Designer Yves Béhar won the Brit Insurance Design of the Year award at a ceremony at the Design Museum in London last night, for the One Laptop Per Child project.

The laptop was chosen from seven category award winners that were announced last week (see our earlier story).

Here's some text from the Design Museum:

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Brit Insurance Design Award 2008 Announced
Yves Béhar – One Laptop Per Child

A design to aid children’s education in developing countries has this evening been announced as winner of the first ever Brit Insurance Design Award 2008.

Yves Béhar’s One Laptop Per Child has triumphed in a shortlist of 100 designs to become the most pioneering and progressive international design from the last twelve months. James Dyson presented the winning designer with the overall winner’s award at last night’s prestigious Brit Insurance Design Awards at the Design Museum hosted by Wayne Hemingway.

The panel of expert judges comprising Alison Moloney, Rolf Fehlbaum, Lars Müller, Antonio Citterio and Daniel Weil chose Béhar’s design as overall winner from the seven major category winners announced last week, and commented: “One Laptop per Child is a fantastic project that is a feat beyond the design itself: a laptop that addresses the educational and technical needs in developing countries, the aspirations for low-cost manufacture and with an ergonomic, robust and fun design that allows children to enhance their means of learning and communication.”

Béhar designed the child-size laptop to bring children learning, information and communication where education is needed most. This was part of a non-profit programme created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

The inexpensive and energy-efficient computer reduces energy use by 90 percent and can be charged by hand- cranked power, making it ideal for use in rural villages. It features wi-fi antenna ‘rabbit ears’ and energy-efficient LCD.  A digital writing tablet and integrated video camera and networking capabilities allow children to connect to each other, their school, their teacher and the web. Every design aspect of the machine serves a dual purpose to achieve a sense of economy and efficiency.

Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum said: “This is a striking demonstration that proves design to a ruthless budget can achieve great results. The One Laptop per Child is a pioneering design and we congratulate Yves Béhar on winning the first Brit Insurance Design Award.’’

Dane Douetil, Chief Executive of Brit Insurance commented: “We have been thrilled by the overwhelming and positive response to the inaugural Brit Insurance Design Awards, which have shown how diverse and thought-provoking good design can be. One Laptop per Child is a groundbreaking concept and a deserving winner. We extend our warmest congratulations to Yves Béhar, OLPC and Quanta Computer Inc and their
teams.”

The winning designs can be seen alongside the rest of the 100-strong shortlist at the first ever Brit Insurance Designs of the Year exhibition on display at the Design Museum until April 27.