This year the Launch Pad program is welcoming to the panel a group of 7 highly acclaimed judges representing a broad spectrum of design specialties and areas of expertise, to come together and review the 2012 Launch Pad entries.

The Judging panel will select a list of finalists to show their work in the Launch Pad Finalists’ Exhibition as part of Saturday in Design Melbourne (18 – 19 August 2012).

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William Dangar is one of Australia’s leading landscape and exterior designers whose industry experience spans 20 years. William is a qualified horticulturist and is a member of the Australian Institute of Horticulture.

Dangar is best known for his range of premium grade stainless steel letterboxes named ‘The Kelly Gang’ due to their distinct similarity between Ned Kelly’s helmet and some of the products. Since 2008 the range has developed to include hand crafted Australian made timber furniture and a series of other chairs and accessories made both locally and overseas. Today Robert Plumb products are sold by over 45 distribution outlets nationally.

Gyungju Chyon is a partner of little wonder design studio and a lecturer in industrial design at RMIT. Her practice is concerned with how well-being and energy concerns in tandem with explorations of natural phenomena and new materials and manufacturing processes can lead to new relationships between artifacts, environments and users. Her work has been internationally published and exhibited; in 2011, a vase design for Rosenthal was selected as one of fifty marking the 50th anniversary of Rosenthal Studio-Line.

It’s a blockbluster line-up of Launch Pad finalists this year, and we’re excited to share the breaking news with you!

With over 100 entries into this year’s Launch Pad competition, the judges had their work cut out for them.

This year’s entries represented a wealth of skill and ingenuity in product design, further confirming that Australia is home to a rich source of design talent.

After much consideration the judges selected 53 prototypes to be shortlisted, and then whittled this down to just 15 finalists.

Finalist prototypes were selected based on superior aesthetic, a unique idea, well-developed concepts and beautifully resolved prototypes.

Congratulations to the Launch Pad 2011 Finalists as follows:

• - Adam Weaver – Tip Stool
• - Alex Zander Lee – Belt chair
• - Chris Hardy – Triple stool
• - Cinnamon Lee – Long Life Bulb chandelier
• - Coco Reynolds – Thread light
• - David Hardwick – Miss Cesko table
• - David Knott – Bouquet lights
• - Dennis Abalos – Woven fruit bowl
• - Jonathon Logan – de Sade table
• - Julian Faelli/Vaughn Howard – Branch chair
• - Kristel Britcher – Suspension Bowl
• - Monique Joy De Souza – KIC school lunch bags
• - Neil Davidson – Signature Sheetmetal Series
• - Peter Biddulph – Tripod Guinomi
• - Robert Rulli – Embrace: Innovative Flatware

You can see the Launch Pad 2011 Finalists on display at the Living Edge showroom in Surry Hills, Sydney during Saturday in Design Sydney.

This year, one talented person will win the “Ultimate Launch Prize Package”, including a $10,000 grant, retail support from Living Edge and media support from Indesign Group.

The announcement will be made at the exhibition opening on 17 August.

The exhibition runs 17 – 20 August 2011.