Dezeen promotion: Danish firm Troldtekt is inviting architecture and design students to submit proposals for innovative uses of the company's acoustic panels for the chance to win €5000.
Update: the award was won by Yajaira Escobedo Romero, Adrian Becerra Villaseñor and Joshua Dominguez Ruelas from Escuela Superior de Arquitectura in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Troldtekt's wood and cement panels are used internally or externally to absorb sound and create better acoustics.
For the biannual competition, the company will award the student who comes up with the most creative yet realistic use of the acoustic panels.
Participants are encouraged to think outside the box for their concepts and are not restricted by the cost of realising their proposal.
One winning concept will be selected by a jury and will receive a €5000 prize.
The 2012 competition was awarded to Matthias Kisch from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen for his Acoustic Synecdoche project - a suspended decorative piece comprising interlocking sections of the material.
The registration deadline is 1 April 2014 and proposals must be uploaded onto the competition website by 30 April 2014.
For more information visit the Troldtekt website or watch this video.
Here are some further details from the organisers:
Troldtekt Award 2014 now launched
Honour, glory and cash are at stake as Troldtekt A/S invites architectural and design students from all over the world to participate in the Troldtekt Award 2014. The most creative idea for using the company's acoustic panels in a different and imaginative way wins a cash prize of €5000. The deadline for registering for the competition is 1 April 2014.
For the third time, Troldtekt A/S is challenging young talents to propose new ways of using its classic Danish-produced acoustic panels in the concept competition Troldtekt Award 2014. The competition last took place in 2012, when Troldtekt received entries from 23 countries. The 2012 competition was awarded to Matthias Kisch from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen who won €5000 for his Acoustic Synecdoche project, an acoustic cloud sculpture with the option of integrated lighting. The judges also presented a special supplementary prize to Amy Linford from Newcastle University for her (Fabric)ated project.
Not constrained by product benefits

"The Troldtekt panel is a traditional and natural acoustic ceiling product made of Danish wood and cement. However, it is also very flexible which means it can be cut to size and used in completely new ways. In 2010 and 2012, the students competing for the Troldtekt Award came up with a host of creative ideas. Consequently, we are thrilled to be launching this year's competition," comments Peer Leth, CEO of Troldtekt A/S.
"The key benefits of our product are good acoustics and a sustainable indoor climate. However, competition entrants have completely free hands, so there is no need for them to focus on either of these aspects," he adds.
Three international architects on the judges' committee

To assess the entries, Troldtekt has appointed an international jury which includes the Danish architect Mikkel Frost from CEBRA a/s (Aarhus), the Dutch architect Bjarne Mastenbroek from SeARCH architects (Amsterdam) and the Spanish architect Jorge Vidal from Rahola Vidal Architects (Barcelona).
"Troldtekt is a household name in Denmark where it is viewed as a reliable building material like bricks. However, this sometimes means that you can become a bit staid in your approach to using the panels. Consequently, the whole idea of the Troldtekt Award is to discover new angles and innovations that go beyond conventional applications," comments Mikkel Frost, who also served on the judges' committee in 2012.
He continues: "What we are looking for are ideas that are creative, yet which can still be produced in real life. Of course, it is this balance between originality and realism which is at the crux of excellent design."
The deadline for registering for the Troldtekt Award is 1 April 2014. Project proposals must then be uploaded on the competition website by 30 April 2014.
Troldtekt Award 2014 - Judging Committee:
» Bjarne Mastenbroek, architect, founder of SeARCH architects, Amsterdam
» Jorge Vidal, architect, co-founder of Rahola Vidal Architects, Barcelona
» Mikkel Frost, architect, co-founder and partner of CEBRA A/S
» Peer Leth, CEO, Troldtekt A/S
» Niels Kappel, product developer, Troldtekt