United Shipbuilding Corporation holds the first industrial design contest

29.09.2010 United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) conducts a contest of design concepts for Russian shipbuilding industry; the motto is "Navy for the strong country".

The contest is aimed to attract innovative ideas of civilian design agencies to be applied in interior and exterior ship design, shaping image of present-day Russian Navy, and promote the profession of industrial designer.

"There at sea, a couple of minutes spent at struggle with unhandy door pull could be fatal", said the USC president Roman Trotsenko. He expressed a wish that "young Russian designers would help to create new ships prestigious for service".

Participants of the contest are professional design, engineering, and architectural companies registered in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as individuals at the age of 18 and older. All of them can compete in 10 nominations of ship design, including "Ship's Futuristic Appearance", "Door Design" and "People's Choice Award".

Winner of the main nomination "Ship's Futuristic Appearance" will receive a RUR 2 mln money reward. In total, prize fund makes several millions.

Judges of the contest are representatives of USC leadership, the corporation's president Roman Trotsenko, Navy deputy commander Nikolai Borisov, director general of Severnoye Design Bureau Vladimir Sviridopulo, chief designer of Almaz Design Bureau Alexander Shlyakhtenko, head of Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Engineering Dept Leonid Strugov, and civilian designers.

Registration of participants and entries will last till Sec 10, 2010 on the contest's website flotdesign.ru. Finals, announcement, and awarding of winners will take place in Moscow on Dec 20, 2010.

Sponsors of the contest are international design festival Design Act, contemporary arts center Vinzavod, and design company MediaCreator.

As of today, 24 companies and individuals have been registered as contest participants.

However, most naval experts consider that appearance of a warship primarily depends on its purpose, arms, and other practical parameters other than aesthetics and design configuration. There is an anxiety that a ship's combat qualities could go to the detriment of good looking design.