactive multimedia; - Oticon (Denmark): high-tech hearing aids. The aim of the European Design Prize is to stimulate awareness and use of design as an instrument of innovation and quality in order to strengthen the competitiveness of European companies. It also aims to demonstrate the vital role design plays in the innovation process, the economic benefits it brings, and the important contributions it therefore makes to industrial success. The European Design Prize is an initiative of the European Union's INNOVATION programme.