Dubai, November 14, 2018 –   At Dubai Design Week, Audi Middle East announced the third winner of the Audi Innovation Award. Elias El Soueidi from Lebanon, with his project ‘ R2R’, took home the winning trophy and prize of $25,000 worth of consultancy to develop his idea, together with a trip to the Audi factory in Ingolstadt and the opportunity to meet the Audi Design Team. The AIA top three winning design concepts are presented in the Audi Innovation Hub in d3 Design District from 13 to 16 November 2018. Audi Middle East are also exhibiting the new Audi A6, A7 and Q8 at Dubai Design Week.  

 

This year, over 450 registrations were submitted to the website https://www.audiinnovationaward.com/ to be considered for the trophy. The theme for designers to conceptualise their innovations was ‘Connections’, which is defined as ‘bringing things together’, or ‘how things relate to one another’. It also reflects technology’s increasing ability to provide a means through which preferences and behaviour can be identified.

 

The aim of the winning Audi Innovation Award design ‘Ruin to Reality’ (R2R), is to allow access to virtual 3d models of ruined historical buildings and landmarks. This access enhances the relationship between people and their immediate surroundings. This interactive experience will help people reconnect with their environment and re-establish lost connections with what used to be there. 

 

Commenting on his success, Elias El Soueidi said, “I conceived ‘R2R’, which is an application that will allow people access through a virtual reality mask, to experience what used to be there and reconnect with who they are. For the first time history will be perceived, conceived and visualized. The application will build connections between people and civilizations and will connect the world to its history.” He continued, “Audi is a leader in design and innovation around the world. This initiative and this award is helping designers of the Middle East gain the exposure that they need”.

 

Second and third places were awarded to Dubai based designers Abdhul Hazeeb with ‘Connect to Thrive’ and Andrea Sensoli with ‘CyRCLE’. All three concepts are presented in the Audi Innovation Hub in d3 Design District from 13 to 16 November 2018. Audi Middle East are also displaying the new Audi A6, A7 and Q8 at Dubai Design Week.  

 

Commenting on the Audi Innovation Award, Carsten Bender, Brand Director of Audi Middle East said ”The Audi Innovation Award has consistently grown in status and popularity since its inception in 2016. The first of its kind in the Middle East, the Audi Innovation Award seeks to empower local designers with innovative creations that can improve the way we live. It is an annual competition open to anyone residing in the GCC and most Levant countries and we hope it will inspire a new generation of change-makers in the region”.

 

A professional jury from the region rewards the best-submitted projects based on degrees of innovation, ease of use, technique, feasibility, target user, development and relevance to the theme.